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McGill.CA / Languages, Literatures, and Cultures / Undergraduate

Russian Undergraduate Programs

Many opportunities are open to students with qualifications in Russian and other Slavic studies. Students may be interested in the organization of human society, comparative literature, linguistics - Russian studies are highly relevant to all of these. In addition, because of similar problems in geography, climate, industrial and economic growth, Russian studies may have a particular fascination for the Canadian student. Since most Eastern European countries have academic exchange programs with Canada, well-qualified students should not encounter much difficulty in continuing their university studies in Russia or in Eastern Europe.

Over the past few years many interesting career opportunities have opened in Russia and the former Soviet Republics as well as Eastern Europe.Ěý

Please note that beyond the Calendar course listings, subject to approval by the Department, courses offered with may count toward fulfilling program requirements.

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Program Information

Minor Concentration in Russian (18 credits)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Minor Concentration Russian (18 Credits)

Minor Concentration in Russian Culture (18 credits)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Minor Concentration Russian Culture (18 Credits)

Major Concentration in Russian (36 credits)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Major Concentration Russian (36 Credits)

Honours Program in Russian (60 credits)

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Honours Russian (60 Credits)

Joint Honours Program - Russian Component

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Joint Honours Component Russian (36 credits)

Students wishing to study at the Honours level in two disciplines can combine Joint Honours program components in any two Arts disciplines. For a list of available Joint Honours programs, see "Overview of Programs Offered" and "Joint Honours Programs".Ěý

Prior to registering for each Joint Honours component, students must consult with advisers in the respective departments for approval of their course selection.

According to Faculty regulations, Joint Honours students must maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.00 and maintain a minimum program GPA of 3.00. Departments may require a higher program GPA. Joint Honours students must meet the requirements of both components of their program.

The specific course requirements for the 36-credit Joint Honours Component Russian program are determined on an individual basis in consultation with the student’s program adviser(s).

The Honours thesis course, RUSS 490, is usually completed in the student’s final year and is on a topic in Russian literature or culture agreed upon in consultation with the student’s thesis advisor.* It is to be written independently from the thesis that is required by the second program in which the student is pursuing their Joint Honours degree

*Note: Students must submit their Russian thesis project proposals to the Russian Studies departmental adviser by March 15th or November 15th of the preceding term for independent research courses.

Required Course (3 credits)

RUSS 490 (3) Honours Seminar 01

Complementary Courses (33 credits)

33 credits selected from the following specifications:

Group A:Russian Language

Students entering this program with previous knowledge of or exposure to Russian may, with permission of the Department, replace this group with selections from Group B or Group C.

18 credits selected from the following courses or their equivalent:

RUSS 210 (3) Elementary Russian Language 1
RUSS 211 (3) Elementary Russian Language 2
RUSS 215* (6) Elementary Russian Language Intensive 1
RUSS 300 (3) Russian for Heritage Speakers 1
RUSS 301 (3) Russian for Heritage Speakers 2
RUSS 310 (3) Intermediate Russian Language 1
RUSS 311 (3) Intermediate Russian Language 2
RUSS 316** (6) Intermediate Russian Language Intensive 2
RUSS 327 (3) Reading Russian Poetry
RUSS 328 (3) Readings in Russian
RUSS 410 (3) Advanced Russian Language 1
RUSS 411 (3) Advanced Russian Language 2
RUSS 415*** (6) Advanced Russian Language Intensive 1
RUSS 453 (3) Advanced Russian Language and Syntax

*RUSS 215 is not open to students who have taken RUSS 210 or RUSS 211.

**RUSS 316 is not open to students who have taken RUSS 310 or RUSS 311.

***RUSS 415 is not open to students who have taken RUSS 410 or RUSS 411.

Group B

6-9 credits selected from the following courses or their equivalent:

RUSS 217 (3) Russia's Eternal Questions
RUSS 218 (3) Russian Literature and Revolution
RUSS 223 (3) Russian 19th Century: Literary Giants 1
RUSS 224 (3) Russian 19th Century: Literary Giants 2
RUSS 229 (3) Introduction to Russian Folklore
RUSS 250 (3) The Central European Novel

Group C

6-9 credits selected from the following courses or their equivalent:

RUSS 213 (3) Introduction to Soviet Film
RUSS 330 (3) Chekhov without Borders
RUSS 333 (3) Petersburg: City of Myth
RUSS 337 (3) Vladimir Nabokov
RUSS 340 (3) Russian Short Story
RUSS 347 (3) Late and Post-Soviet Culture
RUSS 350 (3) Central European Film
RUSS 357 (3) Leo Tolstoy
RUSS 358 (3) Fyodor Dostoevsky
RUSS 365 (3) Supernatural and Absurd in Russian Literature
RUSS 369 (3) Narrative and Memory in Russian Culture
RUSS 381 (3) Russia's Utopia Complex
RUSS 382 (3) Russian Opera
RUSS 385 (3) Staging Russianness: From Pushkin to Chekhov
RUSS 390 (3) Special Topics in Russian
RUSS 395 (3) Soviet Cinema: Art and Politics
RUSS 397 (3) Tarkovsky: Cinema and Philosophy
RUSS 398 (3) Soviet Women Filmmakers
RUSS 427 (3) Russian Fin de Siècle
RUSS 428 (3) Russian Avantgarde
RUSS 430 (3) High Stalinist Culture 1
RUSS 440 (3) Russia and Its Others
RUSS 454 (3) Narratives of Desire
RUSS 475 (3) Special Topics in Russ Culture
RUSS 500 (3) Special Topics
RUSS 501 (3) Topics in Slavic Culture

* Students must submit proposals to their departmental adviser by March 15th or November 15th of the preceding term for individual reading and independent research courses.

Group D: Languages, Literatures, and Cultures and Faculty of Arts

0-3 credits to be chosen from the following or their equivalent:

ANTH 303 (3) Ethnographies of Post-socialism
HIST 216 (3) Introduction to Russian History
HIST 226 (3) East Central and Southeastern Europe in 20th Century
HIST 306 (3) East Central Europe, 1944-2004
HIST 313 (3) Habsburg Monarchy, 1618-1918
HIST 316 (3) History of the Russian Empire
HIST 326 (3) History of the Soviet Union
HIST 406 (3) Topics: Russian History
HIST 576D1 (3) Seminar: Topics in Russian History
HIST 576D2 (3) Seminar: Topics in Russian History
JWST 303 (3) The Soviet Jewish Experience
POLI 329 (3) Russian Politics
POLI 331 (3) Politics in East Central Europe
SOCI 455 (3) Post-Socialist Societies

Note: For pre/corequisites and availability of Anthropology (ANTH), Economics (ECON), History (HIST), Jewish Studies (JWST), Political Science (POLI), and Sociology (SOCI) courses, students should consult the offering department and Class Schedule.

Taken from Programs, Courses and University Regulations 2024-2025 (last updated Sep. 20, 2024).

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Additional Information

Language Course Registration

A. Russian Studies offers Russian language courses at three levels, at both the regular and intensive track:

  1. – Beginner (RUSS 210 in the Fall and RUSS 211 in the Winter)
    – Beginner Intensive (RUSS 215 in the Winter or in the Summer)
  2. – Intermediate (RUSS 310 in the Fall and RUSS 311 in the Winter)
    – Intermediate Intensive (RUSS 316 in the Fall)
  3. – Advanced (RUSS 400 in the Fall and RUSS 401 in the Winter)
    – Advanced Intensive (RUSS 415)

Students may choose to enrol in the regular track, or in the intensive track, or may complete their program by following different tracks (e.g. completing beginner intensive and then taking intermediate at the regular track).

Additionally, we offer two “bridge” courses focusing on reading authentic texts in Russian:

RUSS 327 (Reading Russian poetry) and RUSS 328 (Readings in Russian). Prerequisite: RUSS 311 or RUSS 316, or equivalent. Heritage speakers need to contact the instructor directly to obtain permission. No experience in literary analysis required.

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B. Placement tests

Placement tests are administered during the first week of classes in the Fall and Winter semesters. Detailed schedule with times will be available on the bulletin boards outside room 343. Students without any prior knowledge of and /or exposure to Russian do not need to take the test and should enrol in RUSS 210 or RUSS 215 directly. All other students wishing to take a Russian class, must take the test. Please note that heritage speakers may not enrol in the Beginner-level classes.

In case your section is full, you should still come to class on the first day of classes and talk to your instructor. More spots often become available during add/drop and it is important that you keep up to date on the material covered in the first days.

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Should you have any questions, please contact the maria.ivanova [at] mcgill.ca (Language Program Director).

Program Advisors

Undergraduate Program Advisor

Prof. Daniel W. Pratt
688ĚýSherbrooke West, Room 333
Montreal, QC ĚýH3A 2M7
daniel.pratt [at] mcgill.ca

Office hours: by appointment

Language Programs Advisor

Dr. Maria Ivanova
680ĚýSherbrooke West, Room 343
Montreal, QC ĚýH3A 2M7
maria.ivanova [at] mcgill.ca

Office hours:Ěýby appointment

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