Russian Studies
We offer 4 years of Russian language studies and a wide range of courses in literature, culture, and area studies. You will be part of a close-knit and dynamic community with numerous co-curricular activities (Russian Tea, Slavic Club, trip to Boston Symphony).
Our students have gone on to first-rate law and graduate schools and won prestigious fellowships such as Fulbright, Truman, Rangel, and Critical Language Scholarships.
30
Credits
The major in Russian provides rigorous training in Russian language, literature and culture. The major concentrates on acquiring advanced proficiency in Russian language and on comprehending important aspects of the literature, culture and civilization of Russia and the former USSR.
The requirements for the major in Russian Major is 30 credits, normally ten 1-semester courses:
- 9 credits (normally, 3 one-semester courses) in Russian grammar, composition, and stylistics beyond the intermediate level
- 9 credits (normally, 3 one-semester courses) in Russian literature and culture, including 2 survey courses for classical and modern Russian literature (SLAV2162 and SLAV2173)
- 3 credits in Introduction to Slavic Peoples and Cultures (formerly Slavic Civilizations)
- 6 credits (normally, 2 one-semester courses) in Russian literature, culture, advanced grammar and stylistics, history or politics, of which at least 3 credits must be in Russian literature and culture (list of approved courses available from the Department)
- 3 credits (normally, a one-semester course) in Russian and Slavic linguistics (The Structure of Russian, Old Church Slavonic, or Old Russian)
The Department also has provisions for a Russian major with a concentration on culture and civilization.
18
Credits
The departmental minor in Russian requires a minimum of 18 credits (normally, 6 approved courses):
- 6 credits (normally, 2 one-semester courses) in Russian at or above the intermediate level
- 6 credits (2 one-semester courses) in Russian literature: one pre-twentieth century and one post-nineteenth century (normally 2 survey courses for classical and modern Russian literature, SLAV2162 and SLAV2173)
- 6 additional credits (normally, 2 one-semester courses) in Russian literature, culture, advanced grammar and stylistics, history or politics (list of approved courses available from the Department)
Q: Do I need to know Russian to take other Slavic courses?
A: The only courses that require Russian are Russian language courses beyond Elementary Russian I. We offer literature and culture courses that satisfy various requirements (Core, Global Studies, etc.) that are conducted in English and in translation.
Q: I speak Russian/Ukrainian/Polish/Bulgarian at home but I don't read/write well. Are your language courses for me?
A: Absolutely! We regularly have heritage speakers take our classes. These students are often surprised by how much they learn and report very high satisfaction. They also appreciate learning about the culture of their heritage. Please e-mail Prof. Lin if you have questions about placement.
Q: What activities, student clubs are available?
A: We have a weekly Russian Tea that is open to everyone. We also regularly attend events in the Boston area (recently we saw concerts at the Boston Symphony, attended a musical at Harvard, etc.) We also work closely with the Slavic Club, which regularly organizes events such as movie nights and cooking classes.
Why Study Russian?
A global language
Russian is spoken by more than 250 million people across the globe.
- Eastern Europe (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova)
- Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan)
- Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia)
- Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia)
- Israel, where over 1 million Russian speakers live.
The US government has designated Russian a “critical language.” Learning Russian makes your resume stand out and opens doors to diverse careers, including Foreign Service/Department of State, cybersecurity, FBI, intelligence analyst, translator/interpreter, and many areas of academia.
Studying Russian gives you the key to understanding many of the world’s most renowned writers, musicians, artists, and directors who were born in the former Russian Empire, the former USSR, and in post-Soviet states: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Babel, Nabokov, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Kandinsky, Chagall, Tarkovsky, Eisenstein.
