Major and Minor Requirements
OVERVIEW OF MAJOR
Students may major in Russian (Plan A major) or Russian and a second language (Plan B major).
REQUIREMENTS
Plan A majors are required to complete 12 credits in Russian.
Plan B majors whose primary concentration is Russian are required to complete nine courses in Russian.
Plan B majors whose secondary concentration is Russian are required to complete seven courses in Russian.
The Plan A Major: Plan A majors are required to complete 12 credits in Russian as follows:
- Seven courses in Russian, to be chosen from among the following: RUSS 101, 102, 201, 202, 210, 270, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 320.
- Two courses in Russian literature and culture.
- A senior thesis, RUSS 497.
- Two cognate courses in Russian studies from outside the department.
Credit acquired through the Language Across the Curriculum program may also count toward the cognate requirement. Students who begin Russian in their sophomore year are encouraged to do summer work off campus at an approved program.
The Plan B Major: Plan B majors whose primary concentration is Russian are required to complete nine courses in Russian, as follows:
- Seven courses from the language sequence.
- One literature and culture course in translation (RUSS 284, 285, 286, 288, 357).
- The senior exercise (RUSS 497. Senior Thesis). The thesis must explore a topic that joins Russia with the student’s secondary concentration.
Plan B majors whose secondary concentration is Russian are required to complete five courses in Russian from the Russian language sequence. Literature courses taught in English and cross-listed with a LACS prefix may not be counted.
Please note that some aspect of Russian literature or culture must be an integral part of the senior exercise required for the student’s primary concentration.
All Russian majors (Plan A and Plan B) are required to pass the department’s Russian language proficiency examination.
The Writing Intensive Part II requirement for the Plan A or Plan B Russian major is fulfilled by RUSS 497.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Honors: To qualify for honors in the Russian major students must attain a cumulative average of A- or better in all courses counting toward the major, including RUSS 497.
The minor in Russian—the minor in Russian develops linguistic skills as well as an appreciation of Russian culture and civilization. Students take six courses in the Russian language. In exceptional circumstances and with consent of the faculty adviser for the minor, up to two of these courses may be replaced by a course in English on Russian culture.
Interdisciplinary Minor in Russian Studies
This interdisciplinary minor examines Russian society, with an emphasis on its historical development and its literature. Students will learn to use the methods of the various disciplines that constitute this field of study. Fulfillment of the minor requires completion of five courses and an approved research project. No grade lower than C- may be counted towards the minor. Students are urged to consider a semester of study away in Russia.
Course requirements:
- HIST 226. The Rise of Modern Russia
- Three electives in Russian literature (LACS or RUSS) at the 200-level or above, with at least one at the 300-level, as approved by the minor coordinator.
- One additional elective course chosen in consultation with the minor coordinator.
- Each student must complete an approved research project that investigates some topic of interest and makes balanced use of two of the disciplines. This may be an independent study or a paper written for one of the courses. Each student is expected to make an oral presentation of the paper to other participants in the program.
Students who have learned Russian may substitute RUSS 301. Russian through Literature and Film, RUSS 302. Russian Narrative Prose, or RUSS 304. The Current Russian Media for one of the elective courses in the second requirement.
Students majoring in Russian and Eurasian studies or Russian language and literature are ineligible for this minor.
