Russian Courses (Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures) (RUSS)

RUSS Courses

This is a list of courses with the subject code RUSS. For more information, see Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) in the catalog.

RUSS:1000 First-Year Seminar 1 s.h.

Small discussion class taught by a faculty member; topics chosen by instructor; may include outside activities (e.g., films, lectures, performances, readings, visits to research facilities). Taught in English. Requirements: first- or second-semester standing.

RUSS:1082 Youth Subcultures After Socialism 3 s.h.

Examination of youth subculture (i.e., distinct style and identity, beliefs, value system, fashion and favorite music) on the territory of post-communist Europe and its relations with the mainstream culture; how young people of Russia express their individuality after years of dullness and monotony. GE: Values and Culture.

RUSS:1111 First-Year Russian I 5 s.h.

Basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing Russian; fundamentals of Russian grammar. GE: World Languages First Level Proficiency.

RUSS:1112 First-Year Russian II 5 s.h.

Continuation of RUSS:1111. Requirements: RUSS:1111. GE: World Languages Second Level Proficiency.

RUSS:1131 Introduction to Russian Culture 3 s.h.

Development of cultural history in Russia during the Romanov period (1613-1917); painting, music, architecture, and literature viewed against their political, historical, and social settings. Taught in English. GE: Values and Culture. Same as WLLC:1131.

RUSS:1132 Russia Today 3 s.h.

Contemporary Russia, with focus on prevailing social, political, economic, ethnic, environmental conditions; attention to historical evolution of problems, current factors; what these factors might portend for the future. Taught in English. GE: International and Global Issues; Values and Culture.

RUSS:1500 Ukraine, a Country at the Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Seminar on Ukrainian History and Culture 3 s.h.

Cultural specificity of Ukraine as a large multicultural European country; vital background information for analysis of present-day political events; strategic location between East and West; centuries-long history and culture; all readings in English, no knowledge of Russian or Ukrainian required. Taught in English.

RUSS:1531 Slavic Folklore 3 s.h.

Introduction to culture, history, and art of eastern European peoples; pagan, dualistic, and animistic beliefs and their coexistence with Christian faith in eastern Europe. GE: Historical Perspectives; Values and Culture.

RUSS:1532 Traces of Ancient Russian Culture (IX-XVII Centuries): Vikings, Mongols, and Tsars 3 s.h.

Early and medieval Slavic history, with focus on Russian art, literature, and religion from 10th through 17th century. Taught in English. GE: Historical Perspectives; Values and Culture.

RUSS:2001 Global Science Fiction 3 s.h.

Science fiction from around the world; spanning poetry, fiction, drama, film, television, comics, mobile phone games, and music; produced on six continents. Taught in English. GE: Diversity and Inclusion. Same as ASIA:2001, FREN:2010, TRNS:2001, WLLC:2001.

RUSS:2050 Women from an Unknown Land: The Fight for Independence 3 s.h.

Exploration of past and current issues related to the Caucasus—a mountainous region located where Europe, the Middle East, and Asia meet—forming a geographical and cultural crossroad; topics include those related to women's rights, causes of poverty and ethnic conflicts, and foreign policy including terrorism in the region, the fight for freedom, and the struggle over natural resources. Taught in English. GE: International and Global Issues. Same as WLLC:2050.

RUSS:2100 Russian Mindset: Sex, Business, and Politics 3 s.h.

Deeper insight of Russian mentality through philosophical, historical, cultural, and practical developments that have shaped Russian behavior and thought. GE: Values and Culture.

RUSS:2110 Russian Sports: Politics, Scandal, Glory 3 s.h.

Overview of Russian sports from its beginnings in Slavic tribes through the importance of sports as a political tool during Soviet time to the scandals and glory of modern days; focus on the strong cultural background and rigorous traditions that form the powerhouse known as Russian sports; includes Russian sport celebrities of past and present. Taught in English.

RUSS:2111 Second-Year Russian I 4 s.h.

Transition to upper-level study through oral practice, grammar exercises, tapes, videos, readings from the Russian press. Requirements: RUSS:1112. GE: World Languages Third Level Proficiency.

RUSS:2112 Second-Year Russian II 4 s.h.

Continuation of RUSS:2111. Requirements: RUSS:2111. GE: World Languages Fourth Level Proficiency.

RUSS:3111 Third-Year Russian I 4 s.h.

Advanced Russian grammar, reading, conversation, and written skills through oral reports, compositions, conversation. Requirements: RUSS:2112.

RUSS:3112 Third-Year Russian II 4 s.h.

Advanced Russian grammar, reading, conversation, and written skills through oral reports, compositions, conversation. Requirements: RUSS:3111.

RUSS:3113 Russian Composition and Conversation 4 s.h.

Russian oral and aural skills developed through idiomatic usage, stylistics, phonetics, intonation, grammar review; supplemented by short stories, newspaper texts. Taught in Russian. Requirements: RUSS:1112.

RUSS:3122 Tolstoy and Dostoevsky 3-4 s.h.

Tolstoy's War and Peace and Anna Karenina; Dostoevsky's Crime and PunishmentThe Demons, and short stories. Taught in English. Same as TRNS:3122, WLLC:3122.

RUSS:3202 Russian Literature in Translation 1860-1917 3 s.h.

Survey of major works, figures, and trends of 19th- and early 20th-century Russian literature; age of the Russian novel; works of Turgenev (Fathers and Sons), Tolstoy (Confession), Dostoevsky (The IdiotThe Brothers Karamazov), and Chekhov (plays). Taught in English. Same as HIST:3492, TRNS:3203, WLLC:3202.

RUSS:3494 The Russian Revolutions and Their Legacies 3 s.h.

The Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917 unquestionably changed the fabric of Russian political and social life, transforming Russia from an autocratic imperial power to the first self-proclaimed socialist federation in Europe; students explore sources, nature, and consequences of the revolutions by intensively analyzing politics, society, and culture in late imperial and Bolshevik Russia; students review events and revolutionary movements of late 19th century, changes in political practices extending from late tsarist period, and development of Leninist and Stalinist ideology after the revolutions. Same as HIST:3494.

RUSS:3990 Special Readings arr.

Russian-language materials determined by student and instructor. Requirements: 16 s.h. of Russian language instruction.

RUSS:4111 Fourth-Year Russian I 4 s.h.

Perfecting spoken Russian and aural comprehension of native speech. Taught in Russian. Requirements: RUSS:3112 or three years of college-level Russian.

RUSS:4112 Fourth-Year Russian II 4 s.h.

Perfecting spoken Russian and aural comprehension of native speech. Taught in Russian. Requirements: RUSS:4111 or three years of college-level Russian.

RUSS:4990 Independent Research arr.

Directed study.

RUSS:4995 Honors arr.

Honors project with a faculty member.