This was a very difficult class involving lengthy papers, long difficult novels to read, and confusing lectures that were not helpful for the tests. I wish I would have taken another class instead of this one.

30% midterm exam; 30% 4-5 pages term paper; 40% 4-5 pages paper for final; 1% extra credit possible if you attend a film screening or go to a museum on your own time. Three novels/novellas assigned for the class. You can get away with only reading one of them (the one you have to write about for the term paper) if you choose the non-novel/novella option for the midterm and the final paper. Professor McBride offers two options for all the midterm and the papers, so you do have some flexibility there. Interesting lectures and content materials. Textbook readings are not required (you won't be tested on them) but I found them to be useful, especially regarding writing for your papers (or just further preparing for the midterm). Professor McBride also posts some primary sources for each week's lectures. They are not required, but can be useful in helping you better understand historical materials/context covered in lectures (also one of the prompt options for the final paper is to analyze a primary source of your choosing). Pretty straightforward class that teaches you a lot about Soviet history.

Tests are difficult but if you show up for class you can easily get an A, he's very straightforward, look at the lectures and you can easily get an A

Professor McBride is a really interesting and funny teacher. I loved going to his lectures because he's so nice and makes the class enjoyable. He doesn't record the lectures but posts the slides online the next day. He thinks students who go to class do better. Sometimes he mentions things that aren't on the slides, so it's good to be there. He also offers 2 options for extra credit, but you choose only 1.

For the class, we read three very short books that went along with the midterm, a paper, and a final paper. The midterm was in a blue book, and we could choose between 20 multiple-choice questions and a short essay or 10 identification questions and a short essay. The answers to the multiple-choice questions were all in the slides. We also had to write two 4-5 page papers, one regular paper and one final paper.

Professor McBride is a great teacher, and I would definitely take his class again.

tough essays. easy multiple choice exams. a lotttt of info on the slides if u don't go to class.

Would definitely recommend this class as a great History upper div. McBride is a fantastic professor, and he really cares about his students. He is a great lecturer, and will make you want to actually show up to class. Very manageable workload, in person midterm, take-home paper final, 1-2 other assignments mixed in throughout the quarter. If you put in the time, you will get an A...there isn't any sneakiness or random things to try to set you up for failure. He is a great guy!

Professor McBride is a great lecturer and knows what he is talking about. I never find his lectures boring, and think that his workload is perfectly reasonable. I personally did a majority of the readings but think that not reading some of the novels would not hurt you, as the work in the class is mainly contingent on the lecture material. Would suggest taking this class!

As someone who is minoring in history simply because i like history, i took this class only because i wanted to learn about the subject. I think mcbride really fulfilled that purpose; his lectures are very informative, like he wastes no time. They're very dense and he goes really fast so i would recommend typing your notes (!!) but i personally thought he was a great lecturer and i enjoyed the class solely for the learning aspect. the class has one midterm and FOUR 4-5 page essays which i really dreaded for some reason like i really had no motivation to do them but mcbride was really merciful upon me turning in the first two essays so late!!! he did take points off but not as much as i thought he would. I will say that the first two essays were due the monday after thanksgiving which is annoying because who wants to write papers during thanksgiving?? the grading for the midterm was pretty harsh, i studied thoroughly for 3 days and used the textbook (which is on reserve at powell) but i did not get the grade i expected. he assigns 3 books (novels, not the textbook) but they are only necessary if you choose those options for the midterm and the essays; you can definitely avoid them if necessary, i only used one of them as essay sources. this class was very challenging because of the papers, harsh grading, and fast-paced/dense lectures. definitely not an easy A, but if you are actually interested in the subject then take the class. mcbride is also a pretty hip and young professor, throws in some jokes here and there, and is pretty approachable. his lectures are really organized and he seems like a chill guy.

I seriously enjoyed this class. The amount of reading is fairly heavy, however a majority of the readings were primary sources and fun to pick apart and dissect (on top of being short). The books assigned can be long, although they are still entertaining in how they are stories giving an insight into Soviet Russia rather than a long and dry textbook.
The lectures are invaluable to the course and will be needed for the in class mid-term and take home final. If you do the readings, attend lectures, and study the material to fill in an hour and a half of testing, you should do just fine.
If you are at all interested in Soviet history, I HIGHLY recommend taking his course.