If you show up and read the material and take notes easy class. Two tests may be a pain.

You'll learn TONS!

hirsh has an interesting class for the most part. if you attend the SI sessions then you will most definitely get an a or b on the 2 exams. hes a pretty nice guy but hes blunt, very blunt.

He's a good teacher and it's an interesting class. Bad thing is that he talks real fast, makes taking notes a little hard, but if you go to SI it's a piece of cake.

Very interesting class. You'll be ok if you go to SI, totally cool if you have Marty as the SI man! (He's the one I rate as HOT!!!)

class is alright, but go to SI to see Marty (aka Hotty!!) and you'll be fine

His class is very informative and will enlighten you. However, the only way to pass his class is to 1) Go to the SI sessions. The SI basically gives you what will be on the exams. 2)Suck it up and read the 2 books. Armadillos is actually funny.

I don't know what the person before me is talking about. This class IS an easy A if you pay attention in class and go to SI...SI sessions basically tell you what's on the exams...very helpful! Granted Hirsh talks a little fast but go to SI: you'll be fine

Until this class, I only dreamed of having an instructor of this caliber. His knowledge of the topic is seemingly infinite and he articulates everything perfectly. He also has an undying commitment to raise awareness about, and prevent, genocide.

One of the most intelligent people I have ever come into contact with. One of the leading experts on genocide. Great person to sit down with during office hours and pick his brain. you must go to class and study but he makes it easy to do so because of the way he presents the information.

Very liberal dude, but cool teacher, knows his stuff and can make some interesting jokes, only problem i had with him is that all there is a mid term and final for your grades but if you go to SI sessions the class will be a lot easier

When i got to his class, he started out with a quote from Hitler "What luck it is for the ruler that people do not think".he is liberal, i am conservative, but hes knowladgeable and i learned the most from his class than any other, definatly take this class, i hated him at first but hes cool.

This is not an easy A class, but he is a very good teacher. If you pay attention in class and study his notes you will do good!!!

Warning: VERY liberal (not a problem for me, but for some). Some call it bias... I say, HE'S the researcher, he has a doctorate. Anyway, easy tests (memorize the lists) I thought, and I didn't read the books (he explained what we needed to know). Attended an SI or two... should have gone to more.

One of the most intelligent, educated professors I have ever had in all my life. His knowledge on the subjects of Vietnam, genocide and world politics is extremely immense. He defintely isn't afraid to share his opinion either. Very interesting class too.

He was one of the finest professors I have had. I wish I was a history major so I could have an excuse to take another class with him. Yes, he is a liberal, but he is educated and open to discussion. If you want to debate a conservative view with him he is more then happy to oblige. I miss his class.

awesome. take his genocide class if he still offers it. best professor i had in college.

This class was great! I enjoyed Hirsh's lectures. He is very opinionated yet appreciates and listens to the opinions of everyone else. YOU HAVE TO COME TO CLASS. He bases much of his 2 exams (your only 2 grades) on lecture material. Great professor!!!

Great professor, not such a great atmoshpere given he looks toward a class of dopey freshman for enlightened political conversation. Liberal guy, but very educated in his position.

not a hard class at all if you study for your tests. Hirsh knows what he's talking about and makes lectures interesting and material very clear. I would recommend taking his class.

Fabulous teacher. I highly recommend him. He's very passionate about what he does. If you are a good writer and a diligent student, you will get a lot out of this class.

Great professor. Talked more about political views and current events than actual government. Pay attention in class and take notes. When he says that his exams consists of "fill in the blank", he really means short answer, so study for that. Other than that--he's a great professor. I don't regret taking his class.

His class is not that bad you just have to go and take decent notes. he does talk about his own views which make the class less boring. go to the SI sessions those help out a lot.

At first, this class scared me because your whole grade is based on just 3 exam grades. Make sure you go to class, take good notes, and get notes from blackboard, and you shouldn't have a problem with the exams. The SI sessions were also super helpful. Not an easy class, but certainly not that hard.

There are only two exams which are not very difficult. All of the material comes from the blackboard notes. I got an F on the first exam because i read the book. I only studied the blackboard notes for the second one and got an A. He gave me a B in the class. Don't waste your time going to class or reading the book. He's a nice guy.

he's intelligent and teaches the stuff most professors won't. His tests are fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice, but the SI sessions are very helpful. If you miss class, sometimes he changes his lectures up so Blackboard stuff isn't as reliable as going to class. If you go to class and the SI sessions as much as possible you'll get an easy A.

Great teacher. Very passionate speaker. Is open to questions. Go to the SI sessions if you need help - the worksheets given out are great to study with.

Hirsch is real, and expects his students to be too. To a freshman he may seem harsh, but take an upper class course with him.I took him for both 103 & 364, I know. Hirsch has a huge wealth of knowledge; there is no one like him. He is an expert in his field, and is an amazing professor. Be prepared to work, but you will come out better in the end.

GO TO THE SI SESSIONS! He's very opinionated, but I enjoyed his approach to American Government. Exams can be tricky but are definitely passable. NO EXTRA CREDIT. Three exam grades, thats it

It is a great class, if you have the opportunity to take it do so. There is a lot of reading and several small papers, but the books are interesting and well written, and he gives great feedback on your papers. The papers is all that you have to turn in, no midterm and no final

Dr. Hirsch is passionate about the subject, and I found his lectures very interesting. Attendance isn't mandatory, but exams include some material only covered in lecture. If you study the notes and **attend class**, you should have no problem.

Professor Hirsch is not a bad guy.The only way to pass his exams is to cram the material on his notes.If you do that you shoudl get a grade above a C.By the way if you read other reviews there is a person who says he grades on improvment. HE DOES NOT, becuase my exam grades went up by at least 20 pts each time!But at the end my grade remained the s

Good Professor, Hard class, Need to be regular to the class. I got an A in this class.

Amazing teacher, full of enthusiasm, and really knows his stuff. If you want to get an A in the class....GO TO CLASS. Also, go to the SI sessions. All you have to do is study the study guides that the TA gives you.

Hirsch is a good teacher. Very interested in what he's teaching..MUST MUST MUST be a regular to class. there are only three grades in the class so STUDY!!!

He's a nice guy if you speak to him. He likes to know people are interested in what he's teaching. Tests can be difficult and he doesn't curve them. He gives A LOT of notes but if you make your own study guide, you will pull off a B in the class. Class attendance is not mandatory but sometimes his classes are pretty interesting!

Don't go to SI sessions unless you didn't go to class. Show up to class, take good notes, study those notes and get a good grade in the class. He made some remarks about how stupid VCU students are and how ashamed he is of teaching here so that's kinda annoying

Professor Hirsch knows his stuff. However, he sometimes is a little all over the place. He's a nice guy and the tests were ok. If you go to SI you are guaranteed an A (that is if you can get in them... many of ours filled up fast.

Very passionate about what he teaches and makes it an interesting lecture.

Seriously, after readinng all of these reviews I was terrified to take his class- but I just finishned yesterday and he was seriously my FAVORITE teacher in 5 semesters of college and 2 schools. He's so passionate and knowledgeable about the subject and is a really good guy and helpful when you ask questions. TOTALLY TAKE THIS CLASS!!! SERIOUSLY.

Considering how large the class size was, this really was an okay class. His lectures were usually pretty interesting. We did cover a lot of stuff I already knew and the tests required a lot of memorization, but those are my only negative critiques. I never went to an SI session and still got an A. Just don't skip class and do your reading!

Herbert Hirsch is brilliant. That's all there is to it. If you want to really learn- not just read off of a power point or listen to a dull, pointless lecture, TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! Gov't is an incredibly boring topic in itself, but Dr. Hirsch is an author on genocide and a distinguished scholar- THIS MAN KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT!!

Hirsch is brilliant and passionate, with a healthy dose of cynicism and frustration thrown in. His lectures are great, and yes, he is a hardass, and can come down on students sometimes. But the ones he comes down on deserve it anyway. The tests can be hard, but study, and you should get a B without too much difficulty. Listen, he knows his stuff.

Simply, the man is brilliant. Going to class is a must, and if you can't do that posters below, you need to rethink going to college. 1 text, 2 outside books. Both outside books simple, quick, easy, and fascinating. Tests couldn't be easier. I'm a psych major and I aced this. I can't recommend this man and this class enough.

Professor Hirsch is a great professor! I was a little intimidated at first, but he really is a great teacher. He makes government really interesting, with his powerpoints and class discussions. I loved coming to his class. He's also a really funny guy. All his test material is straight off of Blackboard so it's not hard to do well. Great class!

Great class, great teacher. Hirsch really compels students to take an honest look at history and humanity. I took it because I needed an elective, I'm glad now that it was the only course that fit into my schedule last semester.

Professor Hirsch is a decent teacher, although i dont know why he is teaching this entry level course. If you are are not a lazy ass, and you actully read the easy text book he selected for the class, scan the notes and go to SI, you WILL at least get a B ( i got an A). Hirsch is, however, rude (something he takes pride in because LBJ was rude and

I love Hirsch! If your not interested in The Vietnam War or the 60s then don't take this class. Three papers on the books. Answer the questions given for the papers and use sources to back up and you'll get good grades. Randomly takes attendance, miss three of them and your grade goes down a letter.

He is the man. It is true that he is biased, but he is so insightful. As far as the books go, War is a Force is really good, but I didnt like Yellow Stripes much. I finished 1 point away from an A but its because I messed up on the second exam and didnt study. Go to class because if you do he will like you and his exams are based off lectures.

At the beginning of the semester, he scares people by stating how tough his class is & how most of the class fails his exams, but he is not that bad. Attend lectures, take notes, and go to SI and you will get an A. Don't bother reading the two books b/c he will tell you in class what you need to know about them and his EXACT words are on the exam!

He's very seasoned in the polisci field and definitely has his biases but I disagree with the people that say he imposes them on other people. Go to class, SI sessions, and read the chapters, he takes test questions directly from lecture & textbook definitions. Overall though, pretty easy if you actually go and pay attention. Good professor!

He is a very engaging and enthusiastic professor. Those that gave him poor reviews are probably lazy or not very politically intelligent. IF you read the text book readings you should get an easy A. He is def biased to the left, but NOT closed minded. He WILL NOT impose his opinions, though he will give them alot! No excuses & no extra credit.

Very profound. One of my favorite classes taken at VCU. Extremely intellectual and inspiring, I highly recommend him if you care about an active and stimulating learning experience.

Don't be fooled by the negative reviews on here. If you actually attend his lectures and pay attention instead of surfing Facebook for an hour, this class is a breeze. S.I. sessions can be helpful. No surprises or tricky questions on the exams. If you enjoy dry, sarcastic humour and have to take POLI 103, take Hirsch!

It's true, Hirsch does not teach a by the books U.S. Government class. I took AP , and it was nothing like his course. You have to know U.S. politics before you can understand what he's talking about. He's justified in being a grumpy old man. Students these days just have no comprehension of actual learning. I got an A solely from prior knowledge.

Great teacher. He is very opinionated and good at speaking them. His lectures are not like a typical poli sci course because he is actually critical of govt and therefore can relate to most people. His lectures speak of all the things Public Schools seldom talk about. Go to class, his lectures are excellent.

professor Hirsch is one of the most intelligent professors I have ever met. He is very passionate about his work, and if you put in the effort you can get an A and if you are struggling I recommend talking to him during office hours. if you want to see a out of textbook view of politics this is an eye opening class.

Dr Hirsch is very smart and knowledgeable Prof.;if you want to learn take him,if you want to play around don't take him.Do not skip his classes, do not be late,you have a question ,he will go above and beyond to answer it, knows all games students play don't embarrass yourself playing any kind of games with him,he is patient & wants you to succeed.

Dr. Hirsh is a very intelligent guy, but his 103 course is too hard from a 100 level. He should simply be teaching at Villanova or Syracuse cause he looks like he belongs in the north.

Professor Hirsch is a wonderful instructor. He expects a lot from his students. Due to his expectations, many students complain and grumble about how unfair he is. Nonsense; come to class, read your books and study. I received an A. So can you.

Hirsch is cool. He's funny and smart, but he hates the government. His whole class seems to have his opinions as the foundation of the class, but attendance isn't mandatory. He posts everything online. The 3 exams are your only grades in the class, so go to class when you can and read the textbook. As for SI, she wasn't helpful at all.

If you can handle relying on your final grade being based off 3 grades alone, then by all means take the class. Although Hirsch is helpful, you must do your part in order to be successful. Come to class, do the readings, and attend SI sessions. Although he is hard on his students and expects a lot, he has a great sense of humor.If lazy,dont take

Hirsch is a cool professor. For my class, all the notes were online and the SI emailed out notes, so attendance isn't mandatory. However, if this isn't the same for you, go to class. He goes through everything quickly. Funny class, also.

Hirsch is funny. For my class, all the notes were online, so I never went to class. His questions on the test are literally copied from the notes.. The books that he requires you to buy, don't buy them. He tells you what you need to know. Grade is based off of 3 test; so study or don't take his class if that bothers you.

I struggled with this class. It was frustrating because professor Hirsch is an awesome professor but his tests are really difficult. I got low C's on the first two and a high B on the last test. He really knows his stuff and he really challenged me.

Easy enough class. He posts all the outlines to Blackboard, his tests are straight forward, reading the textbooks helps. He's a lot nicer than he comes across sometimes and likes his students to participate, be up to date in the news, and pay attention (ie, not send him emails about extra credit when he says there's no extra credit offered).

He seems really mean to begin with, but that is because of he does not know anyone. However, he is very approachable in person and will work with you if you need to miss a test. I was out of the country and he worked with me. You need to read the book and understand the material. He posts the outlines online. Do not ask him stupid stuff: extracred!

While his demeanor may be slightly intimidating in the lecture hall, professor Hirsch is very approachable before and after class. He is extremely knowledgeable, and is willing to work with you so that you can excel in his classes. The material is not always easy, but he is always enlightening. Every class I have taken has been very informative.

If you have some clue what goes on in this society/ world you live in you will find Dr. Hirsch to be extremely interesting. His political beliefs are not pushed upon you although he does make the case for both parties. You really don't even need to buy the books if you take notes at lecture.

Great class and great prof. Had Hirsch for 103, and despite all the grumbling from the peanut galley he was fantastic, as long as you did the work. His Vietnam class is an entirely different beast. He relies heavily on a multi-episode PBS documentary which does a fantastic job of relaying the ins and outs of the Vietnam War. But don't skip!

Dr. Hirsch is simply amazing. Some people may say he is intimidating, but he honestly has one of the best personalities and is so nice. You learn a lot from this class, if you study enough you will do well. Go to SI sessions regularly! This class will definitely test you study skills, but it's a challenge that is very rewarding. Don't buy the book.

Dr. Hirsch is a great professor! He is very passionate about politics and encourages change. As long as you go to his lectures, he is not very hard. He is kind of funny as well. Let me make it clear, ahem, that you should go to SI Sessions & go to lectures ALL the time.

I took Hirsch's 103 last semester and am currently in an upper level 300 class of his AND plan to take him again next semester. He's truly an amazing man. If you can't appreciate learning from a man who is a leading expert in his field, you shouldn't be in college. Also, his moralistic approach to learning is what all educators should strive for.

A lot of students dislike Hirsch because he doesn't take any crap. Don't walk into this class expecting an A to be handed to you. Tests aren't hard but you need to study and attend class if you want to pass them, especially if you aren't familiar with the subject. He's old and grumpy but is also super intelligent and gives interesting lectures.

Hirsch is an amazing professor. If you are truly into your academics, and interested in political science, Hirsch is your man. Do not base your choice in taking him on the negative reviews below - decide for yourself! He acts scary in class but is always thrilled when students come to see him during office hours. Take if you're serious about school

Hirsh is a cool dude, just grumpy as hell. Very opinionated and hates slackers. Show up to class and study 30mins for tests and you'll pass. Not a hard class. I think he is pretty fun to listen to if you have an open mind. I'm on the opposite side of the political spectrum as him but I still thought he was interesting.

he's the best! even if you have trouble studying for his tests, he's willing to help by offering extra credit paper.. thats only if you show up in his office hours very often..! show up to class if you want to pass!!

You only get 3 tests. Each count as (1/3) of your grade. That's it. No chance for screw-ups. However, his tests are straight forward. When he isn't constantly bashing republicans during lectures, he is telling you "this will be on the test". Take notes in class. Don't read books he tells you to read (besides textbook). Pay attention in class.

funniest professor i have had, hirsch will make you interested in what he has to say. go to class listen study and you will pass.

Comes off hard but very willing to accommodate for the right reasons. Straight up missed a test and he let me retake it. Only grade are 3 tests so if you mess up on one you mess up your chances of passing. Focus and study and youll be fine.

Took Hirsch for History of the Vietnam War. Wasn't difficult at all, but the material was interesting and I learned quite a bit. The class was mostly lectures with two papers on books. He really is a nice guy and is passionate about what he teaches. I don't really understand all the bad reviews

Dr. Hirsch was one of the best professors. He is not difficult if you bother showing up and trying to learn the material. Most of the bad comments are stupid freshmen who don't bother doing any actual work. I graduated from the VCU poli sci department and took multiple classes with Hirsch 105 364 369