East European and Russian Studies Major
2024 - 2025 Catalog
East European and Russian Studies major leading to BA degree
A major in East European and Russian Studies leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree requires the completion of at least 33 credits as follows:
- RUSS 301, 302
- Three credits from RAS 473 or 493
- One of the following two groups:
a. HIST 220 and either LIT 215 or LIT 264
b. HIST 221 and either LIT 263 or LIT 264 - One of the following courses:
POL 245, 246
SOAN 225, 245, 246
- One of the following courses not used to satisfy the requirements above:
HIST 220, 221, 222, 228, 280, 286
LIT 215, 263, 264
POL 245, 246
SOAN 225, 245, 246 - 12 credits chosen from the following Russian area studies courses not used to satisfy any requirements above:
ARTH 394, when the topic is appropriate
HIST 220, 221, 222, 228, 286, 322, and when appropriate 401, 402, 403
LIT 215, 263, 264
POL 245, 246, and when appropriate, 380, 401, 402, 403, 406
RUSS 313, 315, 316, 395, 401, 402, 403
RAS 401, 402, 403, 493
SOAN 225, 245, 246
Additional courses required as prerequisites for completion of the above are RUSS 111, 112, 261 and 262. Also, most politics courses that grant credit toward the East European and Russian Studies major require POL 105 as a prerequisite.
- Required courses:
- RUSS 301 - Advanced Russian I
Credits 3 Prerequisite RUSS 262 or RUSS 301 placement Speaking, reading and writing of Russian with increased attention to Russian literature and advanced grammar.
- RUSS 302 - Advanced Russian II
Credits 3 Prerequisite RUSS 301 A continuation of RUSS 301.
- Three credits from:
- RAS 473 - Senior Thesis
Credits 3 Prerequisite instructor consent Students explore specialized issues in Russian Area Studies through writing a thesis on a topic chosen in consultation with two members of the Russian Area Studies faculty committee.
- RAS 493 - Honors Thesis
Credits 3 Prerequisite Russian Area Studies with Honors major and senior class standing Honors Thesis.
- One of the following two groups:
-
- HIST 220 - Imperial Russia, 1682 to 1917
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 From the rise to power of Peter the Great, Russia's first emperor, through the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
and either
- LIT 215 - 20th-Century Russian Literature in Translation
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite completion of FDR:FW requirement In this course, we read some of the most famous works of Russian 20th and 21st centuries writers such as Vladimir Nabokov (the author of "Lolita") and Svetlana Alexievich (the recent Noble Prize winner) among others. We will address issues like political violence, the wars led by USSR, the art of propaganda, and the various forms of resistance against powerful authoritarian regimes.
or
- LIT 264 - Russian Short Fiction
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 How do we encompass something as mammoth as Russian state violence, especially as evidenced in its brutal assault on Ukraine? In this survey of Russian short fiction from the 19th century to the 21st century, we approach this question from a literary angle. We will explore colonial wars, autocracy, conformity and resistance to oppressive state power.
- HIST 220 - Imperial Russia, 1682 to 1917
-
- HIST 221 - Soviet Russia, 1917 to 1991
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 The revolutions of 1917, the emergence of the Soviet system, the Stalinist period, Stalin's successors, and the eventual collapse of the USSR.
and either
- LIT 263 - 19th-Century Russian Literature in Translation
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite completion of FDR:FW requirement In this course, we read some of the most famous Russian writers of the 19 century-- Lev Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Anton Chekhov, and Ivan Turgenev—with a view to exploring such issues as the rise of Russian nationalism; the moral and economic issues surrounding serfdom (the Russian form of slavery), Russian feminism, 19th century family values, and the struggle between the democratic and imperial visions of society.
or
- LIT 264 - Russian Short Fiction
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 How do we encompass something as mammoth as Russian state violence, especially as evidenced in its brutal assault on Ukraine? In this survey of Russian short fiction from the 19th century to the 21st century, we approach this question from a literary angle. We will explore colonial wars, autocracy, conformity and resistance to oppressive state power.
- HIST 221 - Soviet Russia, 1917 to 1991
- One of the following courses:
- POL 245 - European Politics and Society
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 A comparative analysis of European political systems and social institutions. The course covers the established democracies of western and northern Europe, the new democracies of southern and east-central Europe, and the post-Communist regimes in eastern and southeastern Europe. Mechanisms of European integration are also discussed with attention focused on institutions such as European Union, NATO, OSCE, and Council of Europe.
- POL 246 - Post-Communism and New Democracies
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 246. A comparative analysis of transition from Communism in the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Cases of successful and unsuccessful transitions to civil society, pluralist democracy, and market economy are examined. The comparative framework includes analysis of transition from non-Communist authoritarianism and democratic consolidation in selected countries of Latin America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Africa.
- SOAN 225 - Peoples of Central Europe Through Literature and Film
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 4 This course provides basic information about the citizens of Central European nations of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Beliefs, attitudes, and value systems of the people of Central Europe are examined against the backdrop of major historical events of the 20th century. Core textbook readings are supplemented by feature films, video materials, novels, short stories, plays, and poetry. Class discussions focus on interpreting these works of art in the context of comparative historical-sociological analysis of the Polish, Czech, and Hungarian cultures and societies.
- SOAN 245 - European Politics and Society
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 A comparative analysis of European political systems and social institutions. The course covers the established democracies of western and northern Europe, the new democracies of southern and east-central Europe, and the post-Communist regimes in eastern and southeastern Europe. Mechanisms of European integration are also discussed with attention focused on institutions such as European Union, NATO, OSCE, and Council of Europe.
- SOAN 246 - Post-Communism and New Democracies
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 246. A comparative analysis of transition from Communism in the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Cases of successful and unsuccessful transitions to civil society, pluralist democracy, and market economy are examined. The comparative framework includes analysis of transition from non-Communist authoritarianism and democratic consolidation in selected countries of Latin America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Africa.
- One of the following courses not used to satisfy the requirements above:
- HIST 220 - Imperial Russia, 1682 to 1917
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 From the rise to power of Peter the Great, Russia's first emperor, through the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
- HIST 221 - Soviet Russia, 1917 to 1991
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 The revolutions of 1917, the emergence of the Soviet system, the Stalinist period, Stalin's successors, and the eventual collapse of the USSR.
- HIST 222 - Decline and Fall of the Soviet Union and the Resurgence of Russia
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 This course analyzes the reasons for the decline of the Soviet Union commencing in the latter part of the Brezhnev era and its collapse under the weight of the failed reforms of Gorbachev. It further traces the fragmentation of the USSR into 15 republics and the simultaneous devolution of authority within the Russian Republic under Yeltsin. The course concludes with the remarkable reassertion of state power under Putin up to the present. Substantial attention will be devoted to Russia's war against Ukraine over the past year.
- HIST 286 - History of Kyrgyzstan from the Silk Road to the Present: Crossroads of Empire, Culture, and Religion
Credits 4 Prerequisite instructor consent An analysis of the history of empire, culture, and religion in the Central Asia nation of Kyrgyzstan. Together with the course instructor, students travel to Bishkek, attend courses taught by faculty of the American University of Central Asia, and visit important sites and landmarks within the city. The program includes an excursion of several days to the northern and southern shores of Lake lssyk-Kul, where students experience rural, nomadic life, hike in the mountains, and stay in yurts. Students keep a daily log and write a research paper on a topic of their choice with the instructor's approval.
- LIT 215 - 20th-Century Russian Literature in Translation
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite completion of FDR:FW requirement In this course, we read some of the most famous works of Russian 20th and 21st centuries writers such as Vladimir Nabokov (the author of "Lolita") and Svetlana Alexievich (the recent Noble Prize winner) among others. We will address issues like political violence, the wars led by USSR, the art of propaganda, and the various forms of resistance against powerful authoritarian regimes.
- LIT 263 - 19th-Century Russian Literature in Translation
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite completion of FDR:FW requirement In this course, we read some of the most famous Russian writers of the 19 century-- Lev Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Anton Chekhov, and Ivan Turgenev—with a view to exploring such issues as the rise of Russian nationalism; the moral and economic issues surrounding serfdom (the Russian form of slavery), Russian feminism, 19th century family values, and the struggle between the democratic and imperial visions of society.
- LIT 264 - Russian Short Fiction
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 How do we encompass something as mammoth as Russian state violence, especially as evidenced in its brutal assault on Ukraine? In this survey of Russian short fiction from the 19th century to the 21st century, we approach this question from a literary angle. We will explore colonial wars, autocracy, conformity and resistance to oppressive state power.
- POL 245 - European Politics and Society
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 A comparative analysis of European political systems and social institutions. The course covers the established democracies of western and northern Europe, the new democracies of southern and east-central Europe, and the post-Communist regimes in eastern and southeastern Europe. Mechanisms of European integration are also discussed with attention focused on institutions such as European Union, NATO, OSCE, and Council of Europe.
- POL 246 - Post-Communism and New Democracies
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 246. A comparative analysis of transition from Communism in the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Cases of successful and unsuccessful transitions to civil society, pluralist democracy, and market economy are examined. The comparative framework includes analysis of transition from non-Communist authoritarianism and democratic consolidation in selected countries of Latin America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Africa.
- SOAN 225 - Peoples of Central Europe Through Literature and Film
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 4 This course provides basic information about the citizens of Central European nations of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Beliefs, attitudes, and value systems of the people of Central Europe are examined against the backdrop of major historical events of the 20th century. Core textbook readings are supplemented by feature films, video materials, novels, short stories, plays, and poetry. Class discussions focus on interpreting these works of art in the context of comparative historical-sociological analysis of the Polish, Czech, and Hungarian cultures and societies.
- SOAN 245 - European Politics and Society
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 A comparative analysis of European political systems and social institutions. The course covers the established democracies of western and northern Europe, the new democracies of southern and east-central Europe, and the post-Communist regimes in eastern and southeastern Europe. Mechanisms of European integration are also discussed with attention focused on institutions such as European Union, NATO, OSCE, and Council of Europe.
- SOAN 246 - Post-Communism and New Democracies
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 246. A comparative analysis of transition from Communism in the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Cases of successful and unsuccessful transitions to civil society, pluralist democracy, and market economy are examined. The comparative framework includes analysis of transition from non-Communist authoritarianism and democratic consolidation in selected countries of Latin America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Africa.
- 12 credits chosen from the following East European and Russian studies courses not used to satisfy any requirements above:
ARTH 394, when the topic is appropriate
- HIST 220 - Imperial Russia, 1682 to 1917
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 From the rise to power of Peter the Great, Russia's first emperor, through the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
- HIST 221 - Soviet Russia, 1917 to 1991
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 The revolutions of 1917, the emergence of the Soviet system, the Stalinist period, Stalin's successors, and the eventual collapse of the USSR.
- HIST 222 - Decline and Fall of the Soviet Union and the Resurgence of Russia
FDR HU Humanities Distribution Credits 3 This course analyzes the reasons for the decline of the Soviet Union commencing in the latter part of the Brezhnev era and its collapse under the weight of the failed reforms of Gorbachev. It further traces the fragmentation of the USSR into 15 republics and the simultaneous devolution of authority within the Russian Republic under Yeltsin. The course concludes with the remarkable reassertion of state power under Putin up to the present. Substantial attention will be devoted to Russia's war against Ukraine over the past year.
- HIST 286 - History of Kyrgyzstan from the Silk Road to the Present: Crossroads of Empire, Culture, and Religion
Credits 4 Prerequisite instructor consent An analysis of the history of empire, culture, and religion in the Central Asia nation of Kyrgyzstan. Together with the course instructor, students travel to Bishkek, attend courses taught by faculty of the American University of Central Asia, and visit important sites and landmarks within the city. The program includes an excursion of several days to the northern and southern shores of Lake lssyk-Kul, where students experience rural, nomadic life, hike in the mountains, and stay in yurts. Students keep a daily log and write a research paper on a topic of their choice with the instructor's approval.
- HIST 322 - Seminar in Russian History
Credits 3-4 Prerequisite Junior or senior standing. Note: Completion of HIST 102 or 221 is recommended but not required prior to taking HIST 322 Selected topics in Russian history, including but not limited to heroes and villains, Soviet biography, Stalin and Stalinism, the USSR in the Second World War and origins of the Cold War, the KGB, and the decline and fall of the Soviet Union and the re-emergence of Russia. May be repeated for degree and major credit if the topics are different.
- LIT 215 - 20th-Century Russian Literature in Translation
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite completion of FDR:FW requirement In this course, we read some of the most famous works of Russian 20th and 21st centuries writers such as Vladimir Nabokov (the author of "Lolita") and Svetlana Alexievich (the recent Noble Prize winner) among others. We will address issues like political violence, the wars led by USSR, the art of propaganda, and the various forms of resistance against powerful authoritarian regimes.
- LIT 263 - 19th-Century Russian Literature in Translation
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite completion of FDR:FW requirement In this course, we read some of the most famous Russian writers of the 19 century-- Lev Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gogol, Anton Chekhov, and Ivan Turgenev—with a view to exploring such issues as the rise of Russian nationalism; the moral and economic issues surrounding serfdom (the Russian form of slavery), Russian feminism, 19th century family values, and the struggle between the democratic and imperial visions of society.
- LIT 264 - Russian Short Fiction
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 How do we encompass something as mammoth as Russian state violence, especially as evidenced in its brutal assault on Ukraine? In this survey of Russian short fiction from the 19th century to the 21st century, we approach this question from a literary angle. We will explore colonial wars, autocracy, conformity and resistance to oppressive state power.
- POL 245 - European Politics and Society
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 A comparative analysis of European political systems and social institutions. The course covers the established democracies of western and northern Europe, the new democracies of southern and east-central Europe, and the post-Communist regimes in eastern and southeastern Europe. Mechanisms of European integration are also discussed with attention focused on institutions such as European Union, NATO, OSCE, and Council of Europe.
- POL 246 - Post-Communism and New Democracies
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 246. A comparative analysis of transition from Communism in the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Cases of successful and unsuccessful transitions to civil society, pluralist democracy, and market economy are examined. The comparative framework includes analysis of transition from non-Communist authoritarianism and democratic consolidation in selected countries of Latin America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Africa.
- RUSS 313 - Advanced Conversation
Credits 4 Prerequisite RUSS 262 with a grade of B+ or greater and RUSS 302 A course designed for the advanced language student with emphasis on conversation.
- RUSS 315 - 19th-Century Russian Literature
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite RUSS 262 The novels, plays, poetry, and literary movements of the 19th century. Authors examined include Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Turgenev, and Chekhov. Conducted in Russian.
- RUSS 316 - 20th-Century Russian Literature
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite RUSS 262 The novels, plays, poetry, and literary movements of the 20th century. Solzhenitsyn, Babel, Platonov, Mandelshtam, and Tsvetaeva are examples of authors examined. Conducted in Russian.
- RUSS 395 - Topics in Russian Literature
FDR HL Literature Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite RUSS 262 A seminar on a particular author, period, or genre. Recent topics have included Russian War Stories, Russian Childhood, The Art and Craft of Propaganda, and The Caucasus. The subject changes annually. Conducted in Russian.
- RUSS 401 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 1 Prerequisite instructor consent Advanced study in Russian. The nature of the course will be determined by the students' needs and by evaluation of their previous work.
- RUSS 402 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 2 Prerequisite instructor consent Advanced study in Russian. The nature of the course will be determined by the students' needs and by evaluation of their previous work.
- RUSS 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 3 Prerequisite instructor consent Advanced study in Russian. The nature of the course will be determined by the students' needs and by evaluation of their previous work.
- RAS 401 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 1 Prerequisite instructor consent Directed Individual Study.
- RAS 402 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 2 Prerequisite instructor consent Directed Individual Study.
- RAS 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 3 Prerequisite instructor consent Directed Individual Study.
- RAS 493 - Honors Thesis
Credits 3 Prerequisite Russian Area Studies with Honors major and senior class standing Honors Thesis.
- SOAN 225 - Peoples of Central Europe Through Literature and Film
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 4 This course provides basic information about the citizens of Central European nations of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Beliefs, attitudes, and value systems of the people of Central Europe are examined against the backdrop of major historical events of the 20th century. Core textbook readings are supplemented by feature films, video materials, novels, short stories, plays, and poetry. Class discussions focus on interpreting these works of art in the context of comparative historical-sociological analysis of the Polish, Czech, and Hungarian cultures and societies.
- SOAN 245 - European Politics and Society
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 A comparative analysis of European political systems and social institutions. The course covers the established democracies of western and northern Europe, the new democracies of southern and east-central Europe, and the post-Communist regimes in eastern and southeastern Europe. Mechanisms of European integration are also discussed with attention focused on institutions such as European Union, NATO, OSCE, and Council of Europe.
- SOAN 246 - Post-Communism and New Democracies
FDR SS4 Social Science - Group 4 Distribution Credits 3 Same as SOAN 246. A comparative analysis of transition from Communism in the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Cases of successful and unsuccessful transitions to civil society, pluralist democracy, and market economy are examined. The comparative framework includes analysis of transition from non-Communist authoritarianism and democratic consolidation in selected countries of Latin America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and South Africa.
and when appropriate
- HIST 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 3 Prerequisite instructor consent A course which permits the student to follow a program of directed reading or research in an area not covered in other courses.
- HIST 402 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 2 Prerequisite instructor consent A course which permits the student to follow a program of directed reading or research in an area not covered by other courses.
- HIST 401 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 1 Prerequisite instructor consent A course which permits the student to follow a program of directed reading or research in an area not covered by other courses.
- POL 380 - Seminar in Global Politics
FDR SS2 Social Science - Group 2 Distribution Credits 3 Prerequisite POL 105 Examination of selected topics dealing with international and comparative politics.
- POL 401 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 1 Prerequisite instructor consent This course permits a student to follow a program of directed reading, library research, or data collection and analysis in some area not covered in other courses.
- POL 403 - Directed Individual Study
Credits 3 Prerequisite instructor consent This course permits a student to follow a program of directed reading, library research, or data collection and analysis in some area not covered in other courses.