Department of Russian Studies

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Undergraduate Program

Russian Studies offers degree options as described below. All bachelor degree programs are governed by the general Requirements for Degrees set out in the university academic calendar, in addition to the departmental requirements listed below. 

For a BA with Major in Russian, at least 36 (and up to 54) credit hours beyond the 1000 level must be completed; at least 18 of these credit hours must be at the 3000 level or higher.

For a BA with Minor in Russian, students must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours above the 1000 level.

This minor is available to students registered in a 120 credit hour Bachelor of Applied Computer Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Community Design, Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Informatics, Bachelor of Management, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Science (Medical Sciences) program.

Single term courses are worth 0.5 a credit or 3 credit hours

Courses in the Russian Studies Department are open:

  • as electives in any degree program
  • as constituents of a major or honours degree in Russian
  • with classes in another discipline forming part of a combined honours degree or double major
  • as a minor

Explore degree options:

20-credit BA Major in Russian Studies

  • This is a four-year program of study.
  • If some of the specific courses listed below are not offered during that period, the Department's Undergraduate Advisor can approve another equivalent course.

Departmental requirements


1000 level

  • RUSN 1000X/Y.06
  • RUSN 1020.03
  • RUSN 1070.03

2000 level

  • RUSN 2002.03: Intermediate Russian I
  • RUSN 2051.03: Intermediate Russian II
  • 12 credit hours of any courses in Russian literature, film, history, or culture at the 2000 level

3000 level

  • RUSN 3002.03: Advanced Russian I
  • RUSN 3003.03: Advanced Russian II
  • 6 credit hours of any courses in Russian literature, film, history, or culture at the 3000 level or higher (for example, RUSN 4302 Russian Poetry or Special Topics)

4000 level

  • RUSN 4002.03: Structure of Contemp Russ. I
  • RUSN 4003.03: Structure of Contemp Russ. II

20-credit Double Major

  • This is a four-year program of study.
  • If some of the specific courses listed below are not offered during that period, the Department's Undergraduate Advisor can approve another equivalent course.

Departmental requirements


Russian Studies as first major:


1000 level

  • RUSN 1000X/Y.06
  • RUSN 1020.03
  • RUSN 1070.03

2000 level

  • RUSN 2002.03 and RUSN 2003.03 (or 2001X/Y.06)
  • Any 2 more credits (4 courses) in Russian film, literature, culture, or history above the 2000 level chosen from:

3000 level

  • RUSN 3002.03
  • RUSN 3003.03
  • One other credit (2 courses) at or above the 3000 level

4000 level

  • RUSN 4000X/Y.06

Other required classes

  • Any 0.5 credit (1 course) in Russian film, literature, culture, or history at the 3000 or above level

Russian Studies as second major:

  • A minimum of five credits with at least two of those credits being language classes on the 2000 level or above (normally 2002.03/2003.03/3002.03/3003.03 or 4000X/Y.06).
  • At least two of the five credits must be at the 3000 level or above.

For the full list of course descriptions, refer to the Academic Calendar

20-credit BA with Honours

  • This is a four-year program of study.
  • If some of the specific courses listed below are not offered during that period, the Department's Undergraduate Advisor can approve another equivalent course.

Departmental requirements


In your first year, you'll embark on Russian language study with RUSN 1000X/Y.06, which is specially designed for those with little or no previous knowledge of Russian; Russian Culture and Civilization Under the Tsars (RUSN 1020.03), which traces major developments in the Russian arts, painting, sculpture, theatre and music; and Modern Russian Culture and Civilization (RUSN 1070.03), which concentrates on the cultural and political history of Russia in the 20th century.

In your second year, you will continue Russian language study (RUSN 2002.03 and RUSN 2003.03 or 2001X/Y.06) and begin to dive into Russian Literature, with two classes conducted in English (RUSN 2051.03 and RUSN 2052.03). Five other credits at or above the 2000 level are required, opening the door to further study of Russian history, folklore, theatre and the greats of Russian literature including Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Solzhenitsyn, Turgenev and Gogol.

At the 3000 level, students are required to take two credits, one being Advanced Russian (RUSN 3002.03/RUSN 3003.03.) Students will find that many of the classes offered are now conducted in Russian. At the 4000 level, Russian language study continues with RUSN 4000X/Y.06. Students are also required to complete an honours thesis.

Departmental requirements

1000 level

  • RUSN 1000X/Y.06
  • RUSN 1020.03
  • RUSN 1070.03 2000 level
  • RUSN 2002.03 (or 2001X/Y.06)
  • RUSN 2003.03 (or 2001X/Y.06)
  • Any 6 credits in Russian film, literature, culture, or history at the 2000 or above level

3000 level

  • RUSN 3002.03 and RUSN 3003.03
  • One other credit at the 3000 level or higher

4000 level

  • RUSN 4000X/Y.06

Other required classes

  • Any 1 credit (2 courses) in Russian, film, literature, culture, or history at the 3000 level or above. This requirement is included in the number of credit hours noted above.

18-credit BA Minor in Russian Studies

  • This is a three-year program of study.
  • If some of the specific courses listed below are not offered during that period, the Department's Undergraduate Advisor can approve another equivalent course.

Departmental requirements

Students must complete three full credits above the 1000 level.

1.5 credits in Russian language, chosen from:

  • RUSN 2002.03
  • RUSN 2003.03
  • RUSN 3002.03
  • RUSN 3003.03
  • RUSN 4000.06

And:

And 3 more courses (1.5 credits) in Russian film, literature, or history above the 1000 level chosen from:

  • RUSN 2036.03
  • RUSN 2037.03
  • RUSN 2046.03
  • RUSN 2061.03
  • RUSN 2062.03
  • RUSN 2070.03
  • RUSN 2081.03
  • RUSN 2151.03
  • RUSN 2191.03
  • RUSN 2270.03
  • RUSN 2500.03
  • RUSN 2750.03
  • RUSN 2760.03
  • RUSN 3090.03
  • RUSN 3092.03
  • RUSN 3099.03
  • RUSN 3102.03
  • RUSN 3103.03
  • RUSN 3121.03
  • RUSN 3122.03
  • RUSN 3330.03
  • RUSN 3520.03
  • RUSN 3800.03
  • RUSN 3820.03

For the full list of course descriptions, refer to the Academic Calendar


Questions about degree options?

Talk to an academic advisor.