First off, it needs to be said that even when I didn't want to, I enjoyed Professor Frank's class. In terms of the workload, it's pretty light. He used to give a multiple choice exam along with an in class essay for the midterm and the final before COVID, but now it's just a take home essay for both. There's also an "extra credit" segment where you can write reflections on assigned readings that I would recommend doing, because while they don't add to your grade in a traditional EC way, they're easy points that take away the weight of the midterm and final on your grade and also give you a rather clear study guide for the essays (which are based off of said readings and the lecture). Professor Frank can be a bit vague in terms of what he expects for papers or assignments, but if you go up to him and actually ask him directly about what you're confused on, he'll go into even further detail. He appreciates students who put a concerted effort into assignments instead of just depending on what they're given, so you have to advocate for yourself in this class. Also, his jokes about Russian history definitely tend to lighten the mood, which is nice. Just show up, care, and let him know that you take the class seriously and it's somewhat of a breeze.

Although not the best lecturer, I really enjoyed this class with Frank. He is incredibly knowledgeable and has been in the department for a long time. I loved the material, but the delivery was slightly off. My recommendation is to do the "optional" assignments and show up to class. It's not that difficult, readings are interesting, and you can tell he really knows what he's talking about. He provides slides, but tell you to just follow along on your own as he reads his lectures. Slightly interesting way of teaching... he's pretty funny though. I would take another one of his classes probably.

goat teacher. nothing else to be said here

Professor Frank has a bit of a bad rep for this class, but if you go to his office hours he is seriously super helpful and one of my fav professors in the history department. Best way to get an A is go to his office hours to have him look over essays, outline, drafts, anything you can get him to look at. He is extremely slow with emails but WILL respond to them eventually and WILL read over outlines and give legitimate feedback. For the final, you get to choose between a two 6 page papers or a 12 page paper. I recommend a 12 page paper... Frank really values specificity and delving into one topic for 12 pages reads better than two 6 pagers. There are a bunch of readings but I didn't any of them except for the ones I needed for the essay at the very end of the quarter. You don't need them at all for the midterm. Class gets to choose midterm format, typically it's an identification quiz but he grades it pretty hard. Midterm doesn't matter that much if you kill the final tho. Frank's a great and pretty chill professor you just have to go talk to him.

The midterm was just a memorization of terms and definitions and the final was a 12 page paper. It is totally doable and the class is not particularly difficult besides the final.

I think Frank's rep is entirely unfair. I think people take him entirely too seriously, because he's funny and he's actually very nice.

When I showed particular interest in a war he was lecturing on, he sent me a link to a website entirely devoted to that war. I spoke to him for two seconds about it in a class of 70 kids, and he went out of his way not only to remember me, but to send me something cool.

I got an A- in both classes I had him for, both 1C and 127B.

He's disorganized to be certain, but followable. I like his lecturing style, and he's an absolute fount of information. I was very fond of him, and would gladly take another class with him if I could.

This professor was really a nightmare. His lecture is incredibly dry minus the jokes he occasionally drops in. Takes roll every class, and gives a take home essay for the final along an in class midterm. The Midterm was a 10 ID question format out of about 100 terms, all of the 10 he chose were not on his study guide, and fairly obscure. Very hard grader on the final paper, all in all don't take this class.

Frank is the worst professor I have ever had. He's a complete jerk. I went to his office hours one time, to ask a simple question about the midterm, and instead of getting a friendly response, he spent the whole time insulting me! Apparently, he had said something in class that I did not catch (this was a huge classroom, and he doesn't use a mic, so the students toward the back will have trouble hearing). He immediately assumed that I'd been sleeping during lecture, and said to me, "are you going to sleep during the midterm as well?" I didn't mind the sarcasm at first, but as I thanked him and started to walked out of the office, he called me pathetic! Also, if he considers your questions to be stupid, he won't answer your emails. I know, because when I emailed him about the final prompt, he never answered me. However, he did manage to send out a mass email to his students the next day.

Anyways, if you're going to take him, there's an in-class midterm (He only gave us 10 identifications to answer, and he curved it). The final was two 5-page papers, which weren't too bad. Russian history is interesting, but his lectures can get so boring, his sporadic jokes can't save them. In the end, I learned more by reading that tome he assigned than by going to class. Anyways, if he weren't such I jerk to his students, I might have thought his class bearable.

Overall he is a nice teacher, his jokes are funny, midterm and a final are not too hard. Midterm is a test, and a final is a take home paper. Knowing Russian history helps a lot. There is way too much reading, I stopped trying after the midterm.