Learning Outcomes
The undergraduate degree in Russian Studies emphasizes knowledge and understanding of:
- Modern Russian and Soviet history and culture;
- The major Russian creative writers of the 19th and 20th centuries;
- The dynamic relations between various kinds of cultural texts and their historical contexts;
- The structure and usage of contemporary Russian language; and
- The diversity and complexity of human thought and experience, as expressed in the similarities and differences between Russian- and English-speaking cultures.
Students completing a degree in Russian Studies are expected to acquire the ability and skills to:
- Write and converse in Russian at the intermediate-mid level as defined by the ACTFL guidelines;
- Comprehend contemporary Russian—written and spoken—to a degree permitting the understanding of texts and ideas relevant to disciplines beyond language study;
- Analyze complex texts through critical close reading and respond to them in literate English;
- Apply basic, critical methodologies to the study of Russian literature, history and culture;
- Engage in research in the field using primary and secondary sources; and
- Generate original ideas and insights using knowledge of the Russian language and critical skills acquired through the study of Russian history and culture.