Upon the completion of our Russian program, students should be able:
- to communicate confidently in speaking and writing with native speakers of Russian when dealing with daily tasks and everyday situations, including non-technical discussions of home, school, work, hobbies and interests, travel, health, food, daily culture, etc.;
- to read and to understand various colloquial, literary, and journalistic texts and audio-video materials in Russian;
- to navigate and to analyze the Russian media and social media in Russian;
- to function independently in Russian-speaking environments;
- to demonstrate a broad understanding of the people, movements, and events shaping Russian cultural history;
- to demonstrate familiarity with representative works of literature, film, visual arts, and performing arts in Russian speaking cultures;
to demonstrate interpersonal and cultural competence in Russian, including as socio-historical, political, and cultural awareness.
The program's language proficiency goals:
- After 2 semesters of Russian -- Novice High-Intermediate Low
- After 4 semesters of Russian -- Intermediate Low-Intermediate Mid
- After 6 semesters of Russian -- Intermediate Mid-Intermediate High
- After 8 semesters of Russian -- Intermediate High-Advanced Low*
* Note that Intermediate High and Advanced Low (and above) language proficiency might be achieved only after spending some time in a study-abroad program in a Russian speaking country.
Grade Requirements
- A grade of B- or better is required in each course that counts toward the major.
- A grade of C or better in language courses is required to advance to the next level.
- A minimum GPA of 2.0 in departmental courses is required for graduation.
- Satisfactory/No Credit option: No course that counts toward the major can be taken on an S/NC basis.
- No informal auditing of language classes is permitted, however, students may register for the pass-fail (S/NC) option if they are not planning to use this course to fulfill Russian Major requirement.
Russian Major Advisor
Contact Dr. Thomas Dyne if you have any questions regarding Russian Major requirements at
thd29@pitt.edu
Russian Program Director
If you would like to get more information about our Russian language courses, take a placement test or a proficiency test in Russian, contact Dr. Olga Klimova at
vok1@pitt.edu