I really enjoyed this class but would only recommend it if you’re willing to put in the work. There’s a lot of readings but the textbook only needs to be skimmed for important terms. The packet readings are dense but necessary to read because they are 15/50 points on the exams. Professor Thomas talks the entire lecture and goes pretty fast but sometimes he’ll just be listing data for 10 minutes or so so that’s slower. He’s pretty easy to understand if you pay attention. There’s a lot of data memorization necessary for the class but I recommend drilling the data down and then the actual info is easy to put together in an essay. The class is only 3 exams with 2 midterms and the final which is 50% of your grade. I honestly thought the final was easier than the other 2 exams because it was just connecting the main ideas of each unit in a couple essays. Go to office hours if you ever have a question and he’ll be pretty helpful. It’s a lot of work but Thomas is great at what he does and if you have some interest in the topic I recommend.

The lectures are pretty boring and he assigns so much reading that is hard to understand. You can most likely get a B but you have to put in so much more work to get an A.

I was pre-enrolled in this course and decided to stay in it because the subject matter sounded interesting and I figured it would be a chill elective course. Half of that assumption was true. This class was definitely very interesting, Mark Thomas is a highly engaging lecturer (his British accent certainly helps) and delivers the course information very effectively. That being said, the man talks only slightly slower than the speed of light, I am generally a light notetaker and had over 80 pages of typed notes for the semester. Zoning out for only a few seconds in class can mean missing somewhat large amounts of crucial information. I eventually wound up with a B+ in the class, but his exams were easily some of the most difficult I've taken at UVA. The midterms include short answer questions based of the primary source reading packet, so being familiar with that material is essential, an essay based on topics from class discussion, as well as 5 ID questions drawn from both class discussion, as well as the textbook. I personally never read the textbook and as a result typically got between 2 and 3 of the 5 IDs correct. The copious amount of extra worked required for so few extra points just was not worth it for me, but if you're hoping for an A or A- in this class be prepared to put in a significant amount of work. The work required for a B or B+ was definitely manageable, although still more than most other 2000 level courses. In short, this class was certainly very interesting and Mark Thomas is a fantastic lecturer and a great guy, but do not be fooled into thinking this class is an easy elective, it certainly is not.

The amount of sheer information in this class is overwhelming and rather unsatisfying when studying for. I read the textbook in depth to prepare for the IDs on every exam, meanwhile only to be acquainted with a new vocabulary word that I had never encountered. Your grade is based all on exams, which sounds bad but isn't the worse thing in the world due to the large curve Thomas applies. I wouldn't recommend this class to any GPA hawks, however as someone who is perfectly fine with getting a B I didn't mind it. This course would certainly benefit from a discussion section to keep a general timeline and add more structure to the class. Take it if you like history, and want a reasonably low time commitment B/B+. #tCFfall22

I swear this may be the hardest class to get an A in in the whole economics department. The lectures can be interesting, but Thomas always takes a very confusing roundtrip to his punchline for the lecture (likely for storytelling reasons but it's still kinda annoying). There are no slides or lecture materials so you can't miss a lecture. I left this class with a bunch of random fun facts about the colonial American economy but don't have too much else to show for the class.

Probably one of the most content-packed and in-depth classes I will ever take at UVA. This class was one of the best learning experiences because I learned how to study and analyze a mass amount of information. That being said, do NOT expect an A unless you are willing to dedicate a significant amount of work toward this class. Do not be fooled by the 2000 level title; it was more work and effort than my 3500 class. That being said, if you are up for the challenge, embrace it. Mark Thomas is a brilliant speaker and lecturer, and this class will give you a taste of a college level history and economics course. It covers everything from the founding of the American colonies to the economics of World War 2 in the span of 3.5 months. Read the textbook, the packet, and take good lecture notes; and study a week in advance for the exams! If you do that, I can almost guarantee you will receive at least a B+. TLDR: Great in-depth, exceedingly difficult history + economics class.

A class that is easy to get a B or higher in, but hard to get an A in. I was able to achieve an A- by skipping the textbook readings, and **forming a study group to prepare for the exam together**. We each did one of the non-textbook readings and a small writeup to share with eachother (which helped a TON for the exam essays). And also I pooled people's lecture notes to create high-level "narratives" (e.g. arguments/rebuttals for the true cause of the Great Depression) which was instrumental to my success on the exam.

This is a history class. Very basic economic concepts will be referenced but you will not be tested on them. Your grade will be determined by your comprehension of the readings & textbook, alongside your ability to identify historical figures/events/policies. Lectures are not mandatory, but they are enjoyable and I would recommend that you attend. Mark Thomas is likable and easy to get along with. He may seem a little loud and intense, but I assure you that he is actually cheery and kind. You will hand-write essays in midterms/exams, but your writing ability will not grant your the grade you want. I'm one of those "essay people," and I got a B in this class. My advice: read, read, read, read. Read everything. You truly need to be knowledgeable on the material.

Great lecturer. Very enthusiastic about the subject matter, and very knowledgeable. This could be a very dry course, but his energy (and British accent, admittedly) makes it pop.

This is a hard class. I pulled out an A, but with a lot of work. The lectures are dense (3 pages of writing per class, and I have teensey handwriting) and you'll be writing the whole time. The textbook reading isn't necessary, but is advised if you want an A. There are always a few vocab words from it on the test, and although they aren't worth too many points, there isn't a ton of margin for error on a 50 point test. The packet has some dense, complicated readings that you really only need the gist of, but I'd recommend a thorough reading, because it can help put the lecture material into context.

Overall, I'd say this is a fascinating course if you care about the subject matter (and want that history/econ double count), but if you aren't interested and ready to read, don't bother. The class is structured with 2 midterms (25% a piece) and a cumulative, all-essay final (50%), so there aren't any projects or homeworks to boost up your grade.

Very good lecturer -- lectures always felt like they went by very quickly, and made the material very interesting. The grade was based on just two midterms and the final, which were pretty tricky (he didn't give any guidance about how to study/what was the most important info). However, the exams were still very manageable if you showed up and took notes, and did the readings. Only outside of class work was readings and studying -- readings you could do at your own pace, and averaged out to not very much per week