KB is a great professor, and this is a super interesting course (as are most SCAND classes), but note that you will have to put effort into this class to get an A. This is the third class I've taken with her. Her exams are always 40 questions multiple choice, one free response, and one textual analysis. During COVID, each part is 10% of your total grade, making each exam 30% of your total grade. So essentially, your final grade relies solely on the exams and final paper.

This class is not intimidating or hard if you know how to take KB's exams. (And assuming you actually do the reading assignments.)

The multiple choice questions are all based on the lectures. She won't put something on there that wasn't talked about in class. The way I studied was re-watching all the lectures on 1.5x speed starting maybe 4-5 days before the exam, taking notes on the PowerPoint slides/what was discussed in class.

Speed is the name of the game for these exams. I recommend knowing the PowerPoints very well, as you will want to get done with the multiple choice portion ASAP. I usually would finish in <10 minutes--you just have to know your stuff, that way you have more time for the free response and textual analysis portion.

For the two written responses, you really just have to analyze the crap out of whatever is given. If it's a reasonable analysis, you will get points. Avoid plot summary and repetition. If you know your stuff her exams are extremely easy. You also are allowed to write in bullet point format which I suggest you do to save time. If you have time left over at the end of the exam, you probably aren't thinking hard enough. Analyze until time runs out. Think of something.

Overall, KB gives you all the tools you need to succeed in this class and all her other classes. Pay attention in lecture and heavily review the PowerPoints and you will be fine. We are always analyzing the material in class, so applying that to the exam should not be hard. Almost always, the written questions are about something we significantly talked about in class, so it's really just a matter of remembering that and maybe adding your own input/additional analysis.

I took this class during the pandemic.
I mean it's pretty easy? It's definitely not a walk in the park, but you're not going to spend 4 hours every week just studying.
You get assigned readings that you have to read online before class that day. It's roughly like two days to do the reading. Some reading took me 1 1/2 hrs. Some readings took me 10 minutes. The course material itself is actually pretty interesting. I'd say like 4/5 readings were actually interesting.
You get participating by either speaking during class (even if you don't have the "right" answer, professor ball always tries to point out the correct things in your interpretation). You could also get your participation points by writing a reflection before class starts. You do quizzes everyday which is why you should attend lecture; the actual quizzes themselves were easy if you read the assignment.
Her lectures weren't the most entertaining. She just read off the slides and added her own ideas. In total. 25 minutes were spent on lecture, and 25 were spent on particpation and quizz.
Now, she had two midterms, and a final. This is where you get all of your points, really.
The course generally has a laid back and easy tone to it, but the tests weren't as easy. There were fill in the blanks about random historical facts she covered for about 1 minute. And honestly, these are Scandinavian names. You're not going to remember Brynhild or Vainamonin when the time comes to recall them. You're just going to think, "Yeah its that one old dude who sang... what was his name?? What reading was he in??" To be fair, you are allowed to use all class materials during the exams, but you don't have all time to be searching through every powerpoint. Also, there's a short answer response, and an short essay in every exam. You get like an hour to do all these three things.
I got a B in all of my exams and I did everything else 100% and still got a B+ so it's not EASY easy, but it's not hard either. I would still recommend this class. While the lectures weren't super interesting, the readings themselves were at times, and the class itself wasn't hard on a day to day basis. 7.9/10

Professor is great. Nice, reasonable, and good at teaching. Material is interesting as well. However, if you're looking for an easy A class this is not it. Class is actually quite hard, exams are graded harshly.

Good, straightforward class. Selling The Kalevala and The Poetic Edda, if interested text me at 503-880-4378

I absolutely loved this class and the professor. Professor Ball was excellent at explaining the material, and her class was always enjoyable. All the books and stories we read were interesting, and most were available online for free. For the class, attendance is required and checked with clicker quizzes that are very simple, but tied to the reading. I very much enjoyed how the participation was divvied up, allowing students to post on the discussion forum or speak in class. This was one of my absolute favorite classes, and Professor Ball remains one of my favorite professors.

I took Scand 40W and really enjoyed the class. The readings are very interesting and the classes give a good recap and give students a better understanding of the course. We had 3 essays which accounted for our entire grade, and the grading was lenient. What was a little annoying was the i-clicker questions at the beginning of every class which was based directly on the readings assigned, so we had to show up for class on time. This class was overall very enjoyable and intriguing.

I'm selling the Kalevala Book (required) for $10. Please text me at 714-331-4627

Ball is an overall amazing person and professor however this class proved to be really confusing and difficult. I would say that I went into it with the impression that it would be easy and know previous knowledge would be required but that's not the case. It seemed that many of the students in the class had background on the subject even though this was a lower div. The readings are challenging and the tests are even more challenging. You really have to pay attention and just reading the text is not enough, a deeper analysis is required especially because the English is an older style from Old Norse. Participation is required and is a part of the grade as well. 1 midterm, 1 final and 1 final paper.