Robert Ley - Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

Professor: Robert Ley

Department: Psychology

College: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PSY355
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I really enjoyed Robert's class, it was a good choice to take along classes with lots of homework since the grade is only based on exams (which are easy as long as you read the textbook). I found a lot of the material interesting, and I enjoyed hearing stories from his practice. To sum up: traditional class/learning, funny and caring prof

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Bob is a great guy, but this class in 95% based on memorization of the textbook. and they textbook is dense, and his tests are created by quiz banks, so there is no clear cut answer as to what to study/how to prepare. Grade is based on exams only. Curve helps, but not by much. Be prepared to read and memorize

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

As a lecturer, he's not bad. Gives some cool stories from his clinical work and lectures are somewhat interesting (but long). As a teacher, he is awful. Tests you on lots that he doesn't cover, exams are difficult, and he's just not very helpful. Would not recommend. Unless you want to pay to read a textbook and maybe attend lecture occasionally.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

He's extremely unfair: you have to learn an insane amount of content from the textbook (about 4-5 chapters weren't covered in lecture, and what was covered in lecture barely covered each theory), and exam questions are insanely specific. Also, the questions on one chapter on a midterm were accidentally deleted, so he added them to the final.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This course is not the best option if your taking an elective for credit. The prof is a nice guy but is disorganized. Does not prepare for lectures, instead making up examples on the spot which are not always helpful. zones out and talks about random things which do not apply to what he's teaching. Seems to not care about his students' success.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Tests q's are like riddles and based 90% on the book, which is a very long, confusing read. Picky marking scheme for SA q's. Given that the prof gets his q's test bank, doesn't respond to emails , prepare for lecture, or give much time for exams, it seems like he has better things to do than see students learn and succeed.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

AVOID!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: PSY370
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: No
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Since this is a psychology class, I think this is an appropriate comment to include: physician heal thyself! ...!!!!

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Hardest class ever. If rote memorization isn't your thing, run away if u can! It feels exclusionary to students who learn differently. MC were the hardest of my UG. He takes all Q from the testbank and the textbook is written in riddles. Memorize EVERYTHING and you have a chance. He grades on a curve which made it better in the end. nice guy.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Robert is a nice guy, does have interesting lectures with numerous good stories. However, to do well in this course, you have to read the book thoroughly inside and out. The multiple choice is based on textbook material. The written is based on his lectures. Study 90% textbook and 10% lectures. Make good notes, and you will be solid.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: PSY355
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Robert is a very nice guy and he tells a lot of interesting stories, but his tests are awful and barely based on his lectures. He gives clues to what the short answer will be and lectures will help you answer those, but the multiple choice are all questions pulled from random portions of the textbook. You basically have to memorize the whole book!

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PSY355
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Dr. Ley is a very sweet and caring professor. He goes out of his way to help students. He gives very precise examples, and his tests are very easy. He doesn't assign papers which is awesome! He makes the class very funny, so students get super engaged! Take him!

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: PSYC355
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

It helps when you ask questions in class and get to know him. He shares a lot of stories from his clinical work and brings relevance to what we learn in class. Lectures are recorded, which is great as I had 830am class. Downside is he does not use powerpoint or give lecture notes, so just listen and take notes. Exams are 85% based on the textbook!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

VERY difficult course, concepts were abstract and hard to grasp. midterm you have 1.5hrs to write 3 Long-Answer Essay questions, 5 Short Answer and approx 35 MC. Honestly one of the hardest courses I've ever taken. The professor was nice and the lectures were entertaining but definitely would NOT recommend and this is coming from an A avg student!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: 370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

After reading many of the bad reviews here, I still took the course expecting to do well. Big mistake. This was the most boring class I've ever taken. All exam questions are chosen from the textbook publisher's test bank making lectures redundant. As well, the audio for a quarter of the lectures didn't record. Very disorganized prof.

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: 355
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

It does not seem like Dr. Ley prepares for his lectures, which is very off-putting when you are paying for a class. I wanted to work with adolescents, so it was extremely important for me to get a good grade in his class. However, he was rude and sarcastic when I asked questions, and spoke more of anecdotal experience. The tests were irrelevant.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: 370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

He drones on for the full three hours and mocked our class for asking for a break. He doesn't use power points or any visual media, but will reference videos he doesn't show, like you should know about them. 100% test based class and they were really hard. He is off-putting, making it very difficult to even want to ask for help.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lectures were pointless, the textbook did all the teaching. He covered next to nothing in class other than the theorists' backgrounds and the tests were from the textbook question bank. His avoidance of PowerPoint isn't the issue, he was generally disorganized and would repeat himself and rant about the same clients/examples. Nice man, bad prof.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PSYC355
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

No point going to lecture, just read the text, his lectures are all over the place. Tests are hard as you have to teach yourself. Just read the books. Lectures are recorded

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PSYC370
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

This is one of those classes that should just be an online class. You do not learn anything relevant to the exam by attending lecture; you have to learn from the textbook yourself.