Requirements for a Major or Minor in Russian Studies


An Interdisciplinary Program

– also see Education 

– also see Global Studies 

– also see International Business

Programs offered

• Major in Russian Studies (32 credits)

• Minor in Russian Studies (20 credits)

• Major in Russian Studies with a minor in international business (see international business) (32 credits in Russian Studies)

• Major in International Business in Russian Studies (also see international business) (20 credits in Russian studies)

• Russian Studies major with a teaching license, grades K-12 (32 credits plus 36 credits in education)


The Russian studies major was established as part of Concordia’s emphasis on international education and in response to a critical national need for highly trained Russian-area specialists. The major is designed to educate students in both Russian-area studies and advanced Russian language skills. It is an interdisciplinary program, drawing from the departments of French and Russian, history, religion and English.

The Russian studies program provides learning experiences that prepare students to achieve the following outcomes:

• develop communication skills in the Russian language

• gain knowledge and understanding of Russian-speaking cultures

• make connections with other disciplines and acquire information

• develop comparisons based on insight into the nature of language and culture

• be enabled to participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world

The program sponsors several programs that involve study abroad, including RUSS 300 – May Seminar and RUSS 490 – Practicum in Russia. In addition, each summer Concordia conducts an immersion program in Russian through the Concordia Language Villages for 7- to 18-year-olds. Concordia students studying Russian have the opportunity to serve as assistant counselors, counselors and instructors.

The Russian Cultural Club, open to all students of Russian, sponsors gatherings, film presentations and conversation groups. The National Slavic Honor Society, which recognizes academic excellence and achievement in the study of Russian language and literature, is open to students who attain a required GPA in their Russian studies courses.

Liberal Arts Core Distribution World Languages Requirement

Students may satisfy this requirement by either option A or B:

A. Successful completion of RUSS 112 – Beginning Russian II or a higher-numbered course. All students who have studied Russian prior to coming to Concordia are expected to take a placement test in Russian to determine which course level is the most appropriate for each individual’s ability. If the transcript shows that the student has not previously studied Russian, the student is not required to take the placement exam and qualifies to enroll in RUSS 111 – Beginning Russian I.

B. Achieving successful scores on the oral proficiency interview and a timed essay that demonstrate that the student has mastered the content and scope of the sequence of RUSS 111 – Beginning Russian I and RUSS 112 – Beginning Russian II. Prior to taking the oral interview and writing the essay, students must first place beyond RUSS 112 – Beginning Russian II on the placement exam in Russian.

Major in Russian Studies

(no new majors as of fall 2009)

The requirements for a major in Russian studies are 32 credits:

• RUSS 112 – Beginning Russian II, 4 credits 

• RUSS 211 – Intermediate Russian I, 4 credits

• RUSS 212 – Intermediate Russian II, 4 credits

• 12 additional credits in Russian studies

• 8 credits from the following:

– ENG 380 – Special Topics, 2 to 4 credits (when designated for Russian literature)

– HIST 331 – Imperial Russia, 4 credits

– HIST 332 – Twentieth-Century Russia, 4 credits

– REL 327 – Eastern Orthodoxy: Its Origins and Russian Expressions, 4 credits

Minor in Russian Studies

(no new minors as of fall 2009)

The requirements for a minor in Russian studies are 20 credits:

• RUSS 112 – Beginning Russian II, 4 credits

• RUSS 211 – Intermediate Russian I, 4 credits

• RUSS 212 – Intermediate Russian II, 4 credits

• 8 credits from the following: 

– ENG 380 – Special Topics, 2 to 4 credits (when designated for Russian literature)

– HIST 331 – Imperial Russia, 4 credits

– HIST 332 – Twentieth-Century Russia, 4 credits

– REL 327 – Eastern Orthodoxy: Its Origins and Russian Expressions, 4 credits

– RUSS 250 – Pre-May Seminar, 2 credits

– RUSS 300 – May Seminar, 4 credits

– RUSS 341 – Russian Literature Since the 19th Century, 4 credits

Major in Russian Studies with a Minor in International Business 

(no new majors as of fall 2009)

The business requirements for a major in Russian studies with a minor in international business are listed in the international business pages of the catalog.

Major in International Business in Russian Studies

(no new majors as of fall 2009)

The business requirements for a major in international business in Russian studies are listed in the international business pages of the catalog. Qualified international business majors with sufficient Russian language skills take courses at a Russian business college and gain international business experience through a Cooperative Education internship in a Russian firm. In addition to completing required courses in business and economics, students must also complete these Russian studies requirements (20 credits):

• RUSS 111 – Beginning Russian I, 4 credits

• RUSS 112 – Beginning Russian II, 4 credits

• RUSS 211 – Intermediate Russian I, 4 credits

• RUSS 212 – Intermediate Russian II, 4 credits

• HIST 332 – Twentieth-Century Russia, 4 credits

Please consult with the program director for further details.

Licensure for Teaching Russian

Under the new Minnesota Board of Teaching rules, world languages have two licenses available, either a K-8 or a K-12 license. In order to receive departmental approval for student teaching, all candidates for K-12 or K-8 certification must pass a screening at the intermediate-high level of language proficiency as described by the Board of Teaching Standards, and a screening of geographical and cultural knowledge of the Russian-speaking world. The department strongly recommends that all students have a language-immersion experience in a Russian-speaking culture in order to increase their level of proficiency.

Russian Studies Major with a Teaching License, Grades K-12

(no new majors as of fall 2009)

The requirements for a Russian studies major with a teaching license, grades K-12, are 32 credits plus 36 credits in education:

• RUSS 112 – Beginning Russian II, 4 credits

• RUSS 211 – Intermediate Russian I, 4 credits

• RUSS 212 – Intermediate Russian II, 4 credits

• RUSS 250 – Pre-May Seminar, 2 credits

• At least 8 additional credits in Russian studies from the following:

– RUSS 300 – May Seminar, 4 credits

– RUSS 341 – Literature Since the 19th Century, 4 credits

– RUSS 480 – Independent Study, 2 to 4 credits

– RUSS 490 – Practicum, 4 credits 

RUSS 300 – May Seminar and RUSS 490 – Practicum are highly recommended from the above-listed courses.

• At least 8 credits from the following:

– ENG 380 – Special Topics, 2 to 4 credits (when designated for Russian literature)

– HIST 331 – Imperial Russia, 4 credits

– HIST 332 – Twentieth-Century Russia, 4 credits

– REL 327 – Eastern Orthodoxy: Its Origins and Russian Expressions, 4 credits

• Successful completion of the secondary/K-12 curriculum requirements. The required methods of teaching courses are:

– EDUC 362 – Secondary Methods of Teaching in World Languages, 4 credits

– EDUC 363 – FLES Methods of Teaching, 4 credits 

Note: All candidates for licensure in teaching world languages, whether K-8 or K-12, need to display the same level of language proficiency, and a student who does not seek immersion opportunities is unlikely to reach that level on the basis of a minor. Students who do not take RUSS 490 – Practicum for credit must also display the ability to apply skills developed in RUSS 250 – Pre-May Seminar that are normally assessed in RUSS 490 – Practicum.