Kind of a Yale elitist... but cutting edge historian when it comes to Russia in the modern era... not to mention a very intense lecturer.. a very deep wealth of information available from this guy... no notes needed as he posts online.. lotsa reading

Great lectures! Though he's a stickler for attendance, the class is well-worth going to (and interesting!).

Interesting guy, hard working and is always willing to lend a hand. Lends materials for papers if you need and if a very understanding guy over all.

Burds is amazing!

This man is a great teacher. He pushes you to your extreme and makes you read 7 books, but in the end you come out more knowledgeable than you ever imagined. You will definitely feel rewarded after all the hard work you put into his classes.

Very hard grader, expects a lot out of each student. Plays favorites and if you go to his office hours, you will be a favorite and get an A. GO TO EVERY CLASS and speak up so he kows you are there. Interesting and intelligent man but I will avoid him now.

One of the most demanding professors at NU. But also one of the best lecturers/teachers I had in 4 years. Amazing knowledge and love of subject area.

Excellent Prof, Learned a lot, not a soc major, but still did well and enjoyed the class

Burds is my favorite professor at NU. He can be an **** sometimes, but it's (mostly) always in your best interest. He demands a lot, but is extremely helpful and supportive.

If u dont go to class, dont take him. Very demanding but def worth the learning experience. Very awesome spin on what one would expect from a Euro Hist course. One of the most influential professors at NU

Probably one of the best lecturers, if not the best, in the entire department at Northeastern. Also very active in the discourse of his field. Classes can be demanding but well worth the challenge.

Go to every class! Good guy. Some classes can be boring, but you learn a lot in the end. Don't piss him off. He likes to chew people out in front of everyone.

Brilliant, yet very down to Earth. He does not allow students to "slip through the cracks" meaning that he is a stickler for attendance. Very competent and capable and communicates well in and out of class. Turn off your cell phone in class and think before you speak!

The BEST professor at NU in my opinion. Very helpful and great availibility. Engaged students in the subject at hand. After taking this class I am minoring in History. Would reccomend everyone to take at least one of his classes...

Burds is AMAZING, undoubtedly the very best professor I have had in four years at NU. He is like that favorite high school teacher--the one who cared and who worked unsparingly to enrich his students. At the same time, Burds is this amazing scholar--passionate, devoted, astonishingly smart. I have never seen anyone present lectures the way he does!

Burds is the type of professor you either love or hate. Students who don’t want to do the work should stay away from his courses. He will drive you hard to excel, and some of you will get quite put out. Burds is hard, but fair. He is the best teacher I have had--he makes courses I had little reason to like into the classes I most want to attend.

Burds is FANTASTIC! He teaches without a textbook--just primary sources. His lectures are like performances--passionate, powerful, poignant, simply amazing. He covers topics you never find in intro courses: about sexuality, masturbation, child abuse, existentialism. I've never enjoyed any course so much as his Intro to European History.

Burds is the man. He is definitely one of the best professors at Northeastern. The subject matter is his life's work so he knows what he is talking about and is very passionate about it. DO NOT TAKE THIS COURSE IF YOU DONT GO TO CLASS. If you miss 5 lectures you automatically fail.

Favorite professor so far. His lectures are well thought out and are very interesting. I never wanted to miss a class. Do the readings and pay attention. If you aren't going to take the class seriously, don't sign up. He is a genuine nice guy, very approachable if you are having trouble. He wants you to pass and will do his best to help you!

If you're not planning on doing the work do NOT take the class. hes a rough grader, and if you don't do the readings (which are numerous), don't expect a good grade. however, all his lectures were AMAZING. they were interesting and fun, so i never wanted to miss a class. he gives extra credit, which helps a lot,and i highly recommend the class.

Professor Burds is the man. His lectures are amazing. He starts each class reviewing his notes, then its one deep breath and a 50 minute lecture. He is happy to help anyone and encourages discussions. Very Important to do your reading in this class... it is not difficult to get an A if you do the reading! Burds is a GOD

Amazing class! Fantastic professor. Hands down the hardest, most challenging, and best course I've taken at Northeastern. But you gotta come to class! Reading is heavy, work load is okay. Best part are the Burds lectures -- always powerpoint, interspersed with film, photos, maps, handouts.

Soviet Secret Police is an INCREDIBLE course, and BURDS is an AMAZING professor. BURDS really cares--from the enthusiasm in lectures, to meetings outside of class. He busted my a** on the midterm exam, but he really helped me do my best in this course. Attendance is a must, readings too--especially the notes on line. Avoid Summer2--7 weeks is dense

Its clear that one either loves or hates profBurds. I loved this course! Burds worksd on a high standard, and he is very demanding. You must attend, and be prepared to work hard. A lot of reading/writing. But lectures are brilliant. I agree: take this course in the fall, not the summer.

Amazing course! Before you graduate, you MUST take Soviet Secret Police. Burds knows his stuff-he always comes to class extremely well prepared, typed notes, power pt, films, the works. . . The sections on Soviet spies are the best, especially Nosenko, Cuban missile crisis, nuclear spies.

Hardest, most demanding class I have taken in 4 1/2 years. But also the BEST! This is an OUTSTANDING course. The best part is Burds -- who really draws you into the secret world! I loved his lectures! Hard grader, but fair. Offers plenty of extra credit. Attendance MANDATORY!!!!

Soooo much reading. But his lectures are great, he has so much information - and is always acquiring more. His class includes film screenings, ppts, rare photos, classified documents and guest speakers. Tough - but worth it if your ready to do the work.

Very passionate about teaching and about the subject matter. Extremely helpful and available to answer any questions. GREAT class!

Burds is BEST prof at NU! Lectures are AMAZING, and tho there's lots of reading he gives most of the exam questions in advance. REALLY passionate about what he is teaching. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Best professor. Cares about each and every student. Is so selfless and so giving of himself.

Burds is BRILLIANT--a first-rate lecturer! A LOT of reading, but he helps you to narrow focus before the exam. Take this course! Really helps you understand current events.

He realized combining a whole semester into a summer class was hell for students. he made summer 2 pretty easy. You have to go to class and he gives extra points for perfect attendance.He wants everyone to get a good grade and knows his sh**. Take Soviet Secret Police,the readings are interesting but the syllabus can be confusing,online movies r ok

Burds is the perfect image of a college professor. He sweeps into class in all black clothing and teaches like it's nobodies business. AWESOME! He really expects you to read all the books that the class is on. If you don't you will be able to follow along because his lectures are really good, but you will feel behind as well.

Although it's easy to get lost in his lectures, Burds is an interesting professor who genuinely wants to help students learn.

Awesome if you're bad at history; he doesn't make you memorize dates&etc. Quizzes are on books so you know generally what to study. He lets you write papers to make up for bad grades on quizzes. Best history professor I've ever had

Don't take the class if you suck at history, I'm learning that the hard way. Taking a Summer 1 class and it is jam-packed. He talks really fast in class so it's hard to take thorough notes, but posts his powerpoints online and definitely knows his stuff. A LOT of reading and outside work, very very easy to fall behind. May or may not pass this.

Be expected to do TONS of reading and to write challenging papers. That said, Burds is one of the most memorable teachers I had at Northeastern. He is clearly an EXPERT in his field and you will learn some really interesting stuff in his class. He is intense, but if you work hard he will really help you. Heavy workload but great subject matter!

He is awesome. He's very experienced and knows a ton. Be prepared to sit through very long lectures and get pounded with information from start to finish. There is a lot of outside reading and movies to watch, but as long as you have a general understanding of the material and his listen to the lectures then you will be fine.

Best Professor I've had at NU. Extremely intelligent, and more than willing to go the extra mile to help a student succeed. Tons of reading, but everything is interesting and relevant to the course. He acknowledges students that attend, participate, and put an effort in. Definitely someone you would want to write a letter of recommendation.

Best professor I had at NU. Brilliant. Fascinating. Burds really knows his stuff. Reading can be heavy sometimes but Burds gives hints to contents of quiz questions in advance--which really helps. I also loved that this course attracts a lot of former military, and students from all over the world. So discussions are loaded with original insights.

He is sooooooo smart and knows everything there is to know about Soviet History and much more. Heavy on the reading and pretty tough on his grading, but it's totally worth it just hear him talk. His classes attract a lot of guys interested in spies and secret police. Not a ton of discussion, but he will ask a few questions so be ready.

Massive class, but attendance was sign in sheet. Class was very long, but Professor Burds(in black blazer,pants,boots) was intelligence and engaging. Class covered by downloadable powerpoint, the content was interesting and his stories were unforgettable. One big exam and paper. If you impressive him, opportunities are unique ... and he is nice.

Favorite professor at NEU. An incredibly knowledgable and very unique professor who will treat you as an equal with quality work. If you love the subject like he does, he will know. Good work and effort will get him as interested as you maybe drinking in Moscow. Also one of the few classes were passive recruitment was possibly taking place.

Best Prof Ever! Burds comes well-prepared for lectures, power points and texts which are shared on line. He is a passionate lecturer, and I found myself discovering new ways to understand history. I loved this course!

Professor Burds is a really interesting and entertaining lecturer. His History of Espionage class is fascinating and although there was a lot of reading material, it was all very interesting to read. In addition, he is VERY generous in giving "hints" for all of the tests and if you put the time in there is no reason you should not get an A grade.

Professor Burds's biggest downfall is that his knowledge of and interest in the subject is so deep that he tends to just talk at you for almost two hours, and it's hard to pay attention for that long. That said, his class is my favorite thus far, and most of the material is interesting and original. It'll spark your interest in history, I promise!

The guy's done amazing work in his field and he's incredibly passionate. He's supportive of students and easy to talk to, though he doesn't seem to be the most approachable from the get-go. Really awesome prof

Reasonable grader and gives easy but sometimes unsuspecting quizzes.

He is a really nice professor that is super smart. Like the dude knows EVERYTHING about history I swear. He grades tough on the two exams but one can get an A-/A if they try. Great intent!

Amazing professor, gave great lectures that were very informative and to the point. The lectures were all pre recorded and could go on for over an hour but they were interesting to listen to. Very approachable man who understand you have other work to do and will give extensions. He also knows his stuff. 10/10

I took an asynchronous version of this class. There were 2 assignments a week with readings (10 to 50 pages) and/or a lecture with 1-2 short response questions. There were also 4 group essay questions and some film responses. I really liked prof Burds. Not only was the course interesting, but when I fell behind he emailed me to check in.

I cannot say enough positive things about Jeff Burds! Hands down, this Professor is one of the best I have had the pleasure of taking and his course is spectacular. I am strongly considering adding a minor to my degree plan simply to take more courses with this Professor.

Professor Burds is easily the best Professor I have ever has across 3 different colleges. He gives great feedback and is always accessible via email. Any of my questions or concerns have always been answered quickly and respectfully. His lectures are entertaining and the carefully selected course material is extremely interesting. Would take again!

Burds was a good professor. HIST3334 was a very interesting seminar - attendance and participation mattered a lot. Burds could be a little sharp and rude at times, but overall he was pleasant. He gives a lot of feedback and sometimes it's harsh but true I guess. There are 2 presentations, one 12 page essay, and nine small/one page essay quizzes.

No exams, but a lot of writing assignments. Just participate in class and follow his examples on how to write the papers/presentations.