DSST Soviet Union
History of the Soviet Union (formerly The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union)
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Cheat sheet
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Give each week a clear focus.
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ExploreAbout this exam
History of the Soviet Union is a DSST exam in the Social Sciences subject area, listed by DSST – Get College Credit as a three-credit Baccalaureate examination. It was formerly titled The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union, so candidates may still encounter the older name in catalogs and study plans. The exam is intended for students who want college credit for knowledge equivalent to an undergraduate survey course, including adult learners, homeschooled students, and eligible military members and spouses whose first attempts may be funded through DANTES at military bases and institutions. The published content outline spans Russia under the old regime, the Revolutionary Period, the New Economic Policy, pre-war Stalinism, the Second World War, post-war Stalinism, the Khrushchev Years, the Brezhnev Era, and reform and collapse - a chronological arc from the imperial order through 1991. Preparation means building a reliable timeline, then layering causes, policies, and consequences onto it, with attention to the late-imperial background and the final reform period as well as the heavily studied Stalin years. DSST lists Peterson's and EBSCO LearningExpress® among its online test prep materials, and score reports are sent to the school or institution designated on test day. This page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by DSST.
What you'll study
About DSST Soviet Union preparation
What is the DSST History of the Soviet Union exam?
It is a DSST exam, listed under Social Sciences and worth three Baccalaureate credits, covering Russian history from the old regime through the revolutionary period, the New Economic Policy, the Stalin years, the Second World War, the Khrushchev and Brezhnev eras, and reform and collapse. The former title was The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union.
Who recognizes DSST credit?
DSST states that over 1,500 colleges and universities recognize the program and award college credit for passing scores. Recognition is institutional, not automatic, so confirm with your target school that this specific exam is accepted and how it transfers before you register or schedule a test date.
How do I register and where do I take it?
Registration is through DSST: you can find a national test center or local institution, register for a remotely proctored online exam, or register online for an exam in China. Eligible service members can schedule remote proctoring. Score reports go to the school or institution you designate on test day, so choose that recipient carefully.
How hard is the exam, and what trips candidates up?
Difficulty is not published, but the usual failure mode is a thin timeline: candidates memorize Stalin-era slogans and then cannot place the NEP, the purges, or the post-war years in order. Others neglect the old regime and the reform-and-collapse period because the outline gives them only one heading each. Build chronology first, then causes and consequences.
In what order should I study the nine content areas?
Follow the published sequence, because it is chronological: old regime, revolutionary period, NEP, pre-war Stalinism, Second World War, post-war Stalinism, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, then reform and collapse. After a first pass, spend extra time on the transition points - 1917, the turn to the NEP, the 1930s, 1945, 1953, and the mid-1980s - since exam questions often test how one phase produced the next.
What preparation materials does DSST point to?
The DSST site links online test prep materials from Peterson's and EBSCO LearningExpress® for this exam, alongside a registration link. These are commercial prep products, not official question sets, and they are not the same as the exam itself. Use them for structure and practice, and pair them with a survey textbook and your own timeline notes.
Can I retake the exam, and how long are scores valid?
The DSST source page does not state a retake policy, a waiting period between attempts, or a score validity period. Because these are institutional and program rules that change, check the current DSST policy pages and your receiving school's credit policy directly rather than relying on secondhand accounts.
How much does the exam cost, how long is it, and what score passes?
Those figures are not given on the DSST page this guide is based on, so they are not stated here. Fees, timing, question counts, and passing scores are set by the program and can change; confirm each on the official DSST site and with your test center before you pay or schedule. DANTES funding covers first attempts only for eligible military members and spouses.