SLAVC 90
Introduction to Slavic Civilization
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Introductory survey of social and cultural institutions of Slavic peoples and their historical background. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 5.0
Units: 5.0
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Most Helpful Review
Took CEESTD 91 with Prof. Galateanu Winter '14. She's truly an incredible professor and she has some awesome information to teach you...BUT. If you're not inclined towards history in general or if readings aren't really your thing, think twice about this class. There are a lot of reviews here saying this is an easy GE—this is really only true if you're a little more north campus than south. If you find the topic interesting you'll have a great time in this class, but if not, be prepared for a very, very rough quarter.
Took CEESTD 91 with Prof. Galateanu Winter '14. She's truly an incredible professor and she has some awesome information to teach you...BUT. If you're not inclined towards history in general or if readings aren't really your thing, think twice about this class. There are a lot of reviews here saying this is an easy GE—this is really only true if you're a little more north campus than south. If you find the topic interesting you'll have a great time in this class, but if not, be prepared for a very, very rough quarter.
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Most Helpful Review
I love Professor Heim! He's such a cute 'ol Professor with his overstuffed, tattered backpack and slouched back. I wasn't really interested in Russian history, but he makes his lectures really interesting. He's a really great lecturer and tells the history of the Soviet Union like he's telling the class a story. In terms of grading, it's pretty easy--two papers, midterm and final. The papers are fairly easy and the midterm and final are just short answer questions and essays. I'd definitely recommend this class.
I love Professor Heim! He's such a cute 'ol Professor with his overstuffed, tattered backpack and slouched back. I wasn't really interested in Russian history, but he makes his lectures really interesting. He's a really great lecturer and tells the history of the Soviet Union like he's telling the class a story. In terms of grading, it's pretty easy--two papers, midterm and final. The papers are fairly easy and the midterm and final are just short answer questions and essays. I'd definitely recommend this class.
Most Helpful Review
I took her Russian90A. She is one of my favorite professors on campus. She is very thoughtful and helpful. So is the TA (Peter). The lecture is very organized and interesting. Midterm and final include MC, matching and an short essay. Overall, it's a pretty easy&fun class. Take her!
I took her Russian90A. She is one of my favorite professors on campus. She is very thoughtful and helpful. So is the TA (Peter). The lecture is very organized and interesting. Midterm and final include MC, matching and an short essay. Overall, it's a pretty easy&fun class. Take her!
Most Helpful Review
Russian 90 - a very important class for a Russian Studies major, and the worst teacher I could imagine is leading it. I agree with the review below; Myrna is an excellent TA, and she REALLY helps with the midterms and final. Professor Klenin gives weird little smiles often during her lectures and acts excited to take questions, making it seems like she's nice, but she's actually somewhat evil...when approached before or after class, or in office hours, she is EXTREMELY rude for some reason. Very misleading. She has a strange lecture style, and the best advice I have if you want to get a good grade but don't feel like reading is to take really good notes and just study those. She tends to go into a much lower voice and practically whisper when she's saying something important, but then she'll move on too quickly for you to figure out what it was. She is inconsiderate and she does start early and end late. This class is very important if you're going to take Russian history classes in the future, and honestly it makes those upper divs a million times easier just because of how much work there is. She expects you to have an excellent memory for detail: dates, the names of all the Russian princes in order and when they ruled (which can be really confusing if you don't speak Russian), and many more things...So for the tests, be prepared to memorize details! In short, the material is decent depending on your interests and background, but be prepared to at least come to lecture, and discussion is especially helpful. Also, in addition to the textbook (atlas) and reader, she'll want you to read Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground" and Tolstoy's "Hadji Murat" and "Sevastopol Stories". One important thing: she does NOT give a paper anymore...at least not as of Spring 2008..so that's nice :)
Russian 90 - a very important class for a Russian Studies major, and the worst teacher I could imagine is leading it. I agree with the review below; Myrna is an excellent TA, and she REALLY helps with the midterms and final. Professor Klenin gives weird little smiles often during her lectures and acts excited to take questions, making it seems like she's nice, but she's actually somewhat evil...when approached before or after class, or in office hours, she is EXTREMELY rude for some reason. Very misleading. She has a strange lecture style, and the best advice I have if you want to get a good grade but don't feel like reading is to take really good notes and just study those. She tends to go into a much lower voice and practically whisper when she's saying something important, but then she'll move on too quickly for you to figure out what it was. She is inconsiderate and she does start early and end late. This class is very important if you're going to take Russian history classes in the future, and honestly it makes those upper divs a million times easier just because of how much work there is. She expects you to have an excellent memory for detail: dates, the names of all the Russian princes in order and when they ruled (which can be really confusing if you don't speak Russian), and many more things...So for the tests, be prepared to memorize details! In short, the material is decent depending on your interests and background, but be prepared to at least come to lecture, and discussion is especially helpful. Also, in addition to the textbook (atlas) and reader, she'll want you to read Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground" and Tolstoy's "Hadji Murat" and "Sevastopol Stories". One important thing: she does NOT give a paper anymore...at least not as of Spring 2008..so that's nice :)
Most Helpful Review
So this class deals with 4 ethnic groups in the Balkans (Poland, Czech-Slovak, Yugoslavia, Ukraine) which is kinda interesting, but its not so easy. The worst part is that there is an unrealistic amount of reading assigned (1 little novel plus 4 articles per week) but you can still get away with not reading if you pay VERY good attention in class. you have to take notes on everything he says, even the little things that seem unimportant to you. you cant stop paying attention for even a second or else you will miss something he said that will be on the test and its hard to catch up because he speaks quickly and packs in a lotta info. on the 4 tests you have to identify terms and names which isnt too hard because he give you a study list beforehand but you have to be pretty detailed in the descriptions. providing all the info that he said in class for a term may not be sufficient and you will not receive full credit for that question, supplementary info from readings or research (encyclopedias =) will get you full credit. so write detailed descriptions for every term on the study sheet and memorize all of them, even the unimportant ones. also you will be asked to identify the themes discussed in about 3 of the major readings per unit. its not so hard, if he discusses it in class, that's all you have to write. if he doesn't, just skim the book/article to make sure you know the jist of it and a couple of examples. final is cumulative so that's a lotta info but overall, pretty good professor: interesting, not too dry, but lectures too packed with info material: fairly interesting b/c he connects contemporary events with historical myths/ideas/events. a lot of info for each of the 4 units but not too hard to memorize tip* slavic language/background not a benefit. interest in balkan countries/history very beneficial my opinion: took it b/c i speak Russian and thought it would be an easy GE. did minimal reading, studied all night before tests, got Bs on test, received B in class. not what i expected, didnt like it, recommend it only if you are willing to work a little to get around the readings.
So this class deals with 4 ethnic groups in the Balkans (Poland, Czech-Slovak, Yugoslavia, Ukraine) which is kinda interesting, but its not so easy. The worst part is that there is an unrealistic amount of reading assigned (1 little novel plus 4 articles per week) but you can still get away with not reading if you pay VERY good attention in class. you have to take notes on everything he says, even the little things that seem unimportant to you. you cant stop paying attention for even a second or else you will miss something he said that will be on the test and its hard to catch up because he speaks quickly and packs in a lotta info. on the 4 tests you have to identify terms and names which isnt too hard because he give you a study list beforehand but you have to be pretty detailed in the descriptions. providing all the info that he said in class for a term may not be sufficient and you will not receive full credit for that question, supplementary info from readings or research (encyclopedias =) will get you full credit. so write detailed descriptions for every term on the study sheet and memorize all of them, even the unimportant ones. also you will be asked to identify the themes discussed in about 3 of the major readings per unit. its not so hard, if he discusses it in class, that's all you have to write. if he doesn't, just skim the book/article to make sure you know the jist of it and a couple of examples. final is cumulative so that's a lotta info but overall, pretty good professor: interesting, not too dry, but lectures too packed with info material: fairly interesting b/c he connects contemporary events with historical myths/ideas/events. a lot of info for each of the 4 units but not too hard to memorize tip* slavic language/background not a benefit. interest in balkan countries/history very beneficial my opinion: took it b/c i speak Russian and thought it would be an easy GE. did minimal reading, studied all night before tests, got Bs on test, received B in class. not what i expected, didnt like it, recommend it only if you are willing to work a little to get around the readings.
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