Jack Mangala - Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI

Professor: Jack Mangala

Department: Political Science

College: Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: PLS314
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Mangala is very knowledgeable about his work. He's able to discuss any topic related to international law, so be sure to ask questions. He requires that his students participate, so be sure you read about the topic before class. Beware: the course is graded by few things, so try your best on every assignment. I highly recommend!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: PLS319
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Prof. Mangala is great! Super nice and so knowledgeable! Also, one heck of a snappy dresser! His tests aren't hard if you do the review sheets. DO THEM! His essays are real loooonnggg bc they're 1.5 spacing. STILL DO THEM! Huge portion of your grade. He gives you all the info you need in his lectures. Solid prof. would take again. Recommend 100%.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: AAA200
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Managala is great. He encourages students to really get involved in the topic. If you're just taking this for an easy A, don't. Participation matters a lot in this class and you really have to have something substantial to contribute. He doesn't always offer feedback, but he's approachable.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: AAA200
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

Biweekly quizzes. To prepare for quizzes, there is a TON of reading! I mean 100+ pages every two weeks. Quiz questions are taken from the review sheets. Tip: Highlight the answers in the text with a page reference on the review sheet for quiz essay questions. WAY TOO MUCH READING for a gen ed class. Plus 3 four page papers and a book report are due

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: AAA200
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

SO much work for an online class. 500+ chapter book to read and write a 3pg book report on, two 4pg papers, and a 4 pg final essay. On top of biweekly quizzes and discussion boards. The weekly readings took forever to read and the quizzes would be impossible if you didn't read them. Too much busy work for a pointless class like this.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: PLS313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Lectures and information is interesting if you're a IR/PLS major/minor. Textbooks/readings are not necessary- didn't do any of the reading and got A's on all the tests. Two case studies and one large paper, which I didn't think he graded *too* harshly. His insights are interesting and he clearly cares/is knowledgeable. Would take again!

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: PLS314
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

I had Mangala for both PLS 313 and PLS 314. Both times I had good experiences. Although they are not easy classes you have enough time to do well on them. He is a very fair grader. His accent can be challenging at first, but you get used to it fast. Take him if you have serious desire to learn and challenge yourself, otherwise take something else.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: AAA200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

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

Comment:

I had 200 AAA with him online and I can honestly say it was such a pointless class. So much busy work that made it tough to keep up with. You have like 4 papers due at the end of the semester which was horrible since I was taking 18 credits total so they took up so much time when I could have been studying for so many other classes :(

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: PLS313
• Grade Received: B
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Mangala is hard to understand at first, but you get use to his accent really quick. His lecture are the same every class but its interesting if you like the material. Two tests and one partner paper. His quizzes and tests are long but he gives you weekly questions that are the questions on the test so look at the. One partner project. Take him.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: PLS313
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Mangala is a great teacher and is very reasonable. Like any upper-level college course, you have to work hard to get a good grade. He is a consistent lecturer and grader so you know what to expect throughout the semester. I definitely recommend taking a course with him!

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: AAA202
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

This was not the easiest class I have taken at Grand Valley but I'm very happy with my decision to take his class. He is a very interesting and knowledgeable professor. Have a chat with him sometime after class you will be impressed with his intelligence. He grades tough but only because he expects the best out of his students.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: PLS313
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Professor Mangala is really quite great. Yes, his classes are hard, and yes you are expected to do a lot, but that's what you're paying for! People who say he expects/asks too much are either not interested in the topic or do not work hard enough.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: AAA200
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

The class itself seems simple enough but be prepared to have a dictionary handy. The readings use big words to try and prove that they are educational when in actuality it's just an annoyance. I realize he may be doing this to expand our vocabulary, but it takes away from lessons I should be learning when I'm too busy looking up every other word.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: PLS211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

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

Comment:

Be prepared to study more than you think you should. My grade was lower than I felt it should be, but truth be told, it was because I hardly cracked open the book. The weekly readings were extremely long, and the lectures even longer, but the professor was very kind overall and knew his stuff!

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: AAA202
• Grade Received: C
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

Professor Mangala is a really nice guy, although very hard to understand. Definitely thought the class was going to be easier, but it turned out to be one of the hardest classes i've taken at gv. exams are brutal, multiple choice as well as 10-15 essay questions. he's very intelligent, but lectures are super boring. no study guides or anything

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: PLS319
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Professor Mangala is a nice guyand definitely interested in the subject. The lectures can get a bit boring but not terribly. Exams aren't too hard if you do the reading guides and study.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: PLS313
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

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

Comment:

He seems like a nice enough guy, but this will go down as the most boring class I have ever taken at GV. The midterm exam is very, very specific. He likes to focus on dates and gets extremely picky with numbers, such as the amount of member states in a given organization. The two research papers are also very long and very dry. Not recommended.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: AAA202
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

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

Comment:

There was no book to buy for this class! The class was pretty easy and didn't require a ton of studying if you attend class and listen to the lectures and discussions.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: PLS211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

He has an accent, but you get used to it pretty quickly. His exams are a little on the hard side, but not too bad if you study and pay attention. He is a nice guy and a good prof.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: PLS211
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

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

Comment:

Really great professor. Exams are a bit difficult if PLS is not your cup of tea. Got used to the accent right away. He's very helpful during office hours and offers extra credit throughout semester. Take him, especially if you're doing it just for the theme.