The UC Davis Russian program is designed both for students with no previous knowledge and for those who speak Russian at home (heritage speakers). Students will learn how to speak, understand, read, and write in Russian. Upper-division courses in literature and culture develop critical thinking, writing, textual analysis and oral presentation skills. We offer a wide variety of elective courses, including Russian film, the classic nineteenth-century writers (such as Dostoevsky), women in Russian culture and contemporary Russian culture. Courses in Russian history or politics taught in other departments also count toward the completion of the Russian major or minor. A Russian major combines extremely well with any number of other specialties, both in the humanities and social sciences and the STEM fields. Students receive personalized attention from highly motivated instructors in small classes.

Russia has an enormously rich cultural tradition—think Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Shostakovich and Eisenstein!—and a fascinating history. Its geopolitical significance cannot be overstated, and Russian has been designated a Critical Language by the U.S. Department of State. Knowing Russian gives students a distinct career advantage in a number of fields, including foreign affairs, international diplomacy and law. The Sacramento area is home to nearly 100,000 residents of the former Soviet Union, making Russian an important language for our region as well.

Read: What Can I Do With A Russian Degree?

Open Letter to Slavic community at UCD regarding Ukraine

Courses

Our program is distinguished by a variety of language and literature courses, such as:

    • Russian Film
    • Humor and Comedy in Russian Culture
    • Contemporary Russian Culture
    • Women in Russian Culture
    • Post-Soviet Russian Literature
    • Russian Theater
    • Courses on Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov
    • 19th- and 20th-century Literature
    • Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Russian
    • Advanced Conversation, Translation and Composition

Study Abroad

Although the war in Ukraine has led to the suspension of the UC Education Abroad Program in Moscow, students wishing to immerse themselves in a Russian-speaking environment still have several exciting options for both summer and academic-year programs. Through private organizations like the School of Russian and Asian Studies (SRAS), students may study abroad in Tbilisi or Batumi, Georgia; Yerevan, Armenia; or Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Units earned while studying abroad may count toward fulfillment of the Russian major or minor.