Professor
Eric Jager
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2024 - Professor Jager is a delight. I have zero interest in anything to do with literature in Middle English, but this class reconciled me with the idea that it is actually interesting, humorous, and not hard to understand at all despite how funny it sounds being read aloud. This class is very dependent upon discussions and participation, so make sure you study (or at least google) the assigned reading and listen to the pre-recorded lectures before every class so you can contribute. There is one course paper due towards the end of the quarter and weekly quizzes, which are completed at your own leisure and not in class. You also have to recite a portion of the Canterbury Tales but it's super easy with a little bit of rehearsing. Overall, this class was very enjoyable with a minimal workload. I would definitely recommend taking this class with Jager if you can!
Winter 2024 - Professor Jager is a delight. I have zero interest in anything to do with literature in Middle English, but this class reconciled me with the idea that it is actually interesting, humorous, and not hard to understand at all despite how funny it sounds being read aloud. This class is very dependent upon discussions and participation, so make sure you study (or at least google) the assigned reading and listen to the pre-recorded lectures before every class so you can contribute. There is one course paper due towards the end of the quarter and weekly quizzes, which are completed at your own leisure and not in class. You also have to recite a portion of the Canterbury Tales but it's super easy with a little bit of rehearsing. Overall, this class was very enjoyable with a minimal workload. I would definitely recommend taking this class with Jager if you can!
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2010 - I took Jager's Chaucer and Medieval lit class this year, and both were fantastic. Professor Jager is not only extremely knowledgeable and brilliant, but very accessible. He goes out of his way to meet with students and, I've found, is very encouraging and helpful in office hours. I personally have only gone in to discuss papers but I have friends who went in just to talk to him about texts, grad school, etc in a more casual way and said he was very engaging and helpful. He doesn't pile on reading, which is wonderful. He does have high expectations for essays and exams, but he grades fairly. Personally, I preferred having a smaller amount of reading and being able to pay closer attention to it rather than speeding through mass volumes of text like in many courses. I've never been a fan of Medieval lit but Jager's lectures actually made it really interesting. He's always energetic, thoughtful, and really very funny. His chalkboard drawings are awesome too. Basically, he remains my favorite professor and I highly recommend taking a class, any class, with him.
Winter 2010 - I took Jager's Chaucer and Medieval lit class this year, and both were fantastic. Professor Jager is not only extremely knowledgeable and brilliant, but very accessible. He goes out of his way to meet with students and, I've found, is very encouraging and helpful in office hours. I personally have only gone in to discuss papers but I have friends who went in just to talk to him about texts, grad school, etc in a more casual way and said he was very engaging and helpful. He doesn't pile on reading, which is wonderful. He does have high expectations for essays and exams, but he grades fairly. Personally, I preferred having a smaller amount of reading and being able to pay closer attention to it rather than speeding through mass volumes of text like in many courses. I've never been a fan of Medieval lit but Jager's lectures actually made it really interesting. He's always energetic, thoughtful, and really very funny. His chalkboard drawings are awesome too. Basically, he remains my favorite professor and I highly recommend taking a class, any class, with him.
Most Helpful Review
This is a class on Chaucer, this is also a class with readings in Middle English rather than translated English. I took him in the summer and felt that...this class could have been better in a longer semester and I sort of regret not taking it in a longer semester because there was NO paper involved although this class was pretty easy despite that. I feel his class had lots of busy-work and he even told me it's much different than his Medieval class, which I wanted to take, but decided to wait. He's a funny guy and likes to see his students around once in awhile, and if I had to say anything about his class it's this: if you're interested, take it in a long semester but if you're not, take it in summer.
This is a class on Chaucer, this is also a class with readings in Middle English rather than translated English. I took him in the summer and felt that...this class could have been better in a longer semester and I sort of regret not taking it in a longer semester because there was NO paper involved although this class was pretty easy despite that. I feel his class had lots of busy-work and he even told me it's much different than his Medieval class, which I wanted to take, but decided to wait. He's a funny guy and likes to see his students around once in awhile, and if I had to say anything about his class it's this: if you're interested, take it in a long semester but if you're not, take it in summer.
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2016 - Professor Jager's senior seminar was one of my favorite classes at UCLA. He is funny, engaging, personable, and really chill. He brings the class cookies every week and he really respects students; he talks to us like we're colleagues and often tells us our ideas are innovative and fascinating. I loved the class and if I could I would take the rest of my English classes with him.
Winter 2016 - Professor Jager's senior seminar was one of my favorite classes at UCLA. He is funny, engaging, personable, and really chill. He brings the class cookies every week and he really respects students; he talks to us like we're colleagues and often tells us our ideas are innovative and fascinating. I loved the class and if I could I would take the rest of my English classes with him.