ECON 2060

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 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.

Writing this in reflection of taking this course 2 years ago, I can confidently say this was one of the most challenging courses I've taken at UVA. There is an insane amount of material that Thomas goes through at a blazing pace, and it necessary to know most of it. The midterms feel like a slap in the face, with 5 identification questions, 3 source analysis questions (analyze a quote and connect it to a particular reading), and a full essay ALL WITHIN 50 MINUTES. The exams are worth 100% of your grade, with 25% for each of two midterms and then a final that consists of 1. a third "midterm" covering the last third of the material (worth 25% of total grade) and a couple essays that connect key concepts across the units (the other 25%). I found that the best way to study was to summarize each unit on a piece of paper in order to keep track of key ideas and important academic debates. I somehow pulled off an A-, but with starting to study almost two weeks before each midterm. I wouldn't bother with the textbook. He encourages you to read it by asking about 2/3 ID questions per exam that we could've only known if we had read the textbook. But honestly, it's extremely boring and even if you do read it, there's no guarantee you'll get those questions right; so I just decided to take the L on those questions and put more time into studying the lecture and packet info (which I think paid off). Definitely read the packet readings, though. You'll need to know them pretty well for the source analysis questions.

Having said all this, Thomas is an extremely engaging lecturer and makes seemingly dull concepts actually pretty interesting. If you're trying to raise your GPA, this probably isn't the class for you. But if you're looking to get a better understanding of American history (and hear a dude with a British accent talk super passionately), would definitely recommend.

Thomas is the best professor I’ve ever had. Super information dense lectures old school with no slides and a chalkboard. The course is extremely interesting and I would highly recommend it. As a non-Econ major, this was my favorite class by far, and I’m super happy I took it. That being said, this class is HARD. 2 midterms and a final make up the entire grade and they are completely written. If you want an A, you’re gonna need to start studying 3 weeks prior to exams. The most time consuming class I had by far, but that being said, if you’re up for the challenge I would highly suggest this course.

Professor Thomas was an engaging speaker, and the content in this class was very enjoyable to learn. That being said, it is an extremely reading heavy class. Around 100 pages of reading a week from a textbook + yellow book containing primary sources and opinion and analysis. The grades are entirely composed of "three" tests, the third test being a combined midterm on the last third of the content and the final which is cumulative. The midterms are very difficult: five vocabulary questions, three analysis questions about texts from the yellow book, and an essay question. I would not recommend this course if you are very interested in getting an A. But, if you are reading this and want to take it, getting an A is not impossible. My suggestions would be to skim the textbook readings at best. Attend class to get full points on the essay section, and get so intimate with the yellow book readings you can recite them in your sleep. Especially be able to connect the authors to their points. Try to understand big picture economic concepts across each "era" for the final. Attendance not checked, but I highly recommend.