Academic Program: Eight-Week Session

Students who have previously studied Russian take placement tests on arrival to determine their level and appropriate placement in the Russian School program. By enrolling, students agree to accept the placement decisions of the School administration. All students take exit tests to measure their progress. Classes normally meet four hours per day, five days per week, for a total of 160 contact hours. Daily work outside of class usually requires four to eight hours, and students are encouraged to spend four to five hours per week in cocurricular activities of their choice. Middlebury College awards four units of undergraduate academic credit for successful completion of the eight-week program. (One unit equals three semester hours of credit.)

All courses in the eight-week program provide proficiency-oriented instruction in listening, reading, speaking, writing, and grammar, with an emphasis on contemporary Russian culture in its historical context. Classroom activities emphasize careful pronunciation. All language skill levels are determined on an advisory basis in accordance with the proficiency guidelines of the American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Note to Level 1 (Introductory Russian) Applicants:

In order to help beginning students adapt to the intensive environment at Middlebury and be better prepared for the Language Pledge, Level 1 Russian will start online approximately one month before students arrive in Middlebury. Participation in the pre-arrival program, which will include two group webinars and online exercises focused on alphabet learning and survival Russian phrases, is mandatory for Level 1 students. That is, students who apply to Level 1 Russian and enroll agree to complete all of the online exercises prior to their arrival at Middlebury as an academic requirement of the 8-week program. The two group webinars will take place in June 2013; dates and times will be announced in the spring.