| RUSS 101 |
| Elementary Russian I |
| This course for beginners emphasizes active command of Russian through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. A web component enhances knowledge of the living language and illustrates cultural differences. This class meets three hours a week and carries one credit. (HUM) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 102 |
| Elementary Russian II |
A continuation of Russian 101. Students increase their speaking, reading and writing ability through vocabulary building and learning further grammar structures. This class meets three hours a week and carries one credit. (HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 101 or equivalent. |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 201 |
| Intermediate Russian I |
In this course students will gain intermediate proficiency in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing Russian. They will learn how to express themselves in Russian through regular conversation practice on topics such as the world of Russian emotions, love and marriage, music and entertainment, and other practical subjects. They will read real Russian literary texts and learn to write about their thoughts and opinions. They will learn about Russian culture by direct experience, including working with the Russian Internet. Students who take this and the next course in the series, Russian 202, will be ready to go on a study abroad program in Russia. Conducted in Russian. (Also listed under the Russian and Eurasian studies concentration of the International Studies Program.)
(HUM)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 102 or equivalent. |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 202 |
| Intermediate Russian II |
A continuation of Russian 201 in which students will develop a proficiency in Russian that will be adequate for most practical purposes. They will continue to develop their ability to converse on topics such as computers and work, dating, talking about nature, and others. They will start reading and discussing more complex literary and journalistic texts, including works by classic Russian authors. Regular writing assignments will help reinforce what they are learning. Students will continue their examination of the many sides of Russian culture, including Russian etiquette, gesture, music, television, film, etc. Successful completion of this course gives students the Russian they need in order to go to Russia for work or study. Conducted in Russian. (Also listed under the Russian and Eurasian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.)
(GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 201 or equivalent. |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 210 |
| Advanced Russian Conversation |
| This course will provide training in Russian oral communication and self-expression. Students will lead and participate in class discussions and debates, prepare oral reports, as well as listen to and watch Russian radio and television broadcasts. All work will be oral. The topics of conversations will include family problems and divorce, elections in the U.S. and in Russia, youth music and fashion in Russia, environmental issues, Russian beliefs in the world beyond (UFOs, ESP, etc.) and other current issues. By the end of the course, students will be able to converse in Russian on an advanced level on the ACTFL scale. (Also listed under the Russian and Eurasian Studies concentration of the International Studies Program.)
Note: Fluency in Russian is required for enrollment. (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 215 |
| Topics in Russian Grammar |
| A review and a deepening of the basics of Russian grammar for students of all levels of Russian. Topics will include: the cases, the single-stem verb system, verbs of motion, participles and verbal adverbs as well as other topics that need review. The forms will be reinforced through conversation in class and written home exercises. (HUM) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 253 |
| Fantasy & Realism |
| All readings and discussion will be in English. Through the enduring traditions of fantasy and realism, Russian literature has probed human dilemmas and invited self-examination. We shall read these works as art and entertainment, and also for what they help us learn about ourselves. A disturbing world of the uncanny, populated by murderous doubles, human snakes, talking dogs, ghosts, and other diabolical creatures will open up to us and haunt our imaginations. As we consider the realist and fantastic streams, we shall ultimately ask the question: can we really define the difference between them? Authors to be read include Gogol, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, and others. This course will introduce the students to some of the greatest works in the Russian literary canon. (Cross listed as RUSS/LACS 253). (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 270 |
| Russian Poetry |
| Readings in Russian poetry, including verse of the Golden and Silver Ages (the nineteenth century through 1920). Texts will be discussed from the viewpoint of their aesthetic and historical significance. Students will become familiar with the classics of Russian poetry while also developing the critical skills of being able to analyze poetry linguistically and write about it. Stylistic analysis will refine students’ knowledge of grammar; extensive discussion of texts will enhance oral proficiency. All readings and discussion in Russian.
NOTE: Fluency in Russian is required for enrollment. (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 281 |
| Tolstoy's War and Peace |
| The great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy took on the whole of life within the covers of a single book and forever changed the meaning of the word "novel." Set during Napoleon's invasion of Russia, War and Peace places the intimate trivia of private lives on an equal footing with military strategy and philosophical reflections on "great men" in history. The obscure villager and a nation's autocrat must face the same questions. When can we influence events and when should we submit? Is rational thought superior to instinctive action? This book argues that whether on the battlefield or in the bedroom, the answers are the same. We will immerse ourselves in this novel, exploring it as an aesthetic masterpiece and as a philosophy of life. (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Seminar
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| RUSS 283 |
| The Master and Margarita |
| Which do we love more, truth or power? How do we choose when they conflict? The Russian fantasy novel The Master and Margarita exposes the universal human talent for truth-avoidance. The comic narrative unfolds as the devil arrives in Moscow for a week of mischief-making. In a double plot, supernatural pranks alternate with a fictional "gospel according to the devil." Our intensive study of this unique masterpiece will begin with background readings, including the Biblical book of Job, selections from the New Testament gospels, Goethe's Faust, and memoirs of communist literary culture. Author Mikhail Bulgakov's tale of humor/fantasy/theology has the unique distinction of being a cult novel as well as a literary classic. (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Seminar
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| RUSS 288 |
| Who Am I and Where Am I Going? |
| How many identities do you have? To what extent do you create your own identity? To what extent is identity imposed on you? This course draws upon four disciplines to explore personal identity, group dynamics, and systemic power structures. Our core readings will come from philosophy, psychology, literature, and biblical studies. We will supplement these readings with opinion pieces from the current press on issues of ethnic, racial, religious, and gender identity. Students will consider their own experience of how they "fit" into various social configurations, including family, clubs, and the larger American society. This course seeks to equip students with tools to explore their selves, achieve personal growth and self-knowledge, and better understand and take charge of their interaction with social and political forces. (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 289 |
| Anna Karenina |
| What is love? That is the question at the heart of Leo Tolstoy's timeless masterpiece, Anna Karenina. We will undertake intensive, in-depth study of this massive but tightly woven novel, which probes the nature of love by considering it within a series of tensions--between individual autonomy and family responsibilities; the physical and spiritual sides of human nature; rational and instinctive behavior; urban versus rural lifestyles; and the threat that technological advances pose to traditional behaviors. In addition, we will consider the differing perspectives that diverse readers have brought to this novel, as well as film adaptations and short stories that may be seen as responses to Anna Karenina. (Students may not receive credit for both FYS 110 and this class.) (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Seminar
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| RUSS 301 |
| Russian through Literature and Film |
This course contains two segments. In one segment students strengthen their grammar and vocabulary through reading authentic literary texts. The other segment improves listening comprehension through the viewing of a Russian film. Students will view the film in installments, using video technology to replay scenes as often as necessary to achieve comprehension. Homework assignments will include film viewing in the video lab. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in one 300 level Russian course, or permission of instructor |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 304 |
| Current Russian Media |
| A survey of current Russian newspaper and magazine articles, radio and television broadcasts, and the Internet. Subjects covered will include popular culture, home and family life, environmental issues, economics, and politics. Students will strive to master the special type of Russian used in the media as well as describe how these media reflect or distort the state of Russian society. Prerequisite: Russian 222 or permission of the instructor. (This course is also offered under the Russian and Eurasian Studies program.)
NOTE: Fluency in Russian is required for enrollment. (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 305 |
| Russian Culture and Civilization |
| An exploration of recurring themes in Russian culture through the examination of prose fiction, poetry, theater, film and the visual arts. Emphasis will be placed on canonical works to give students a foundation in the Russian tradition. Since cultural continuity needs to be studied in the context of cultural change, we will simultaneously do an overview of important moments in Russian history from the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries. Students will write a paper every week about an aspect of Russian culture as it appears in the works we are examining. All reading, writing and discussion will be in Russian. Prerequisite: Russian 222 or permission of the instructor. (This course is also offered under the Russian and Eurasian Studies program.) (HUM) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 306 |
| Pushkin: The Bronze Horseman |
An intensive reading in Russian of Pushkin's iconic narrative poem about the great flood of 1824 in St. Petersburg. Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the elements of versification, including meter, rhythm, and rhyme. We will also interpret the poem's plot, including the imaginary "duel" between its central fictional character and the historical figure of Peter the Great (memorialized in the statue known as the bronze horseman). This course also exposes students to the architectural monuments of one of the world's great metropolises. (GLB2)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Russian 202 or permission of instructor. |
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1.00 units, Seminar
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| RUSS 307 |
| Crime and Punishment |
| Crime and Punishment is one of the classics of world literature. We will give a close reading of Raskolnikov's crime (the murder of a despicable pawnbroker) and his punishment: guilt, terror of getting caught, difficulties with his mother and sister, a lost friendship, and Petersburg-a beautiful and at the same time punishing city. (GLB2) |
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1.00 units, Seminar
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| RUSS 337 |
| Russian and Soviet Theater |
| An exploration of a variety of topics in Russian and Soviet theater from the 1830s to the present: the plays, the experiments and developments in acting technique and scenic design as well as their theoretical foundations. Particular emphasis will be given to the 30 years at the beginning of this century and theater developments in the past decade. Discussion will also cover reasons for restaging the classics in recent years and the serious challenges confronting the artistic community during the Stalin years and continuing beyond the Brezhnev era. (Listed both as Modern Languages 233-93 and Russian 337-01; under the Russian and Eurasian concentration of the International Studies Program; and Theater and Dance.) (GLB1) |
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1.00 units, Lecture
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| RUSS 399 |
| Independent Study |
| Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (HUM) |
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1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study
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| RUSS 466 |
| Teaching Assistantship |
| Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the instructor are required for enrollment. Guidelines are available in the College Bulletin.
(0.5 - 1 course credit) |
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0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study
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| RUSS 497 |
| Senior Thesis |
| This course is a one semester thesis. Submission of the special registration form and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. (HUM) |
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1.00 units, Independent Study
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| RUSS 498 |
| Senior Thesis Part 1 |
| This course is the first part of a two semester, two credit thesis. Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. The registration form is required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (WEB) |
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1.00 units, Independent Study
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| RUSS 499 |
| Senior Thesis Part 2 |
| This course is the second part of a two semester, two credit thesis. Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. The registration form is required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (WEB) |
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1.00 units, Independent Study
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