Russian
College may be the first opportunity you have to study Russian. So forget the myth that you have to start learning another language in childhood.
College can help young adults become faster and more effective language learners than small children. With a little imagination and hard work, Russian studies at Lafayette can lead to an amazing study-abroad experience. For each additional year of language studies, research shows a wide range of benefits, including improved verbal and math scores on entrance exams (GREs, MCATs, LSATs). Advanced language studies lead to greater opportunities for admission to graduate and professional schools and greater access to career-oriented jobs.
The Minor in Russian
Five course beyond Russian (101-102). Upon successful completion of the Intermediate language sequence (111-112), students choose three courses from a list of approved electives.
Please note: Russian language and literature courses also count toward the major in Russian and East European Studies.
Note: Please refer to the Course Catalog for official information about the minor in Russian and the major in Russian and East European Studies.
Courses in Russian
RUSS 101, 102: Elementary Russian I & II
Fundamentals of the spoken and written language. Development of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. An introduction to the culture of Russia. Class/laboratory. (H)
RUSS 111, 112: Intermediate Russian I & II
Review and expansion of basic grammar and vocabulary. Short literary and cultural readings. Attention to developing reading, writing, and conversational skills and a deeper understanding of Russian culture. Class/laboratory.(H, GM2)
RUSS 209, 210: Survey of Russian Literature I & II
A chronological study of the major literary movements and styles from the seventeenth century to the present in prose, poetry, and drama. Special attention is given to the ideological and historical background. (H)
Prerequisite: Russian 112 or equivalent
RUSS 211: Advanced Russian
A course in advanced grammar and syntax designed to develop a high degree of aural comprehension and conversational fluency. Perceptive reading and clear writing are stressed. Discussion of the major social, ideological, and artistic trends and movements of Russia. (H)
RUSS 290, 291: Independent Study in Russian
This course emphasizes reading authentic materials and writing compositions and correspondence.
Prerequisite: Russian 112, equivalent proficiency or permission of the instructor
RUSS 311: Russian Short Story
A study of the Russian novella and short story with emphasis on nineteenth- and twentieth-century fiction. Reading and interpretation of works by writers such as Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Gorky, Babel, Olesha, Solzhenitsyn, and others.(H)
Prerequisite: Russian 112 or equivalent
RUSS 316: Soviet Russian Literature
A study of developments from 1917 to the present for their literary, social, and political significance. Reading and interpretation of works by writers such as Mayakovsky, Gladkov, Fadeyev, Katayev, Simonov, Panova, Evtushenko, Trifonov, and others.(H)
Prerequisite: Russian 112 or equivalent
Russian Literature in Translation
CL 161, 162: Russian Literature in English I & II
A study—through the best available translations—of the whole course of Russian literature, with principal emphasis on the nineteenth-century writers: Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy. Open to all students. [W]
Please see the Lafayette Course Catalog for official descriptions of the Russian courses and other subjects offered by the Department of Languages and Literary Studies.
INDS 280:
The Three Faces of Russia/Latvia (H, GM1)
Please see the Course and Exam Schedule for a current list of courses and times, including special-topics courses not listed in the permanent Course Catalog.