Current instructor

Richard Keyser

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.44/5 from 52 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

What students say

Original student reviews · all captured dates

LS262 · course not matched
Quality 3/5Difficulty 4/5
Takes forever to grade, gives vague outlines without rubrics and grades very harshly. Admits to unmeetable expectations and nit-picky grading. Has random grad student grader you will never engage with. Yet a passionate and intelligent lecturer with clear understanding of content, kind and funny.
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LS261 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Professor Keyser is a thoughtful and detailed lecturer, but you will not get an A if you don't pay attention and read the material carefully. He's very clear about his expectations, and although the class is undoubtedly challenging, you can get a lot out of the class if you put in the effort.
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LS430 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
Took legal history & environmental law, both reading and lecture heavy, but worth it if you're interested. Grading isn't too bad if you're a good writer. Not the warmest but he's clearly very passionate and knowledgable on the topics he teaches. 2 of the only classes I've ever enjoyed attending, wish I could take another!
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Quality 3/5Difficulty 4/5
This course requires intense note taking, reading, and studying. Be prepared for challeneging exams and take-home papers. The midterm & final were timed, in-class closed note blue book exams in which you would write an essay (luckily he provides the prompt a week prior to the exam). He makes it as pain-free as he can though, & isn't a harsh grader.
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LS262 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 4/5
This class is very well organized. There is a solid amount of reading, but it is very digestible, and he covers the key points in class. He is very passionate about history. I loved his lectures! Very kind and understanding of situations when you need to miss class. Just wants to help you learn. Good and flexible grader.
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LS262 · course not matched
Quality 5/5Difficulty 3/5
The course takes consistent effort, especially with readings, but it pays off. Keep up, attend lectures, and it will show in your grades. Prof Keyser gives detailed feedback that helps you improve and has strengthened my essay skills. His lectures are engaging and funny. Highly recommend if you're ready to work and grow as a writer and thinker.
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Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.

Classes with Richard Keyser

LEGALST 692 is an individual study course for majors to write a nonhonors senior thesis.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2022 · limited sample

LEGALST 699 is a directed study course in legal studies.

Offering recorded · Fall 2026

historical GPA · grades

Spring 2022–Spring 2026

Recorded teaching history

Explore courses taught by this instructor →
Browse recorded courses
TermCourseTitle
Fall 2026LEGALST 692Senior Thesis
Fall 2026LEGALST 699Directed Study

Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.

Instructor identity & provenance
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