The academic program at the School in Russia strives to take advantage of the local university environment and facilities, with minimal "Americanization" of the educational process. Although most courses are taught specially for the School in Russia students, they are taught exclusively in Russian and according to local teaching styles and practices. Students with sufficient skills in Russian may also enroll in regular university classes with Russian students for more thorough immersion in the language and culture. For university information and specific course offerings:
Irkutsk | Moscow | Yaroslavl
During their first semester at the School in Russia, participants take five courses. For most students, this consists of:
Advanced Russian GrammarSpeech PracticePhoneticsRussian Culture & CivilizationChoice of one спецкурс in Literature, History or Politics All courses are taught in Russian and are exclusive to School in Russia participants. Instructors are selected from various departments of the host university. For language courses, students are divided into language level groups based on the results of a language placement test given prior to arrival in Russia, and on the results of interviews and testing on site. Culture & Civilization and спецкурсы are not divided according to language level, but are taught to the group as a whole. Each class meets for two пары (four academic hours) per week and includes written and oral graded exercises.
Following successful completion of these courses in the first semester, full-year participants are given the option of taking more specialized language courses in the spring. These can include, but are not limited to, courses in:
Russian Composition - Stylistics and SyntaxStylistic Analysis of Journalistic WritingIntroduction to Text Translation Precise course options do vary from site to site. Course descriptions from the previous semester may be viewed under each host university heading. Depending on the language and area studies background of each group of students however, course content may be adjusted in future semesters.
Direct Enrollment ("Mainstream") Options
Middlebury Students: Full-time Middlebury students who have completed third-year Russian are required to enroll in at least one mainstream course during their first semester in Russia. Full-year students must take two mainstream courses in the spring semester. These courses are selected from the offerings of the regular departments of the host university, in place of one or more of the standard School in Russia classes. Students select mainstream courses in consultation with host university instructors and the School in Russia on-site Resident Coordinator.
Students from other colleges and universities: Students from other colleges and universities who demonstrate advanced ability in Russian and/or specific preparation in the appropriate fields(s) are also strongly encouraged to enroll in regular university courses during their first semester at the School in Russia. Full-year students are required to take at least one regular university course during the spring semester and are strongly encouraged to substitute more than one regular university course for language classes, as full-time Middlebury students will do.
Credit for mainstream classes is granted through the Russian Department of Middlebury College. The School in Russia will assist students in obtaining necessary course descriptions and syllabi for mainstream courses, but does not guarantee departmental/major credit from other departments, for any mainstream classes pursued in Russia.
Students interested in mainstream classes should note that not all School in Russia host universities have the same number and variety of departments. Site choices should be made by paying careful attention to the particular факультеты an кафедры available at each university.
Middlebury Language Pledge
Key to a student's success at the School in Russia is the Language Pledge. Students are encouraged and expected to speak Russian during all regular interaction with faculty, staff, host families and each other. Although this prospect can seem daunting at first, the benefits of following it are simply outstanding – as our participants continue to prove year after year.
Internship
Through an internship in a host organization, students will gain more in-depth experience and exposure to the host culture as well as the local work environment. This experience will also provide students with new knowledge and skills which can lead to greater career, graduate school, and other opportunities in the future. Students should notify the Office of Off-Campus Studies of their intention to apply for an internship by May 15.
Grades, Credit Transfer
Grades are awarded by the Director of the program, based on the recommendation of the instructors of the School in Russia. Students are graded on the Russian scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the equivalent of an American "A". Final grades are listed on the Middlebury transcript in their American letter form.
Middlebury College students receive four units of credit for a single semester of study in Russia and nine units for the academic year. Students who transfer their credits to other institutions typically receive 15-16 credit hours or 20-25 quarter units for five courses per semester. The awarding of transfer credit is the responsibility of the student's home institution.
Language Requirement
Completion of a minimum of four semesters of college-level Russian reaching a level equivalent to Middlebury College's RUSS 0202.
For further information or an application, please contact the Middlebury College Office of Off-Campus Study at (802) 443-5745 or by e-mail at schoolsabroad@middlebury.edu