The major consists of the elementary Russian language sequence (RUS 101, RUS 102) plus eight additional courses, including SLA 105, RUS 201, and RUS 202. The following courses are highly recommended: SLA 165, SLA 205, SLA 247, SLA 264, and SLA 307 (or alternatively, RUS 307).
The Slavic Studies major is designed to bring students to advanced-level proficiency in Russian in four years; to give students a solid foundation in Russian literature, history, and culture; to impart a deep understanding of the historical relations of Slavic peoples to one another; and to give students the opportunity to develop select disciplinary expertise in such fields as film, theater, art history, gender studies, environmental studies, economics, anthropology, linguistics, and government.
All students meet with the Department Chair upon declaring a major to design an individual program of study. Majors receive ample mentoring throughout their four years to take full advantage of study away, internship, honors study, and fellowship opportunities.
Slavic Studies majors are strongly encouraged to study away, preferably in combination with a summer internship, CISLA internship, or intensive summer language program. Generally, two to three courses taken at other institutions may be counted towards the major.
The Russian language program is designed to prepare students to communicate freely with native speakers of Russian, and to give them the necessary background for a wide range of careers or graduate study in such fields as education, linguistics, history, journalism, law, business, environmental studies, and foreign service. Language courses are conducted in Russian beginning in the first-year sequence and establish a broad range of communicative skills by the end of the second year. The Advanced Russian sequence is a series of content courses in Russian on select topics, including film, history, and contemporary Russian culture.
The Department promotes learning outside of the classroom through our partnership with the Regional Multicultural Magnet School in downtown New London, language lunches, trips to cultural events in neighboring cities, and faculty-led travel abroad programs.