Faculty
Visiting Assistant Professor
Serhii Tereshchenko, Ph.D., Columbia University
Professors Emeriti
Henryk Baran, Ph.D., Harvard University
Timothy Sergay, Ph.D., Yale University
Adjuncts (estimated): 0
Russian and other Slavic languages and literatures are studied both for their intellectual and cultural significance and as a means toward understanding the present and the past of the Russian Federation, the former Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe. A minor in Russian is available. Courses offered through the Slavic and Eurasian Studies program lay a firm foundation for developing advanced communication skills in Russian which will be of benefit in postgraduate study in diverse fields and various occupations.
Careers
The Russian minor is valuable intellectually, academically, culturally, and as an adjunct to various vocational profiles as well. University-level study of Russian will make a resume stand out for transnational businesses, law firms, travel firms, banks, media outlets, healthcare organizations, government agencies, and nongovernmental organizations that interact with large numbers of Russian speakers, or that are looking to make inroads into the Russian and former Soviet-republic markets. In addition to careers in teaching and the language-services sector, students may find themselves dealing with commerce, democratization, cultural exchange and the development of civil society in Russia and other post-Soviet states, and in many other fields.
Courses in English Translation
To provide access to the riches of Russian literature and culture to all undergraduates, the Slavic and Eurasian Studies program offers several courses conducted in English that deal with Russian literature in translation, culture, politics, and film (with English subtitles). These courses assume no prior knowledge of the Russian language or of Russian culture and history, and are intended for all students. Students interested in these courses are advised to consult the program for current offerings and course descriptions.
Language Placement
Experience indicates that students with one year of high-school Russian will usually place in A RUS 101 or 102, with two years in A RUS 102, with three years in A RUS 102 or 201, and with four years in A RUS 201. Placement is contingent upon an individual assessment of language skills by the instructor in the course no later than the second class session. Native speakers of Russian may not enroll in LLC's Russian-language courses, which are designed to introduce Russian to foreign speakers. Heritage speakers (children or grandchildren of Russian-speaking émigrés with clearly incomplete mastery of Russian grammar and vocabulary) may enroll at the instructor's discretion at the appropriate level. Heritage speakers will also be advised to enroll on a distance-learning, synchronous basis in a Russian language course specifically designed for heritage learners and administered by SUNY Stony Brook.
A student may not earn graduation credit for a course in a language sequence if it is a prerequisite to a course for which graduation credit has already been earned.
Students earning advanced-placement credits from high school will be expected to register for the next higher course in the language sequence. Students who have already earned credits and made progress in Russian equivalent to A RUS 202 in the University at Albany’s University in the High School Program will be advised to continue formal Russian language instruction at higher levels through study abroad options.
Transfer students are expected to register for the next higher course in the language sequence. Placement is contingent upon an individual assessment of language skills by the instructor in the course no later than the second class session.
The Student-Initiated Interdisciplinary Major in Russian
Students wishing to go beyond the undergraduate minor in Russian may propose their own Student-Initiated Interdisciplinary Major by blending courses from the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures and other academic departments on campus. Several departments on campus offer courses relevant to Russia and Eastern Europe, including (but not limited to) Anthropology, Art, English, History, Linguistics, Music, Philosophy and Women’s Studies. See the guidelines for the Student-Initiated Interdisciplinary Major.
Study Abroad
Contact the Study Abroad Office for study abroad opportunities.
For further information and advising, please contact the Department of Languages, Literature, and Cultures (Humanities 235, Phone 518-442-4100).