Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Russian Studies] From Brandeis University

The department offers a four-semester sequence of Russian language courses which allows students to reach intermediate level of proficiency. These classes are followed by content courses in the third and fourth years of language study which teach language through various aspects of Russian culture (i.e., Russian through the study of Russian and Soviet films, Russian language and contemporary Russian culture, Russian through the study of Russian literature of the 19th and 20th centuries).

All of our language courses have a built-in culture component designed to introduce students not only to the products of "high culture" (literary works, film, ballet and opera, fine art, etc.), but also to the social culture as expressed in the often unspoken rules for social conduct (i.e., gift-giving, phone etiquette, being a guest in someone’s home).

Both the language and culture components of our courses aim at giving our students a greater understanding of the diversity and complexity of human thought and world views, and enabling them to apply the Russian perspectives to understanding texts and ideas relevant to disciplines other than language and literature.