Vladimir Tismaneanu

This professor has taught: GVPT445, GVPT445H, GVPT459A, GVPT459C, GVPT459F, GVPT459H, GVPT459K, GVPT459P, GVPT459R, GVPT459X, GVPT888A, HONR209X
Information Review
Vladimir Tismaneanu
GVPT459K

Anonymous
07/10/2024
While class could get a little boring because of how long they were, how Prof Tismaneanu basically just jumps from topic to topic (his lectures are like advanced story-telling), and how he would often go 5-10 minutes over time, it was still a really interesting class and I became a lot more interested in Russian history as well as Russian literature thanks to Prof Tismaneanu's lessons! He's a kind man and the two assignments (midterm and final, both essays) are relatively simple - just make sure to listen to his lectures, read some of the materials he provides on Canvas, and you'll be good to go.
Vladimir Tismaneanu
GVPT459K

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/27/2024
Loved this class! Absolutely recommend. Lectures covered interesting material & grading is basically two essays (midterm & final), no sources needed, easy to write. TAs are helpful and help with any issues with the course.
Vladimir Tismaneanu
GVPT459K

Expecting an A+
Polibomb
06/03/2023
Actually the GOAT. Lectures are basically the man rambling about Soviet history intermixed with current events. There was like two essays which as long as you submit something, you get an A- minimum for. I didn't really like Russian politics, but his expertise and interest in it made it fun.
Vladimir Tismaneanu
GVPT459K

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
05/24/2023
Take any class you can with Prof. Tismaneanu if you are an IR major. Super chill guy, the class is interesting, and the workload is extremely manageable. Every other review here is spot on. Not too much structure but I still learned so much just by listening to lecture alone.
Vladimir Tismaneanu
GVPT445

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/24/2021
He is extremely knowledgable about what he teaches and his lectures are super engaging since he includes several personal anecdotes. He can be quiet/hard to understand sometimes and it can be difficult to follow the flow of what his lectures are about at first, but you get used to it. He doesn't necessarily follow his syllabus (which can be frustrating if you like structure) but his class was a lot more about learning rather than a grade. The way he structured the class was how a college class should be: you show up to lectures and listen and don't have busy work. There were only two papers and a small discussion grade which is easy to do well on if you show up to lectures and do a short extra credit presentation. He gives a lot of freedom which encourages learning and paying attention. I will definitely take more classes with him before I graduate and recommend him to everyone.
Vladimir Tismaneanu
GVPT445

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
03/04/2021
I love this guy. His accent is a bit difficult to understand, but he is so kind and really funny. He laughs at his own jokes all the time and could talk about the course content for hours. So knowledgeable and passionate about helping his students. He doesn't bother assigning any busy work which is great. The class is basically one final paper and if you meet with him during office hours he'll help you outline the whole thing. Super generous and wise! Would definitely recommend.
Vladimir Tismaneanu
GVPT459R

Expecting an A
Anonymous
08/22/2019
Professor Tismaneanu was easily my favorite professor at UMD and I will really miss him and his classes. I took four courses with him over my time at UMD. If you are interested in learning about Eastern Europe, I would highly recommend that you take his courses. As others have mentioned, he is the authority on Eastern Europe. If you are passionate about the subjects he teaches, I would highly recommend that you do the "extra credit" presentation for his course. He doesn't force anyone to do this, but he basically gives you the freedom to do whatever topic you like (as long as it relates to the class in some way) and you don't have to follow a rubric. I also appreciate that he doesn't force you to do obnoxious group projects, unlike many other GVPT professors. As other reviewers mentioned, he does jump around from topic to topic - so it may be a bit difficult to take notes. That being said, the midterm, quiz, and final exam are always reasonable so if you are paying attention in class, you should be fine.
Vladimir Tismaneanu

Expecting an A
Anonymous
11/20/2013
Great professor and really informative class - Professor Tismaneanu is pretty much THE authority on Eastern Europe. His lectures are very interesting and he makes an effort to tie the history to modern day events. He jumps around a bit chronologically, but you can usually follow his train of thought.
Vladimir Tismaneanu

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
01/08/2013
Prof Tismaneanu is one of the most experienced lecturer's I've had, he has an amazing depth to his classes. His teaching style isn't for everyone though, he doesn't follow outlines or even really stick to one topic per class. He tends to jump around, sometimes between decades, often times between countries and ideologies but if you're interested then I highly recommend it.
Vladimir Tismaneanu

Expecting an A
Anonymous
04/07/2011
Tismaneanu's grade distribution speaks for itself, at least for GVPT459C. I attended approximately 8 classes during the semester and got an A. I personally disliked his teaching method, he jumps from year to year and back again quite a lot, so note-taking is hard, but the information that he discusses is interesting and it is obvious that he is very knowledgeable about the history of Eastern Europe.