Academic Year in Russia Courses

Review graduate courses for the School of Russian academic year in Russia.

The graduate curriculum at RGGU is composed of the following:

  • Middlebury спецкурсы, which are taught only to School in Russia graduate students
  • Mainstream courses taken with Russian students in the regular university departments
  • An original, independent research project in addition to class work

A normal graduate student course load in a single semester is three classes of one credit each. At least half of these credits must be earned in mainstream courses, and students may earn no more than six total credits toward their degree while in Russia. The independent research project is not credited as a fourth class each semester, but is expected to require the equivalent time commitment of a regular course.

Middlebury спецкурсы

Two спецкурсы are taught exclusively to Middlebury graduate students each semester, assuming a minimum enrollment of two students in each class. Fall semester courses are offered in Russian Literature and Russian History, while spring semester classes focus on Russian Politics and Russian Culture. Exact course offerings are determined each semester in consultation with RGGU and with the Director of the School in Russia. Past courses include such topics as Silver Age Literature, Contemporary Russian Political Parties, Russian Popular Culture, and 19th Century Russian Literature.

Mainstream Courses

Middlebury students attend mainstream classes in all of RGGU’s regular departments, with the exception of the Department of Information Protection (Зашита Информации), which is closed to foreigners. To qualify for credit toward the Middlebury degree, mainstream classes must be classifiable as Russian Area Studies Courses with 50% or more Russian content.

Due to the structure of the Russian higher educational system, mainstream classes cannot be selected before the semester begins. Formal class registration takes place at the end of the first month of the term.

Research Project

An essential part of the program in Russia is the research for, and early-stage writing of, a major research project. This project is completed during the final summer at Middlebury and qualifies the candidate for the MA degree.

The research paper is written in Russian and must be 25-40 pages long, not including the bibliography and endnotes. Topics are chosen in consultation with the director of the School in Russia and with the assistance of advisors from RGGU. A “Guide to the Research Project” is distributed to students during the Moscow orientation, but students should discuss potential topics with the School in Russia director during the summer program.

Sample Topics from Previous Participants

  • Роль советского спецназа в партизанском движении времен Великой Отечественной Войны
  • Сквозные мотивы в работе А.В. Вампилова
  • Типы реминисценций в лирике Каролины Павловой
  • Совет по развитию предпринимательства при Мэрии г. Новосибирск: его влияние на муниципальное регулирование бизнеса 1996-2000г.

Sample Courses

The following list is representative of the courses that Middlebury graduate students have taken at the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow in recent years. Some may not be offered every year.

Middlebury Courses (“spetskursy”)

  • Literature
  • Works of Chekhov
  • Russian Literature, 1920–30s
  • Silver Age Literature
  • History/Politics
  • Russian History to 1700
  • 19th-Century Russian History
  • History of Russia, 15th–18th Centuries
  • Communicative History of Russia
  • Culture/Civilization
  • Russian Cultural History, 20th Century
  • Russian Mass (Pop) Culture

Mainstream Classes

  • Literature
  • Silver Age Literature
  • History of Russian Literature 1870–1890
  • Russian Folklore
  • Theory and History of Russian Verse
  • Russian Émigré Literature
  • History/Politics
  • History of the USSR & Russian Federation
  • Political History 10th C-1800
  • Russian Political History, 1861–1991
  • 20th-Century Russian History
  • History of Moscow
  • Russian Political Culture
  • Political Management
  • Russian Civil Law
  • Regional History of Russia
  • Economic History of Russia
  • Culture/Civilization
  • History of Russian Film
  • Russian Art History, 1000–1700
  • Russian Film 1930–WWII
  • Russian Film 1970–present
  • History of Russian Culture
  • History of Russian Philosophy
  • History of Russian Psychology