RUSS - Russian Major

Russian Major Requirements

There are three different majors in Russian Studies.  The Single-Language Focus draws solely on the Russian language, whereas the two Dual-Language Focus majors allow students to combine Russian with the study of another language.   All languages in the departments of Language and Culture Studies and Classical Studies can count toward this track.

1. Russian (Single-Language Focus)

2. Russian (Dual-Language Focus with Russian as the primary language)

3. Russian (Dual-Language Focus with Russian as the secondary language)

The Single-Language Focus requires ten credits in Russian, as follows:

• Seven language courses chosen from RUSS 101, 102, 201, 202, 210, 270, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 320.

• One course in Russian literature and culture (taught in English). With approval of the Russian Section head, a second course in Russian literature and culture may substitute for one of the seven language courses.

• The senior thesis, RUSS 497.

The Dual-Language Focus with Russian as the primary language requires six credits in the Russian language. With the approval of the Russian Section head, up to two of these courses may be replaced by courses in Russian literature and culture taught in English.

The Dual-Language Focus with Russian as the secondary language requires four credits in the Russian language.

Please note that some aspect of Russian literature or culture must be an integral part of the senior thesis for the Dual-Language Focus.

Credit acquired through the Language Across the Curriculum program may also count toward the requirement. Students who begin Russian in their sophomore year are encouraged to do summer work off campus at an approved program.

All Russian majors are required to pass the department’s Russian language proficiency examination.

The Writing Intensive Part II requirement for the major is fulfilled by RUSS 497.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Study away: Majors and other students are urged to spend at least one semester abroad, or to enroll in a summer study-away program or a recognized summer language institute in North America. Special attention is called to the Trinity College programs in Berlin, Rome, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vienna. The departmental contacts for these programs are, respectively, Professors Doerre, Del Puppo, Shen, Izumi, and Doerre. Brochures describing each of these programs in detail are available both through the department and the Office of Study Away.

Honors: Departmental honors are awarded to seniors who have maintained an A- average in all courses to be counted toward their major (including cognate courses). A minimum grade of A- is furthermore required in the senior exercise (401).

Language Across the Curriculum: In addition to majoring in a language through the Single-Language Focus or the Dual-Language Focus, or choosing to minor in a language, there is also the opportunity to apply language skills to a wide array of courses across the entire college curriculum through the Language Across the Curriculum Program.

This option is generally open to all students who have completed the intermediate level (fourth semester, or equivalent) in any foreign language currently taught at Trinity and who are enrolled in any course outside the department in which the instructor, in collaboration with a member of the language and culture studies faculty, approves a supplementary reading list in the foreign language. For example, those studying European history, the economy of Latin America, or Freud could do supplementary readings in French, Spanish, or German; those studying art history or modern theater might do further readings in Italian or Russian respectively. There are many other possibilities. Upon satisfactory completion of the assigned work, students will be awarded an extra half credit in the course in question. For further information, see any member of the department.

Courses designated with the LACS department prefix are conducted in English.