The Study of Russian
WHY LEARN TO SPEAK RUSSIAN?
Russian is the fourth most widely spoken language on Earth and second only to English as a language of science.
Russian is accepted as a prime research tool in most graduate fields.
Russia is a new frontier for international business, law, and for studies in politics, economics, sociology, and history.
Russia continues to play a critical role in international relations.
Russian retains many features of Indo-European making it an ideal language for students interested in linguistics.
A knowledge of Russian opens the astonishing and delightful world of Russian literature.
A major in Russian suggests to prospective employers that you are well-read, can communicate well, and have an informed view of world events.
RUSSIAN AT BYU
Classes
Most classes are taught in Russian. You will be speaking Russian from day 1.
Language classes are kept small (15-25 students).
The program covers all aspects of the Russian language, literature, and culture.
Students
Many students are returned missionaries and volunteers from Russian-speaking countries.
Most live in Russia as part of their program for language or culture study or as part of their internship experience.
Many choose to live in a Russian house that is supervised by a native Russian speaker senior resident.
Students can participate in the Russian Club, the Russian Choir, and can tutor beginners.
Part-time jobs as graders, teaching/research assistants, part-time secretary, or librarian are available.
3rd-year majors are encouraged to apply for full and ½ tuition Chapple and Browning Scholarships.
Faculty
All full-time professors of Russian hold either the Ph.D. or Doktorat. All have studied extensively in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
All regard quality teaching as their first professional responsibility.
Faculty are dedicated researchers in their fields within Russian: language learning, linguistics, culture, and literature.
Facilities
Students have free access to cutting-edge language lab facilities in the Humanities Learning Resource Center (HLRC).
In addition to a large collection of Russian materials on digital carriers, the HLRC provides access to online Russian media on and off-campus.
Most classrooms are “tech rooms” housing audio-visual devices and computers with internet access.