Slavic & Eurasian Studies
Faculty
Emeriti
Toby W. Clyman, Ph.D.
New York University
Sophie Lubensky, Ph.D.
University of Leningrad
Rodney L. Patterson, Ph.D.
University of California, Los Angeles
Alex M. Shane Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley
Professors
Henryk Baran, Ph.D.
Harvard University
Associate Professors
Charles P. Rougle, Ph.D.
University of Stockholm
Assistant Professors
Timothy Sergay, Ph.D.
Yale University
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. Programs in the Russian major lay a firm foundation for postgraduate study in diverse fields or for various professional occupations.
Careers
In addition to traditional careers in secondary-school and university-level education, our graduates find employment in business, the media, banking, the legal profession, as consultants in non-governmental agencies dealing with commerce, democratization, and the development of civil society in Russia and other post-Soviet states, as investment fund analysts, travel agents, cultural exchange coordinators, exhibit guides, translators and interpreters, 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 a variety of courses in English translation that deal with Russian literature, culture and film. These courses assume no prior knowledge of the Russian language and are intended both for majors and for students who are not majoring in Russian. Students interested in these courses are advised to consult the program for current offerings and course descriptions.
Study in Russia
Opportunities to spend a semester in Russia are made possible through close cooperation between the SUNY and Moscow State University (see below – Advanced Study in Russia).
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 active assessment of language skills made by the instructor in the course no later than the second class or in consultation with the undergraduate program director.
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, and those earning credits in the University at Albany’s University in High School Program, will be expected to register for the next course in the language sequence.
Transfer students are expected to register for the next level course in the language sequence. Placement is contingent upon an active assessment of language skills made by the instructor in the course no later than the second class or in consultation with the undergraduate program director.
Degree Requirements for the Major in Russian
General Program B.A.: A minimum of 36 credits of Russian language (above A RUS 102), literature, or culture courses. Two alternative tracks lead to the degree: (A) Language, (B) Literature and Culture. Each program consists of a common core of 28 credits plus at least 8 credits in the area of concentration.Core Program (28 credits)
Language (19 credits): A RUS 201, 202, 301, 302, 311.
Literature and Culture (9 credits): Three courses, at least one of which is in literature, from among A RUS 251, 252, 253, 161/Z, 162/Z, 280 or as advised by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Area Concentration: (8 credits)
(A) Language: A RUS 480 plus 5 credits in Russian language courses or in literature courses taught in Russian at the 300 level or above.
(B) Literature and Culture: A RUS 480, at least one course in Russian literature at the 300 level or above, and at least one course as advised from among A RUS 380, A HIS 354, 355, A POS 354, 356, 452Z or other courses.
Honors Program
The honors program in Russian is designed for outstanding Russian majors enrolled in either the general program (language, literature or culture track) or the teacher education program.Students may apply for admission to the honors program by submitting a letter of request to the program no later than April 15 of the sophomore year (for admission in the fall) or November 15 of the junior year (for admission in the spring). Junior transfers may apply for consideration at the time of their admission to the University.
Advanced Study in Russia
Through cooperation with the State University of New York Office of International Education, Slavic and Eurasian Studies provides advanced students with an opportunity to spend a semester studying in Russia. Students accepted for the program reside and study at Moscow State University and follow a curriculum comprised of advanced Russian language, Russian and Soviet literature and Russian culture. Students are eligible to apply for the program in their third year of Russian study or later.
Students with advanced language skills are encouraged to participate in the UAlbany exchange program with Moscow University and enroll in courses in the Russian Area Studies Program at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies. Besides instruction in Russian Language, available courses taught entirely in Russian include Russian History, Russian Culture, Literature, and Religion, Russian Economics and Russian Economic Geography, Russian Society and Politics, Russian International Relations and Foreign Policy, Ethnology in Russia, and Russian Civilization. Adequate language proficiency is a requirement for this option, and application is subject to approval by the faculty of the Slavic and Eurasian Studies Program.
