Placement
Students who have studied Russian prior to entering Davidson but have not been awarded college credit for it will take a placement test at Davidson and be placed at a level appropriate to them on the basis of that test, their language experience, and an oral interview. Students with background in Russian language may not take Russian 101 for credit without permission of the department.
Cultural Diversity Requirement
Russian 260, 270, 280, 293, 294, 319, 420, and 430 satisfy the cultural diversity requirement.
Russian Studies Major Requirements
The major requires 10 courses, (11 if completing a thesis) as follows:
Courses:
1. RUS 201 (Intermediate Russian I) and RUS 202 (Intermediate Russian II), waived for students
who place above the 202 level.
2. Two courses in Russian language above the 202-level
3. RUS 280, “Russia & the West”
4. One Theory or Methods Course
5. Three courses in Russian or Soviet History, Society, Art and Cultures, with at least one each of
history and literature.
6. RUS 495 (capstone) or RUS 495 and RUS 496 (thesis).
Gateway course (preferably completed during freshman or sophomore year).
RUS 280 - Russia & the West
Russian Language Courses
In addition to RUS 201 and RUS 202, select at least two of the following courses, all of which are
taught in Russian.
RUS 301 - Advanced Russian
RUS 319 - Advanced Russian, Contemporary Russian Culture
RUS 395 - Independent Study in Russian (Intermediate Advanced)
RUS 396 - Independent Study in Russian (Intermediate Advanced)
RUS 419 - Independent Study in Russian (Advanced)
RUS 497 - Independent Study in Russian (Advanced)
RUS 498- Independent Study in Russian (Advanced)
Gateway course (preferably completed during freshman or sophomore year).
RUS 280 - Russia & the West
Theory & Methods Courses
Select at least one methods course from the department best suited to the intended capstone or thesis project.
Note: Upon approval, students may count a different theory or methods course if it clearly relates to the capstone or thesis project.
ENG 220 - Literary Analysis
ENG 391 - Literary Criticism and Theory
GSS 201 - Feminist and Queer Theories
HIS 233 - Soviet History and the Cold War: Interpreting Revolution
LIT 432 - Theory and Practice of Literary Translation (Seminar)
POL 182 - Introduction to Political Science Research Methods
History, Politics, Literature, & Cultures Courses
Select at least three of the following, among which you must have at least one history and one literature course.
HIS 124 - Russia: A Multinational Empire, 1801-1917
HIS 226 - Repression & Liberation in the Soviet Union: Minorities and the Soviet Project
HIS 233 - Soviet History and the Cold War: Interpreting Revolution
HIS 333 - The Jewish Century?
HIS 431 - Genocides in 20th-Century Eurasia
LIT 245 - The Enlightenment: Centers, Peripheries, & Legacies
POL 348 - Politics of Russia and Eastern Europe (does not count for history or literature)
RUS 260 - 19th Century Russian Literature (in transl.)
RUS 270 - 20th-Century Russian Literature: Modernism to Postmodernism (in translation)
RUS 293 - Topics in Russian Culture
RUS 294 - Topics in Russian Literature
RUS 420 - Tolstoy’s War and Peace (in English) or “Anna Karenina” (in English)
RUS 430 - Dostoevsky Brothers Karamazov (in translation)
Minor Requirements
A minor in Russian Studies requires six courses numbered above 102, as follows.
RUS 201 (Intermediate Russian I) and RUS 202 (Intermediate Russian II), waived for students who place above the 202 level.
RUS 280, Russia and the West (gateway course, preferably completed during freshman orsophomore year)
One course in Intermediate-Advanced or Advanced language (300- or 400-level):
RUS 301 - Advanced Russian
RUS 319 - Advanced Russian, Contemporary Russian Culture
RUS 395 - Independent Study in Russian (Intermediate Advanced)
RUS 396 - Independent Study in Russian (Intermediate Advanced)
RUS 419 - Independent Study in Russian (Advanced)
RUS 497 - Independent Study in Russian (Advanced)
RUS 498- Independent Study in Russian (Advanced)
One course on the history of Russia (in English)
HIS 124 - Russia: A Multinational Empire, 1801-1917
HIS 226 - Repression & Liberation in the Soviet Union: Minorities and the Soviet Project
HIS 233 - Soviet History and the Cold War: Interpreting Revolution
HIS 333 - The Jewish Century?
HIS 431 - Genocides in 20th-Century Eurasia
One course in Russian literature or culture (in English)
LIT 245 - The Enlightenment: Centers, Peripheries, & Legacies
RUS 260 - 19th Century Russian Literature
RUS 270 - 20th-Century Russian Literature
RUS 293 : Topics in Russian Culture
RUS 294 - Topics in Russian Literature
RUS 420 - Tolstoy’s War and Peace (in translation) or Anna Karenina (in translation)
RUS 430 - Dostoevsky Brothers Karamazov (in translation)
With departmental approval, students may count courses taken abroad toward the minor.
Courses counting toward the minor may not be taken pass/fail. Students minoring in Russian are strongly encouraged to study abroad on a Davidson-approved program.
Rationale for Russian Studies Course Numbering
Russian Studies 100-level courses are elementary language courses that introduce students to the basic sound, writing, and case systems of Russian. Students also learn to read, write, and converse about travel, geography, culture, education, and family life.
Russian Studies 200-level language courses are at the intermediate level and help students transition to more advanced proficiency in reading, writing, and oral skills. Students master the grammar necessary for reading authentic Russian texts and writing essays. They learn to read, write and converse on a broad range of themes. Russian 201 completes the language requirement and is prerequisite for Russian 202. 200-level courses taught in English require no knowledge of Russian, nor do they presuppose familiarity with the methods of literary and cultural criticism.
Russian Studies 300-level language courses are at the advanced-intermediate level and focus on literature and culture. Students may register for these courses after completing Russian 202 (or its equivalent abroad). 300-level courses taught in English presuppose familiarity with basic methods of literary and cultural criticism.
Russian Studies 400-level courses are advanced seminars suitable for all students with a strong background in literary or cultural studies. RUS 401-419 are taught entirely in Russian. RUS 420-440 are taught in English and require no knowledge of Russian.
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