Russian studies degree overview

• Early Russian History from Rurik to Alexander II – a survey of Russian history from Kievan Rus’* to the Great Reforms of Alexander II; emphasis on the development of Russia from scattered principalities to empire, and the struggle for an identity between Europe and Asia
  (*a loose federation of East Slavic, Baltic, and Finnic peoples in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late ninth to the mid-13th century, under the reign of the Rurik dynasty, founded by the Varangian prince Rurik)
• Modern Russian History – an overview of Russian history from the emancipation of the serfs to the collapse of the Soviet Union; how Russia and the USSR dealt with their sense of ‘backwardness’ compared to Europe; the multi-national and multi-religious nature of this vast Eurasian state, and the meanings of ‘modernity’
• Madness, Murder, and Mayhem: 19th Century Russian Literature – Readings of representative works with emphasis on major literary movements, cultural history, and basic literary devices; primary texts by Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy
• Literature and Revolution: 20th and 21st Century Russian and Soviet Fiction – a survey of 20th century and 21st century Russian and Soviet fiction, focusing on the literature that defined this transformative period in Russia’s modern history
• Russia and the World – examination of Russia’s relations with both its immediate neighbors and the West from the Tsarist era to the present; topics include the formation of the Russian Empire, the Cold War, the ‘Gorbachev revolution in Soviet foreign policy’ that ended the Cold War, the evolution of Russian-American relations since the collapse of communism, and the reasons behind Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014; evolution of Russian national identity, especially as it relates to Russia’s status as an empire and its relationship with the West
• Transitions to Democracy – examination of the origins and durability of transitions to democratic forms of governance in authoritarian states; the roles in democratization played by leadership, ethnic diversity, political institutions, and geography; case studies from the countries of the former Soviet Union and East-Central Europe
• Russia’s Destiny: Political Thought from Peter to Putin – study of Russian political philosophy with an emphasis on the meaning of history; a starting point for discussion: Russian thinkers have long been tormented about where they belong in the world; imperial Russia wanted to be a great European power, but the Slavophiles argued that Russia had a unique destiny that was neither European nor Asian; the Soviet Union suppressed but never destroyed these ideas, and Putin uses them to legitimize his government
• Topics in Survey Research – introduction to the basics of survey research, focusing on measuring political, economic, and foreign policy attitudes
• The Soviet Union as a Multinational State – exploration of the concepts of nation, empire, and modernization in the Soviet context; a starting point for discussion: the USSR claimed to be a revolutionary political form, a state based on the voluntary union of workers from over 100 different nationalities; the Bolsheviks intended to lead Russian peasants, Kyrgyz nomads, and Chechen mountaineers together into the bright communist future; what they actually achieved is another question
• Senior Seminar – independent work consisting of the preparation and presentation of a research paper, translation, or other project designed by the student; requires research using Russian language sources

Master’s Degree in Russian Studies – Two Year Duration
Doctoral Degree in Russian Studies – Five to Six Year Duration
Graduate studies programs in Russian studies generally require fluency in the Russian language. At this level, students are commonly required to take some compulsory core modules before selecting optional modules, based on their area of specialization. A study abroad component may be part of some programs. Master’s students must complete a thesis and doctoral students must defend a dissertation to graduate.

Sample Compulsory Modules

• Literary and Cultural Theory
• Historical Methods and Approaches
• Political Analysis and Political Sociology

Sample Optional Modules

• Advanced Qualitative Methods
• The Reflecting Screen: Russian and Soviet Cinema in its Cultural Context, 1896 to the Present
• The 19th Century Russian Novel
• Causes, Consequences, and Control: Corruption and Governance
• Crossroads of Culture: The Literatures of Ukraine from Crimea to the Shtetl
• How to Read and Interpret Texts: Introduction to Hermeneutics (the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts)
• Informal Practices in Post-Communist Societies
• Russian Foreign Policy
• Russian Monarchy: Court Ritual and Political Ideas, 1498-1917
• Advanced Russian Language Module
• Russian and Slavic Linguistics
• Introduction to Discourse Analysis
• Russian Politics
• Understanding and Analyzing Data
• Qualitative Methods
• Cities in Eastern Europe
• Literatures of Rupture: Modernism in Russia and Eastern Europe
• All Quiet on the Eastern Front: Culture, Politics, and Everyday Life in Central and Eastern Europe
• The Making of the Modern Ukraine
• Gender and Sexuality in Russian Culture

Certificate in Russian Studies – Varying Durations
Certificate programs in Russian studies are designed for undergrad or graduate students majoring in a related discipline such as another Slavic language, international business, international relations, political science, or history.

The objective of the certificate curriculum is to allow students to expand the Russian perspective in their own course of study. Some may wish to explore a specific area of Russian studies, while others may pursue the certificate for employment or employment advancement purposes.

Here are some possible areas of study and sample courses:

Language, Linguistics, and Literature

• Beginning Russian
• Intermediate Russian
• Russian Language and Culture through Film
• 19th Century Russian Literature
• 20th Century Russian Literature

History, Politics, and Culture

• History of Imperial Russia
• History of the Soviet Union
• Russian Civilization
• Women in the Soviet Union

International Relations
Degree programs in international relations are concerned with looking at how states / governments relate to one another. These relations include trade, cooperation, disputes, conflicts, and war. The principles of diplomacy and foreign policy, international law, and organizations like the United Nations are also studied.

Linguistics
Linguistics explores the nature of language variations and dialects, how language evolves over time, how it is processed and stored in the human brain, and how it is acquired. It is the scientific study of language and communication, both within a single language and across language groups. Its primary sub-areas are phonetics – the study of the production, acoustics, and hearing of speech sounds; phonology – the patterning of sounds; morphology – the structure of words; syntax – the structure of sentences; semantics – meaning; and pragmatics – language in context.

Political Science
Political science degree programs focus on the theory and practice of government and politics. ‘Poli sci’ students learn about the structures of politics and government and issues like the nature of political power, the causes of conflict, and globalization.