WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
School of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused, and
distinctively Christian environment for professional success, lifelong learning, and service to God and
humankind.
HIST 3307 - History of Russia
Term: Spring 2015
Instructor: Professor Wiersum
Contact Information: Phone: 602-703-3754
Email: roger.wiersum@wayland.wbu.edu
Office Hours: W (5:00- 5:25)
Class Time and Location (5:30-9:30) Luke Air Force Base
Catalog Description: A survey of the Russian/Soviet past.
There is no prerequisite for this course
Textbook: A History of Russia, the Soviet Union, and Beyond 6th edition David MacKenzie and Michael Curran
ISBN 978-0-534-58698-0
Optional Materials: Provided by instructor
Course outcome competencies: At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to
 describe the geographical factors which have shaped the development of Russia from the beginning of its
existence to the present
 understand the political, economic, social and religious factors which made Russia unique
 describe how the Russian experience affected and was affected by the country’s foreign relationships
from the Turks and Mongols through the Cold War and period of détente
 identify the contributions of major social, political, military, and
 religious figures
 develop their oral and written communication skills, as well as their ability to analyze information and
draw defensible conclusions about it
Attendance: Students enrolled at one of the University’s external campuses should make every effort to attend
all class meetings. All absences must be explained to the instructor, who will then determine whether the
omitted work may be made up. When a student reaches that number of absences considered by the instructor to
be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file an unsatisfactory progress report with the campus
dean. Any student who misses 25 percent or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings may receive a
grade of F in the course. Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the
course syllabus, are considered a part of the University’s attendance policy.
Service for the Disabled: It is University policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or
activity in the University. Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities at the first class meeting.
Course requirements:
Reading assignments: Reading the assigned chapters is important understanding the material. Failing
to stay up with the reading assignments may impact your ability to understand the lectures and videos.
Power points: Each class will have lectures given by power point. Students are encouraged to take
notes and ask questions throughout the lecture to check their understanding.
Video: Each class may have a video to reinforce the material from the lecture and textbook. Students
do not have to take notes during the video. However, there may be questions on quizzes pertaining to videos
that are shown in class.
Quizzes: There may be a short quiz to begin a class period. No notes may be used.
Quizzes cannot be made up or re-taken.
Writing Assignments: Each class (except the midterm and final exams) there will be a short writing
assignment that can be done during class or at home.
Power Point Assignment: Students complete a power point presentation about any country or famous
person from the former USSR. Each person must choose a different country or person. The power points will
be presented in the last week of class and will be worth the same as an exam (100 points.) Students will be
given time near the end of class to work on their assignments and ask questions.
Exams: There will be a midterm and final exam consisting of multiple choices, true/false questions, fill
in the blank questions, and a short essay. The exams will be worth 100 points each.
Method of determining course grade:
Tests and quizzes-- 45%
Power point presentation –35%
Writing Assignments – 20%
The University has a standard grade scale:
A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F= below 60, W = Withdrawal, WP = withdrew passing, WF =
withdrew failing, I = incomplete. An incomplete may be given within the last two weeks of a long term or
within the last two days of a microterm to a student who is passing, but has not completed a term paper,
examination, or other required work for reasons beyond the student’s control. A grade of “incomplete” is
changed if the work required is completed prior to the last day of the next long (10 to 15 weeks) term, unless the
instructor designates an earlier date for completion. If the work is not completed by the appropriate date, the I
is converted to an F.
Instructor’s policy on Academic Dishonesty: Cheating on an assignment and/or using another writer’s ideas
or words as your own (plagiarism) will not be allowed and will result in a grade of zero for all involved. “It is
far better to try than to cheat!”
Tentative Schedule:
Week 1 (Feb, 25) HW: Read chapters 1-5 and complete assignment 1
Week 2 – (March 4) assignment 1 is due. HW read chapters 6-10 and complete assignment 2
Week 3 – (March 11) assignment 2 is due. HW read chapters 11-14 and complete assignment 3
Week 4 – (March 18) Spring Break!  (No Class)
Week 5 – (March 25) assignment 3 is due. HW read chapters 15-19 and compete assignment 4
Week 6 – (April 01) assignment 4 is due. HW read chapters 20-23 and complete assignment 5, review for
midterm
Week 7 – (April 8)
Mid Term (Chapters 1-23), assignment 5 is due. HW read chapters 24-29 and complete
assignment 6
Week 8 – (April 15)
assignment 6 is due, HW read chapters 30-33 and complete assignment 7
Week 9 – (April 22)
assignment 7 is due, HW read chapters 34-38 and complete assignment 8
Week 10 –(April 29)
assignment 8 is due. HW read chapters 39-45 and complete assignment 9
Week 11 – (May 6)
assignment 9 is due, Power points presentation, Review for Final
Week 12—(May 13)
Final Exam (chapters 24-45)
Additional Information: Power Point Presentation Rubric
The requirements for this assignment are as follows: 20 slides, at least seven graphics/pictures to support
your research, bibliography, and a title slide. The title slide and bibliography slides count as part of the twenty
slides. You may use different fonts, backgrounds, transitions and colors in creating your slides, so be creative.
You need to use at least three different source types, like internet, book, journal and etc. DO NOT have more
than seven lines of text per slide. Please utilize the Wayland University Library to find at least two different
sources. This assignment will be worth 100 points.
20 slides
3
18 slides
2
Many facts and useful
information
3
More than seven
3
Some facts and not
authentic
2
Conventions
Few mistakes
3
Some mistakes
2
Bibliography slide and
title slide
Both there and done
correctly
A few mistakes
2
Presentation
engaging presentation
3
Fair presentation
2
Length
Content/Research
Graphics
At least five
2
16 slides
1
Vague and general
1
three
1
Several mistakes
1
One is missing or several
mistakes
1
Poor presentation
1
Multiply the total score by 6.7 to get a percentage grade out of 100.
Person: ___________________________________________________________________________