Studying Russian
The Russian major leads to the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree, and our program instructs students in speaking, understanding, reading, and writing the Russian language. The program is designed to teach reading, writing, and spoken Russian in two years. It also acquaints students with the intellectual and cultural contributions of the Russian world through the study of its classic and modern literature, traditions, and institutions. Russian majors are granted experience in their specific areas of interest such as international relations, political science, economics, and others.
The Russian minor assures a basic proficiency in Russian and acquaints students with the language, literature, and traditions. In today's global economy, this minor is an asset to almost any major.
Learning Outcomes
Russian Majors and Minors are expected to be proficient in the language and be familiar with the culture.
- Language. Students will demonstrate an ability to operate in Russian, i.e. communicate orally and in writing; an awareness of appropriateness of communication with respect to situation and register; and an ability to write a cogent essay according to appropriate disciplinary standards.
- Culture. Students will demonstrate knowledge of cultural concepts and artifacts within a historical context; an awareness of cultural issues; and an ability to draw comparisons to other cultures.
- Literature. Students will demonstrate analytic, interpretive, and critical thinking skills; knowledge of research protocols (e.g., proper citation); understanding of the specificity of the literary object as well as its historical cultural context; and a general familiarity with literary history.
Preparatory Subject Matter for the Major/Minor (0-27 units)
- Elementary & Intermediate Russian: RUS 1 through 6 (or the equivalent)
Major Requirements (36 units total)
- Russian 101A, 101B, 101C: (12 units)
- Russian 102 or 103 or 105: (4 units)
- Additional upper-division units chosen in consultation with adviser: (20 units)
Major Checklist (PDF)
Graduating with Honors
The Honors Program in the College of Letters and Science permits students to pursue a program of study in their major at a level significantly beyond that defined by the normal curriculum. It represents an opportunity for the qualified student to experience aspects of the major that are representative of advanced study in the field. Successful completion of the College Honors Program is a necessary prerequisite to consideration for the awarding of high or highest honors at graduation. For more information, contact Prof. Jenny Kaminer at jekaminer@ucdavis.edu.
Minor Requirements (20 units total)
- Russian 101A, 101B, 101C: (12 units)
- Other upper-division Russian courses: (8 units)
There are courses taught in English on Russian subjects that can qualify for these upper-division units.
Minor Checklist (PDF)