Modern Languages and Literatures: Russian

Russian in Combination with Other Programs

In the Course Program, Russian contributes to majors in comparative literature, film and media studies, and linguistics and to the concentrations in interpretation theory and gender and sexuality studies. Thematic courses in Russian culture can support majors or minors in history, music, philosophy, and political science and concentrations in Asian studies, Environmental studies, Global studies, Islamic studies and Peace and Conflict studies. A Russian honors minor fits well with an honors major in the humanities or social sciences, and nicely rounds out majors in engineering or the natural sciences. In the Honors Program, Russian contributes to the major or minor in comparative literature or linguistics and languages. By including advanced coursework at Bryn Mawr College, Russian can be part of a special major in educational studies for teacher certification.

There is no distinction between qualification for the Russian Course Program and for the Honors Program. We recommend a minimum of one semester or summer of study in Russia. Majors and minors are urged to build and maintain fluency by taking Russian Conversation (RUSS 006A), and to support their work in the field with courses in anthropology, art, cognitive science, film and media studies, history, music, philosophy, political science, religion, sociology, theater, and other literatures.

RUSS 091, the seminar attachment, may be added to any course numbered 020 or above to convert it to a seminar, for a total of two credits. The additional work is done in the original language and supported by regular meetings with the professor, readings, discussions, and significant writing assignments in Russian. We anticipate that most seminar work will be done in this format. If there is sufficient student demand, we can offer advanced seminars in any of the following areas:

Requirements

A minimum of eight credits, which must include:

1. RUSS 004  (unless placed higher)
2. RUSS 010  and/or RUSS 011 , RUSS 012 , RUSS 018 , RUSS 019  (or equivalent course taken in Russia)
3. One survey course: RUSS 013  or RUSS 014  
4. Four content credits: RUSS 013-RUSS 086 . At least one full content credit may be earned through: two half-credit attachments to these in-translation courses; the attachments include RUSS 091  (Seminar Attachment), RUSS 093  (Directed Reading), or RUSS 094  (Independent Study). Credit from study abroad may be used toward 3 of these credits.
5. One two-credit seminar: RUSS 100 and above.

For students who choose not to emphasize literature, a Russian history course may be used to fulfill one content credit. Possible courses include HIST 001Q , HIST 038 , and HIST 039 . Students should consult Russian Section Faculty  if they wish to arrange attachments to these courses.

Acceptance Criteria

To be accepted as a major or minor, you must have earned a minimum grade of “B” in Russian language and literature courses taken at Swarthmore and present linguistic ability and clear potential for sophisticated study in the original literature, criticism, and cultural history of imperial Russia, the Soviet Union, and post-Soviet Russia.

Requirements for a minor in course in Russian

A minimum of five credits, which must include:

1. RUSS 004  (unless placed higher)
2. RUSS 010  or RUSS 011 , RUSS 012 , RUSS 018  or RUSS 019  (or equivalent course taught in Russia)
3. One survey course: RUSS 013  or RUSS 014 
4. Two content credits: RUSS 013 -RUSS 086  or one content credit (RUSS 013 -RUSS 086 ) plus an attachment.
   (Credit from study abroad may be used toward all content credits.)
5. One two-credit seminar: RUSS 100 and above or the equivalent: a content course with the Seminar Attachment, RUSS 091 .

Prerequisites for Majors:

A minimum of eight credits, which must include:

1. RUSS 004  (unless placed higher)
2. RUSS 010  and/or RUSS 011 , RUSS 012 , RUSS 018  or RUSS 019  (or equivalent course in Russia)
3. One survey course: RUSS 013  or RUSS 014  
4. Four content credits: RUSS 013-RUSS 086. At least one full content credit must be earned through: RUSS 091  (Seminar Attachment); RUSS 093  (Directed Reading), RUSS 094  (Independent Study), and regular half or full credit course attachments may also count here. Credit from study abroad may be used toward 3 of these credits. For student who choose not to emphasize literature, one Russian history course may be used to fulfill one content credit. Possible courses include HIST 038  and HIST 039 . Students should consult Russian Section Faculty  regarding attachments to these courses.
5. At least one two-credit seminar: RUSS 100 and above.
6. The minimum grade for acceptance into the Honors Program is “B” level work in Russian language courses taken at Swarthmore and in RUSS 011  or its equivalent.
7. The selection of coursework for Honors Preparation will be decided in consultation with Russian Section Faculty. 

At least one semester of study in Russia is strongly encouraged.

Senior Honors Study

Please see the information on seminars and seminar attachments , above.

At the beginning of the final semester, seniors will meet with the Russian section head.

1. Honors majors write three 3,000-3,500 word papers in Russian, one for each honors preparation, or else one 6,000-word paper which integrates the three honors preparations. These three papers (or one long paper) become part of the portfolio presented to the external examiners, along with the syllabi of the three (2-credit) honors preparations and any other relevant material.
2. Minors will be expected to write one 3,000-3,500-word paper in Russian. This paper will become part of the portfolio presented to the examiner along with the syllabus of the (2-credit) honors preparation and any other relevant material.
3. Majors will take three three-hour written examinations in Russian prepared by external examiners, plus one half-hour oral exam for each, based on the contents of the written examination and materials submitted in the portfolio. Minors will take one three-hour written examination prepared by an external examiner and one half-hour oral examination based on the written examination and materials submitted in the portfolio.

Prerequisites for Minors:

A minimum of five credits, which must include:

1. RUSS 004  (unless placed higher)
2. RUSS 010  or RUSS 011 , RUSS 012 , RUSS 018 , RUSS 019  (or equivalent course in Russia)
3. One survey course: RUSS 013  or RUSS 014 
4. One content credit (RUSS 013 -RUSS 086 ) plus an attachment
   (Credit from study abroad may be used toward all content credits)
5. One two-credit seminar: RUSS 100 and above.
6. Selection of coursework for the Honors preparation will be decided in consultation with Russian Section Faculty.

The minimum grade for acceptance into the Honors Program is “B” level work in language courses taken at Swarthmore and in RUSS 011 or its equivalent.
At least one semester of study in Russia is strongly encouraged. See item 2 above for Senior Honors Study Paper.

Special Major in Linguistics and Languages

1. Complete three credits numbered above RUSS 004 
2. One of the three credits must be RUSS 010  or RUSS 011 , RUSS 012 , RUSS 018 , RUSS 019  (and both may be counted)
3. Students are especially encouraged to include a seminar at Swarthmore and/or advanced language course taught at Bryn Mawr College

Summer Opportunities

Besides summer abroad study or internships, and the possibility of arranging for summer humanities research under the supervision of Russian program faculty, students interested in summer language study in Russia or in summer programs in the U.S. may apply for financial support from the Olga Lamkert Fund.

Russian is certified as a critical language by U.S. government agencies, meaning that for both summer study and study abroad there is funding available to support students of Russian, especially if they are working to reach a high level of proficiency. Ask us for information on this financial assistance, and for support in applying. 

Graduate School and Other Study

Recent Russian majors and minors have completed area studies M.A. degrees at Harvard University and elsewhere; others have entered the Flagship Program, which aims to bring students to the highest levels of language proficiency for subsequent work in politics, scholarship, or NGOs. Students with majors in Russian Literature have gone on to doctoral work in History and Political Science. Others have done graduate study in Linguistics, English Literature, Creative Writing and Comparative Literature. The systematic nature of Russian grammar makes it no surprise that some of our majors and minors go on to medical school or to graduate work in Physics and Astronomy. One graduate received a Fulbright fellowship to study Russian authors who covered the Spanish Civil War as journalists and how their writing influenced the later development of Soviet literature; another received a Fulbright to study plant genetics in southern Russia and Kazakhstan, and a third received a Fulbright to study the experience of Africans in Russia.

Career Options/Opportunities

As the paths of study above suggest, Russian can be combined with almost any field. Whether immediately after graduation or later, our alumni have found work as editors or English teachers in Russia. Some have gone into the State Department or have become medical doctors, data analysts or political activists. Graduate study may lead to careers as college and university professors or directors of university Title VI centers.

Whatever your career choice, we can put you in touch with alumni of Swarthmore’s Russian program who will be able to offer you advice, support, and connections in the field.

Seminars

Seminars in Russian are offered when there is sufficient demand. The Russian section webpage includes descriptions of possible seminar topics.

• RUSS 101. Tolstoy
• RUSS 102. Russian Short Story
• RUSS 103. Pushkin and Lermontov
• RUSS 104. Dostoevsky
• RUSS 105. Literature of the Soviet Period
• RUSS 106. The Culture of Dissent in Russia
• RUSS 107. Russia and Its Others
• RUSS 108. Russian Modernism
• RUSS 109. Chekhov
• RUSS 110. Bulgakov
• RUSS 111. Tsvetaeva & Mayakovsky.
• RUSS 112. Akhmatova and Mandelstam
• RUSS 113. Russian and Soviet Cinema
• RUSS 114. Folklore in Russian Literature
• RUSS 115. Dissidence in Russian Literature
• RUSS 116. The Petersburg Myth in Russian Literature
• RUSS 117. The Russian Literary Anecdote
• RUSS 118. Jews in Russia: Culture and Literature
• RUSS 119. Russian Women Writers
• RUSS 120. Russian Science Fiction & Fantasy
• RUSS 121. Nabokov
• RUSS 122. Russian Avant-Garde Culture

Russian Courses Not Currently Offered

• RUSS 012A. Attachment: Russian Culture Through Film
• RUSS 016A. Forensic Linguistics
• RUSS 024. Russian and East European Cinema
• RUSS 025. The Poet and Power
• RUSS 033. Propagandize this: LGBTQ Russia, Past and Present
• RUSS 041. War and Peace in Russian Literature and Culture
• RUSS 042. Revolutionary Theater
• RUSS 045. Poetry in Translation/Translating Poetry
• RUSS 067. Jews in Russia: Culture, Film, Literature
• RUSS 075. Comedy, Satire, Humor