Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation from Dickinson, Russian majors will be able to:
- apprehend and analyze artistic, cultural, and/or literary texts, both in English and in the Russian original;
- evaluate their study of the Russian language, Russia, and Russian-speaking cultures in artistic, cultural. Historical, literary, and/or geopolitical contexts, with and eye toward interdisciplinary modes of inequity and analysis;
- conduct a research project using authentic sources, with both a written and presentational component, that engages their Russian-language and cultural skills.
Major
11 courses
Core Curriculum Courses
100, Russia and the West
Four courses in the Russian language (above 201) including at least one 300-level course;
Any two Russian literature or culture courses taught in English and covering, when combined, both nineteenth and twentieth century Russian literature and/or culture.
At least four elective courses will be chosen from the following list:
Up to two additional upper level Russian language courses;
One additional literature or culture course taught in English;
Up to two Russian or East European History courses,
One Political Science course with Russian content;
One Religion or Philosophy course with Russian content.
Minor
Students may complete a Russian minor in one of two tracks:
Russian Language: Five courses total, including RUSS 100, "Russia and the West," and three courses in the Russian language numbered 202 and above.
Russian Studies: Five courses total, including RUSS 100, "Russia and the West," and four electives in Russian language, literature, culture, film, history, politics, or other Russia-related topics as determined by the Chair. Electives may be taught in English.
NOTE: Russian heritage speakers and students who begin the study of Russian language after the third semester may be eligible to substitute courses for the language courses above 202. They may do so by making a formal request to the department which includes a rationale for the proposed substitution.
Suggested curricular flow through the major
The Russian major was designed with the hope that all of our students would spend time abroad on the Dickinson in Tbilisi, Georgia program. As a result, we developed the curriculum so that a student who studies abroad can complete all the requirements for the major, as long as they follow a few guidelines. The Russian major is also designed to accommodate students with double majors.
Rather than specify courses that you “must” have in a given semester, we have provided some general guidelines. You should think of these guidelines as giving you a fast track into the major – providing maximum flexibility in your junior and senior year.
First Year
RUSS 101 (fall semester); RUSS 102 (spring semester)
RUSS 100, Russia and the West (spring semester)
Sophomore Year
RUSS 201 (fall semester); RUSS 202 (spring semester)
Russian literature or culture course in English (200-level course)
RUSS electives, for example, a Russian history course
Junior Year
The majority of Russian majors study in Tbilisi, Georgia during their Junior Year; In Tbilisi you will take 4-9 courses per semester (refer to the Courses section in the Academic Bulletin: Russian)
If you do not go abroad, take:
RUSS 231 (fall semester); RUSS 232 (spring semester)
Russian literature or culture course in English (200-level course)
RUSS elective, for example, a Russian history course
Senior Year
300-level RUSS course (fall semester); 300-level RUSS course (spring semester)
Finish your requirements for Russian literature/culture and your electives
For information regarding these guidelines, please feel free to contact a Russian faculty member. Consult your advisor regarding writing an honors thesis in Russian.
Independent study and independent research
Independent study projects are an option open to motivated students who wish to pursue a topic in Russian or Slavic literatures and cultures not offered as part of the regular curriculum. Interested students must be willing to initiate their own study project and meet with their director on a weekly basis. Most projects are taken for half or full course credit.
Honors
A student who wishes to be considered for honors in the major must have an overall grade point average of 3.33 or higher. Each candidate for honors must write a thesis of exceptional merit; the thesis should be based on Russian-language research and should be written at least partially in Russian. The thesis will be approximately 25 pages in length and is usually developed from research conducted abroad and/or written during the senior year in a course numbered 300 or above. Students should reach out to a faculty member in the fall of their senior year to discuss the process. An oral examination will be conducted by members of the Russian department on those papers judged to be of honors quality.
Opportunities for off-campus study
Junior Year All students majoring or minoring in Russian are encouraged to spend one or two semesters on the Russian-language program in Tbilisi, Georgia during the junior year. Students will undergo intensive language training while also having the opportunity to take courses in Identity Studies and Conflict Studies by experts from the region. As part of their introduction to life in Tbilisi, all students will take a course in Georgian Language for Conversation. Russian-language internship opportunities are also available for motivated students.
Summer Immersion Opportunities Summer immersion opportunities are available in Russian language through our partner prorams in Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Latvia, and a Ukrainian language workshop in Poland.
Co-curricular activities/programs
The college has an active Russian Club, a Russian House, and a Russian Meal Table, held weekly for students who want to speak or listen to Russian in an informal setting. Russian-language films and cultural events are featured regularly, as well as events featuring cultures of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The Russian Department is a member of Dobro Slovo, the National Slavic Honor Society. Students are nominated for membership on the basis of their academic standing.
Courses
The following courses are offered in Tbilisi, Georgia:
281 Russian Language in Context
This course of Russian as a Second Language (RSL) builds on studentās existing foundation in Russian and is designed to help them become more effective in all aspects of communication, including introducing increasingly complex structures and significantly increasing their active vocabulary. The course will also focus on achieving cultural literacy through the study of Russian-language texts (classic and contemporary), films and other media, as well as engaging with local cultural events, traditions, and the daily surrounding environment of Tbilisi. The communicative approach to teaching creates an interactive environment and requires a high level of participation from students. Students will be split into groups based on proficiency level and may take this course multiple times at various levels, as their proficiency develops.
May be offered as a full or half credit.
282 Russian Conversation in Context
This course is aimed at developing studentsā skills and proficiency in the conversational and interactive aspects of the Russian language. Students will learn vocabulary and grammatical constructions as well as typical phrases to use in different communicative situations of everyday life. Students will be able to solve various communicative tasks in real-life situations. Special attention will be given to mastering typical linguistic constructions for greetings, expressing gratitude, making requests, extending invitations, offering assistance, giving consent, refusing, discussing time and place, giving reasons, and more. As a result, students will learn to speak and understand their interlocutor, maintain a conversation, and feel more confident in everyday situations in a Russian-speaking environment. Students will be split into groups based on proficiency level and may take this course multiple times at various levels, as their proficiency develops.
May be offered as a full or half credit.
283 Advanced Conversation and Stylistics
This course is designed to help students develop and improve speaking and listening skills, as well as the ability to engage in meaningful discussions, articulate personal points of view, and defend positions effectively in Russian. Special emphasis will be placed on presentation skills in Russian, as well as practicing the art of answering questions, engaging in dialogues, and participating in discussion. Throughout the course, students will engage in discussions on a wide range of topics. These include topics related to society, science, literature, art, economics, politics, ecology, as well as devoted to exploring countries and their histories, allowing students to make comparisons with other regions and express their opinions. Students will be split into groups based on proficiency level and may take this course multiple times at various levels, as their proficiency develops.
May be offered as a full or half credit.
284 Identity and Conflict in the Caucasus
The Caucasus is a region noted for its ethnic, religious and cultural diversity. The North Caucasus, which can be described almost as a mosaic of the peoples, stands out in particular. Such diversity within the population makes the Caucasus attractive and interesting. At the same time, there is a constant threat of conflict and misunderstanding between cultural groups in the region. This is proved by history, which was often marked by bloody conflicts in the Caucasus. Diversity expressed through confrontation puts identity issues and the theoretical and conceptual perspectives of nationality formation at the core of our studies, and from this basis it is possible to analyze the complex, multifaceted, and contradictory processes that have evolved in the Caucasus region. The theoretical models adopted in identity, nationalism and memory studies will provide an opportunity to understand the dynamics and casualties of developments in the region.
Attributes: Russian Poli Sci Elective
The following courses are offered in Moscow:
Program suspended until further notice
215 Moscow Summer Immersion Program
A four-week course in contemporary Russian language and culture offered at the Mendeleev University in Moscow. Students will speak only Russian during this four-week period, and participate in intensive language classes, special lectures and field trips arranged with Russian university instructors.
Prerequisite: 201 or equivalent and permission of the department.
Attributes: INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet
250 Russian in Everyday Use I
This is an intensive language laboratory on location in Moscow. Designed to improve students' comprehension and command of spoken Russian, this course initiates the students in everyday verbal and cultural communication prevalent in Russia. A variety of topics, including students' first-hand experience with contemporary Russian culture, will be used to improve comprehension oral skills. A workshop on phonetics is an important component of this course.
This course carries .5 or 1.0 dependent upon topic. Prerequisite: 202.
251 Russian in Everyday Use II
This is an intensive language laboratory on location in Moscow. Designed to improve students' comprehension and command of spoken Russian, this course initiates the students in everyday verbal and cultural communication prevalent in Russia. A variety of topics, including students' first-hand experience with contemporary Russian culture, will be used to improve comprehension oral skills. A workshop on phonetics is an important component of this course.
This course carries .5 or 1.0 dependent upon topic. Prerequisite: 202.
255 Grammar in Context I
These courses are designed to further develop the students' language skills through practice in lexical expansion, idiomatic expression and syntactical patterns. Grammar work in cultural context is a significant component of these courses.
Prerequisite: 202.
256 Grammar in Context II
These courses are designed to further develop the students' language skills through practice in lexical expansion, idiomatic expression and syntactical patterns. Grammar work in cultural context is a significant component of these courses.
Prerequisite: 202.
257 Writing Workshop
This course introduces students to the conventions of essay writing in Russian. Students will consider their writing in cultural context, examining and practicing how elements like tone, argumentation, structure, tense, and punctuation differ in the Russian context. Revision will be an important component of this course.
This course may carry either 0.5 or 1 credit. Prerequisite: 202
261 Moscow Proseminar I
This course treats the city of Moscow as a living laboratory for understanding and analyzing Russian language, literature, architecture, and culture in contemporary context. Students will develop their linguistic and analytical skills while attending musical and theatres performances, visiting cultural centers around the city, and analyzing the cityscapes of Moscow-based narratives in comparison with Moscow as we know it today.
Prerequisite: 202. This course carries .5 credits
262 Moscow Proseminar II
This course expands on and deepens studentsā understanding of the city of Moscow as a cultural, social, and living text. Students will sharpen their linguistic and analytical skills while attending cultural performances, visiting cultural centers around the city, meeting with scholars and community organizers, and analyzing the cityscapes of Moscow-based narratives in comparison with Moscow as we know it today.
Prerequisite: 202. This course carries .5 credits.
265 Topics in Russian Studies
This advanced language course will help students develop the linguistic tools necessary for critical analysis in a particular area of Russian Studies: mass media, history, politics, literature, or film. Based on their academic focus, students will choose a topic from a list of offerings. Oral and written presentations, as well as class discussions in Russian, are important components of this course.
The course may be taught entirely in Russian or in Russian and English. This course carries .5 or 1.0 credit dependent upon topic. Prerequisite: 202.
271 Key Texts and Concepts in Russian Culture
This multi-media survey course introduces students to masterpieces of Russian architecture, painting, theater, and cinematography. It is designed to enhance students' knowledge of the artistic and spiritual aspects of Russian culture, as well as to provide insights into traditions, lifestyle, and the psychology of Russian people. Visits to art museums and theater performances are required.
Taught in English or Russian, or a mix of both.
272 Russian in the Discipline
While studying in Moscow, advanced students may take a course together with Russian students, in Russian, in their area of specialization. Students are required to attend all class sessions and participate in class discussions; students may petition the department to write a final paper/project in lieu of taking the final exam together with Russian students. The project will be overseen by the director of the Dickinson-in-Moscow program.
Prerequisite: 202.
273 Russia Today
The course presents an overview of major cultural, political, and economic developments in Russia in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. There is an emphasis on the cultural, religious, literary, philosophical, and political factors important to understanding contemporary Russian reality and post-Soviet space.
The course may be taught entirely in Russian or in English with Russian readings and discussion sections, depending on the year and topic.
280 Intensive Research and Writing Seminar
Dickinson-in-Moscow participants carry out a research project in conjunction with a course on Russian culture, literature, history, or politics taught at RUSH in Russian, for Russian students. Students will audit the course and then choose a topic for their research, appropriate to the focus of the course, and have it approved by the professor. Students will regularly meet with the professor, who will serve as the project's advisor, as they work on a research paper in Russian. The project and the course is overseen by the Resident Director of the Dickinson-in-Moscow program. Prerequisites: 250, 255, 265
Russian Courses
100 Russia and the West
An introductory and multi-disciplinary survey intended to explore the relationship between Russian culture and Western civilization. In the process, students will be exposed to aspects of Russia's history, literature, religion, philosophical traditions, music and art, politics, and economics. Suitable for those interested in a one semester introduction to Russia, and required for those who choose a major or minor in Russian.
Attributes: Global Diversity, INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet
101 Elementary Russian
An intensive study of the fundamentals of Russian grammar, with an emphasis on the development of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding skills. Short stories and songs will supplement the text.
Attributes: Appropriate for First-Year
102 Elementary Russian
An intensive study of the fundamentals of Russian grammar, with an emphasis on the development of reading, writing, speaking, and understanding skills. Short stories and songs will supplement the text.
Prerequisite: 101 or the equivalent
201 Intermediate Russian
Advanced grammar review incorporating controlled reading and composition. Emphasis on speaking competence continued through oral reports and conversational topics.
Prerequisite: 102 or the equivalent. This course fulfills the language graduation requirement.
Attributes: Appropriate for First-Year
202 Intermediate Russian II
Emphasis on the development of reading, speaking, and writing skills. Reading of simple texts to acquaint the student with a variety of styles of the Russian language, concentration on some of the more difficult problems in the Russian grammar, translation, written composition, vocabulary building, and intonation.
Prerequisite: 201 or equivalent.
223 19th Century Russian Literature in Translation
An introduction to major literary movements and developments in 19th century Russian literature. Readings may include works by Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy, and Chekhov, as well as important theoretical and cultural texts from and about the period. No knowledge of Russian necessary.
Conducted in English. Offered every other year.
Attributes: Humanities, INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet, Taught in English
224 Twentieth-Century Russian Literature in Translation
An introduction to major literary movements and developments in 20th century Russian literature. Readings may include works by Mayakovsky, Bulgakov, Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn, Trifonov, and Pelevin. The course may also include important texts of 20th C. art and film. No knowledge of Russian necessary.
Conducted in English. Offered every other year.
Attributes: Humanities, INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet, Taught in English
230 Advanced Russian for Heritage Speakers
The course is designed for heritage learners who have had little or no formal training in their native language and who desire to improve their reading, writing, and formal communicative skills. Basic rules of orthography and advanced grammar will be reviewed. Texts will be drawn from contemporary Russian press, movie scripts, and fiction.
Prerequisite: placement by department. Offered every two years.
231 Russian for Discussion
Practice in the techniques and patterns of everyday conversation, especially as these reflect different cultural orientations. Reading and discussion of short works by well-known authors.
Prerequisite: 202 or the equivalent.
232 Russian for Narration and Analysis
Reading and discussion of literary works by representative authors from the pre- and post-Revolutionary periods.
Prerequisite: 202 or the equivalent.
Attributes: INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet
233 Phonetics
Beginning students of Russianāand even students who have already completed several semesters of the languageāare beset with hesitation and even anxiety about their pronunciation. In this course, we will explore and analyze the phonetic dimensions of the Russian language that create special difficulties for non-native speakers. These include: articulatory phonetics, phonological rules, register effects and literary pronunciations, syllabic and metrical structure, intonation, and prosody. This course is intended as a supplement to studentsā study of the Russian language in other classes. Students will apply what they learn to their own pronunciation, aided by in-class oral exercises and readings of plays, poetry, and prose. Along the way, students will increase their knowledge of Russian culture.
May be offered as 0.5 or 1 credit. Prerequisite: RUSS 102
234 Russian for Intelligence Careers
This course prepares students for the field-specific vocabulary, grammar, and content they may encounter when using their Russian in intelligence, security, and/or government careers.
May be offered as 0.5 or 1 credit. Prerequisite: RUSS 232.
241 Russian Film of the Putin Era
For Lenin, cinema was āthe most important artā; for Stalin, it was āthe greatest medium of mass motivation.ā Since Vladimir Putinās inauguration as leader of the Russian Federation in 2000, film has held an equally important role. We will track and analyze major themes in Russian cinema since 1991, including the rise of the Russian blockbuster, popular culture under Putin, festival films, and the intersections of politics and film art.
Course taught in English. No prior knowledge of Russian culture required.
Attributes: Arts, Film & Media Studies Elective, Taught in English
242 War and Peace in Russian Literature and Film
The topic of war serves as a window into Russian and Soviet culture. Warās horrorsāfrom Napoleonās invasion of 1812 to the debacle in Afghanistan in the 1970s and 1980sāhave left a deep imprint on the Russian national psyche. This course approaches the Russian experience of war through films, short stories, diaries, and poetry. Special focus is placed on representations of the Second World War, resulting in 26 million Russian casualties. Films and literary works may include, The Tale of Igor's Campaign, Gogolās Taras Bulba, Tolstoy's Hadji Murat, Babel's Red Cavalry, Ginzburg's Blockade Diary, and Alexievich's Zinky Boys, as well as a selection of war poems; and such films as Ivanās Childhood (Tarkovsky), The Cranes are Flying (Kalatozov), The Cuckoo (Rogozhkin), Prisoner of the Mountains (Bodrov), and The Ninth Company (Bondarchuk). Guest lectures by experts in the field supplement class discussions.Taught in English.
Attributes: Appropriate for First-Year, Arts, Film & Media Studies Elective, Humanities, Taught in English
243 "The Most Important Art": Russian & Soviet Film
The course will examine contributions by Russian and Soviet directors to the development of film as an art form. Students will view classic films of the Russian canon, while also gaining a familiarity with current trends in filmmaking. We will also investigate the development of the Soviet-Russian film industry and the close links between film and politics in the history of Russo-Soviet cinema. No knowledge of Russian is required.
Conducted in English. Offered every other year.
Attributes: Arts, INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet
244 The Russian Novel
Russian literature is known for its novels. More specifically, Russian literature is known for its long, unwieldy, philosophical novels: structurally and existentially dense works in the thousands of pages, which Henry James described as ālarge, loose, baggy monsters.ā And yet, 19th century Russian novels by Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Gogol, and Tolstoy regularly appear on lists of the ābest literary works of all times.ā In this course, we will delve into a selection of Russian novels that have shaped both Russian culture and world literature. We will ask questions like: Where does the Russian novelistic tradition come from, how does it differ from other European longform traditions, and what exactly is a novel anyway? We will consider why the āphilosophical novelā has become synonymous with Russian writing, trace the development of the novel over the course of the 19th century, and examine the ways the novel might be especially well suited to reflect the complexity of human conscious experience. No knowledge of Russian required. br> Taught in English. Offered every three years.
Attributes: Humanities, Russian 19th Century Elective, Taught in English
245 Tolstoy in the 21st Century
This course investigates the numerous ways in which Tolstoy, one of the most influential Russian writers and thinkers, transcends his time and through his works speaks to our concerns today. What makes life meaningful? What kind of love lasts? Why do certain attempts to modernize society fail while others succeed? It is worth reconsidering Tolstoy's ideas on these and other issues because he teaches us to see the world more wisely. Students will read and discuss Tolstoy's fiction, including War and Peace and Anna Karenina, as well as his essays on religious, philosophical, social and artistic issues. Students are encouraged to have read War and Peace before the semester begins.
Taught in English. Offered every two years.
Attributes: Humanities, Taught in English
248 Russian Culture and the Environment
Russia is the largest country in the world. It contains some of our largest supplies of natural resources, including the most voluminous freshwater lake and the most square miles of forest. Russia and the Soviet Union have also been home to devastating environmental catastrophes, such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It is thus fitting that the theme of the environmentāboth natural and man-madeāhave played a pivotal role in the Russian cultural imagination of the past two centuries. This course will look at how Russian and Soviet culture from the nineteenth century to the present engage with the theme of the environment over a variety of genres, including literature, film, journalism, and art. No knowledge of Russian is required.
Taught in English. Offered every three years.
Attributes: ENST Humanities/Arts (ESHA), Humanities, INST Sustain & Global Environ, Taught in English
253 Autocracy, Uprisings, and Daily Life in Medieval Ukraine, Russia, and its Empire
This course will survey the first 1000 years of the eastern Slav lands that are now Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus and the expanding empire of the former into Central Asia and the Caucasus. Students will gain a better understanding of the regionās political, economic, social, and cultural development and how it can inform our understanding of Russia today. We will examine the early formation of multi-ethnic clans into a large multinational empire while highlighting state formation, the role of women, church power, the arts, and nationality conflict. The course concludes with the impending collapse of the Russian empire under Tsar Nicholas II.
This course is cross-listed as HIST 253.
Attributes: Appropriate for First-Year, INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet, Social Sciences, Taught in English
254 Revolution, War, and Daily Life in Modern Russia
This course explores Russia's attempts to forge modernity since the late 19th century. Students will explore the rise of socialism and communism, centralization of nearly all aspects of life (arts, politics, economics, and even sexual relations), and opposition to the terror regime's attempts to remake life and the post-Soviet state's attempts to overcome Russia's past.
This course is cross-listed as HIST 254.
Attributes: Appropriate for First-Year, INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet, Social Sciences, Taught in English
260 Topics in Russian Studies
In-depth analysis and discussion of selected areas and problems in Russian literature or culture. Recent topics have included: Russian Theatre and Drama, Nobel Laureates in Russian Literature, Russian Short Prose, Salvation Through Beauty: the World of Dostoevsky, Russian and Soviet Film, East European Literature, Modernism in Italy and Russia.
Conducted in English. Offered every other year.
Attributes: Taught in English
270 Philosophy and Literature
Dostoevsky's characters lie, steal, scheme, and murder. What is it about Dostoevsky's depictions of their lying, cheating ways that makes his novels not just literary but philosophical? And what is it about philosophical works like Kierkegaard's and Nietzsche's that makes them literary? More generally, where do the overlapping realms of literature and philosophy begin and end? This course investigates the intersections of philosophy and literature across different schools of thought, paying special attention to the work of Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, Leibniz, Plato, Tolstoy, Voltaire, and others. We will pair the treatment of philosophical issues in fiction with their treatment in more traditional philosophical genres, thereby raising and discussing the contentious question of whether philosophy can achieve things that literature cannot, and vice versa.
Offered every two years. This course is cross-listed as PHIL 270.
Attributes: Humanities, Taught in English
333 Advanced Seminar in Russian Culture and Literature
Authentic Russian texts in different genres and disciplines present specific sets of challenges, including specialized vocabulary, narrative conventions, and idiosyncratic grammar. This course prepares students for reading, analyzing, and discussing challenging, authentic Russian texts in a variety of disciplines and genres, with an emphasis on close reading and cultural context. The course is taught in Russian and includes a variety of texts or focus on one literary text. May include courses taken in Russia.
Prerequisite: 231, 232 or equivalent.
Attributes: INST Russia/USSR/Post-Soviet
334 Workshop in Translation
This course focuses on specific techniques for translating various kinds of texts (business, journalistic, scholarly, epistolary, and literary) from Russian into English, and from English into Russian. Concentrating on the practical matter of reading and writing, the course will also include special grammatical topics which present particular difficulties in translation, discussion of theories of translation, and introduction to technological tools of translation. The goal of the course is to further students' language ability and provide them with useful linguistic skills.
Prerequisite: 231, 232 or equivalent. Offered every two years.
335 Popular Culture and New Media
This course will examine one or several elements and/or genres in Russian popular culture, including folk tales, detective novels, anecdotes, film, television, music, the Internet, and new media. Students will practice close reading and analysis of authentic texts through the study of analytic genres specific to these fields in Russia and the US.
Prerequisite: 231, 232 or equivalent.
Attributes: Arts
360 Topics in Russian Language and Literature
A thorough investigation of a significant figure or major development in Russian literature, or an extensive examination of selected aspects of the Russian language, with emphasis on seminar reports and discussions. Conducted in Russian.
This course carries .5 or 1.0 credit, dependent upon topic. Prerequisite: Russian major or instructor's permission.