Major/Minor Requirements

Please note: The information displayed here is current as of Thursday, June 20, 2013, but the official Course Catalog should be used for all official planning.

Required for the Russian studies major

First-year Russian: 101, 102, 201 (or the equivalent)
Second-year Russian: 211, 212, 250
Two courses in literature and culture, 300-level or above.
Two courses in history.
One course that allows students to understand Russia in a larger context, either by studying the literature or history of a neighboring country or countries or by placing Russia in a broader political and economic context as an important participant in international affairs.
Consult faculty for approval of specific courses.
A senior-level independent study that results in the completion of a substantial research paper. Students with sufficiently advanced Russian language skills are encouraged to use some Russian language sources in conducting their research. Topics for this capstone experience are to be derived from work done in one of the following courses: Russian 300, 305, 330, 335; History 315, 320, 325; Government 330. Other topics could be approved through consultation with program faculty.

In addition to the requirements listed above, majors are encouraged to further strengthen their Russian-language skills either by taking Russian 280, 281 and 287 or by studying in Russia and/or in an intensive summer language program offered in the U.S.

Students with prior background in Russian who place out of the first-year sequence are required to complete additional language study for the major.

Required for the Russian language and literature major

First-year Russian: 101, 102, 201 (or the equivalent)
Second-year Russian: 211, 212, 250
Two courses in Russian literature taught in translation, level 300 or above.
Two courses in Russian literature, taught in the original, level 300 or above.
A senior-level independent study that results in the completion of a substantial research paper. Students would be required to analyze some work or works of Russian literature, to be read in the original.

In addition to the requirements listed above, majors are strongly encouraged to further strengthen their Russian language skills by studying in Russia and/or in an intensive summer language program offered in the U.S.

Students with prior background in Russian who place out of the first-year sequence are required to complete additional language study for the major.

Required for the Russian minor

First-year Russian: 101, 102, 201 (or the equivalent)
Second-year Russian: 211, 212, 250
Any two courses selected from Russian 300, 305, 309; History 315, 320, 325; Government 330
C average in the minor

International and off-campus study

After two years of language study on campus, majors are strongly encouraged to spend a term studying in Russia. Study abroad provides an unparalleled opportunity to make gains in language proficiency and to become familiar with Russian life and culture.

During Terms I, II, and/or III — as well as during the summer — students may participate in other programs sponsored by such organizations as the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR).

Students are also encouraged to participate in intensive summer language programs offered in the United States, especially immediately prior to spending a fall term in Russia.

Senior Experience in Russian

The Russian Department’s Senior Experience consists of a senior-level independent study that further develops work done in another course.

The independent study is intended to help students prepare their capstone project, normally a research paper that makes use of some Russian-language source material. In addition, students will submit a portfolio in the second week of their final term. The portfolio consists of a list of courses and brief statement in which students evaluate their development as Russian majors.

In addition to a copy of the capstone project and the Russian language portfolio, the senior portfolio should contain four course papers, including at least one from a history course and one from a literature course. The complete portfolio will be reviewed and approved or returned for revisions before the end of the term.

Students who are pursuing a double major or teaching certification should work with all concerned departments to assess the feasibility of an interdisciplinary capstone.