Overview

The Vanderbilt University's Russian Program aims to provide students the fluency in reading, speaking, and writing Russian required to go on to advanced degree study or careers in government, public, and corporate professions. Both the major and minor in Russian are designed to be flexible.  A small program assures close advising and mentoring of undergraduate majors and students. Study of Russian language occurs together with  study of culture, including courses in literature, cultural studies, film, history, and political science. Our program encourages students to study abroad in Russia as their Vanderbilt Immersion Project. Students may also couple their Russian language study with a joint major program in European Studies (see EUS).

Key facts:

• Undergraduate research is possible through independent study courses with individual faculty and, depending on language requirements, as assistants in faculty research. Honors options are available through related disciplines like English, History, Political Science, or Art History. The department is creating a new honors option this year. Kristin Rose (2015) received High Honors in English for her honors thesis entitled “Locating the Russian Hero: Genre, Gender, and National Identity in Mikhail Lermontov’s A Hero of Our Time.” 
• Students are encouraged to study abroad in Russia.  Options include summer-, semester- and year-long programs in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other cities of the Russian Federation. Vanderbilt also sponsors study abroad programs in Eastern Europe. Students study language at varying levels of fluency and live and learn in that language. Students also study history, politics, economics, culture, and other subjects.