Russia

STUDY ABROAD IN EUROPE: RUSSIA

Program: Middlebury Irkutsk Center and Irkutsk State University / Middlebury College
Location: Irkutsk, Russia

Is this Program Right for You? The Middlebury School in Russia offers students to study in a country which is undergoing unprecedented economic and political transformations. Geographically, the Russian Federation stretches nearly halfway across the globe, spanning 11 time zones and many different climates. The population includes over 80 ethnic groups.

The Middlebury program is designed to immerse every student as completely as possible in both the language and the culture of Russia. The students will take classes in the center with all course work taught in Russian. The program strongly encourages students to become a part of their local communities and actively participate in a variety of co-curricular activities in which they have an interest. Because the experience of a full academic year abroad is greater — linguistically, culturally, and academically — than the experience gained during a shorter period, Middlebury College strongly recommends that undergraduates enroll for the full year whenever possible.

In order to take full advantage of their semester or year abroad, students are asked to adhere to the spirit of the Language Pledge. This pledge is a commitment to use Russian at all times. All students are strongly encouraged to spend a summer at a Middlebury College Language School before embarking on a semester or a year abroad. Students have found that this gives them the skills and confidence they need to live more independently in the host country and to enter more easily into co-curricular activities that bring them into direct contact with people in the host country.

The Courses/Program: Students take all courses in Russian either at the Middlebury College Language School. The normal academic program consists of a core of three or four courses in Russian civilization, culture, and language. In addition, students select an additional course from a list of spetskursy: content seminars covering a variety of subjects often relating to the local region. Classes are small, usually with three to five students. They sometimes include parallel readings, special projects, and/or excursions. Qualified students with advanced language skills are strongly encouraged to take classes in the Russian university where they can study biology, geography, geology, history, and mathematics.

Housing: Students live with host families in which they are given two meals a day on weekdays and three on weekends.

Duration/Deadlines:
• Fall Semester: early September – mid-December / Application Deadline: March 15th
• Spring Semester: mid-January – late May / Application Deadline: October 1st

Requirements: 3.0 GPA
• Must enroll in Russian course the semester prior to entering program or attend summer Language School
• At least 4 semesters of Russian or equivalent; 3 years experience recommended
• B average in Russian language courses and B average in major

Program Cost includes: Tuition, housing is billed separately to individual students directly by Middlebury College. For more information: www.middlebury.edu. Catalogues are available in ISAP’s Resource Rooms. Please note: The information on this sheet is for reference purposes only. It is your responsibility to confirm details and deadlines.

Program: Middlebury Moscow Center and Russian State University for the Humanities
/ Middlebury College
Location: Moscow, Russia

Is this Program Right for You? The Middlebury School in Russia offers students to study in a country which is undergoing unprecedented economic and political transformations. Geographically, the Russian Federation stretches nearly halfway across the globe, spanning 11 time zones and many different climates. The population includes over 80 ethnic groups.

The Middlebury program is designed to immerse every student as completely as possible in both the language and the culture of Russia. The students will take classes in the center with all course work taught in Russian. The program strongly encourages students to become a part of their local communities and actively participate in a variety of co-curricular activities in which they have an interest. Because the experience of a full academic year abroad is greater — linguistically, culturally, and academically — than the experience gained during a shorter period, Middlebury College strongly recommends that undergraduates enroll for the full year whenever possible.

In order to take full advantage of their semester or year abroad, students are asked to adhere to the spirit of the Language Pledge. This pledge is a commitment to use Russian at all times. All students are strongly encouraged to spend a summer at a Middlebury College Language School before embarking on a semester or a year abroad. Students have found that this gives them the skills and confidence they need to live more independently in the host country and to enter more easily into co-curricular activities that bring them into direct contact with people in the host country.

The Courses/Program: Students take all courses in Russian either at the Middlebury College Language School. The normal academic program consists of a core of three or four courses in Russian civilization, culture, and language. In addition, students select an additional course from a list of spetskursy: content seminars coveringa variety of subjects often relating to the local region. Classes are small, usually with three to five students. They sometimes include parallel readings, special projects, and/or excursions. Qualified students with advanced language skills are strongly encouraged to take classes in the Russian university where they can study biology, geography, geology, history, and mathematics.

Housing: Students live with host families in which they are given two meals a day on weekdays and three on weekends.

Duration/Deadlines:
• Fall Semester: early September – mid-December / Application Deadline: March 15th
• Spring Semester: mid-January – late May / Application Deadline: October 1st

Requirements: 3.0 GPA
• Must enroll in Russian course the semester prior to entering program or attend summer Language School
• At least 4 semesters of Russian or equivalent; 3 years experience recommended
• B average in Russian language courses and B average in major

Program Cost includes: Tuition, housing is billed separately to individual students directly by Middlebury College. For more information: www.middlebury.edu. Catalogues are available in ISAP’s Resource Rooms. Please note: The information on this sheet is for reference purposes only. It is your responsibility to confirm details and deadlines.

Program: St. Petersburg State University / CIEE
Location: St. Petersburg, Russia

Is This Program Right For You? This program is designed for students with two years of college-level Russian who wish to improve their proficiency with the Russian language. This is an intensive program that focuses on all language skills.

The goal of the program is to offer intermediate and advanced students of Russian a well-balanced program of language study in an immersion setting. This is achieved by combining intensive language courses with an enriching cultural program of lectures and local excursions in and around one of the world's most culturally and historically interesting cities. Students are encouraged to further immerse themselves in Russian cultural and social life by living with a Russian host family and by participating in various volunteer activities in St. Petersburg.

Founded in the 18th century, St. Petersburg State University is one of Russia's leading institutions of higher learning. The University's 16 departments provide instruction for more than 20,000 students from the former Soviet republics and around the world. CIEE has maintained its close relationship with this world-class institution since the Summer Russian Language Program began there in 1967. The semester Russian Language Program was established in 1970. CIEE program participants receive instruction through the Center for Russian Language and Culture, which administers Russian language programs for all foreign students at St. Petersburg State University.

The Courses/Program: The Russian Language Program (RLP-I) is offered in both fall and spring semesters and includes 14 weeks of language study at St. Petersburg State University, field trips to other Russian cities, and a free week. Students interested in an academic year program may continue their Russian language studies at a more advanced level in the spring by combining the fall semester RLP-I with the spring RLP-II. During the spring semester, students with five semesters of college-level Russian can participate in RLP-II. The curriculum for RLP-I includes courses in grammar, phonetics, conversation, and analytical readings. In addition, students take a cultural component comprised of lectures on Russian literature and area studies as well as local excursions. Students also view Russian feature films once a week. Students who attend (or who choose to continue for) the spring RLP-II take advanced sections of grammar and conversation, translation, and one course in analytical readings.

All courses are taught in Russian. For all courses, students are grouped by language level based on the results of an on-site placement testing and Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Class size ranges from 7 to 10 students for core language and analytical reading courses, with larger groups of 10-15 for literature and area studies lectures. Students attend classes five days a week, with one afternoon reserved for cultural excursions and one afternoon free each week. Classes are 90 minutes in length and begin at 9:30 a.m. daily. Grammar and conversation courses meet three times a week; phonetics and analytical reading courses meet twice each week; the "Language in its Russian Context" lecture series is comprised of one literature and one area studies lecture weekly. Attendance is mandatory for all classes.

Housing: Housing and meals are included in the program fee. Participants have their own room with a Russian family in a private home, or share a room in a university dormitory for foreigners. Dormitory students receive a monthly food stipend, except for the first week of the program, when all meals are provided. For homestay students, two meals daily are included with the family (three on weekends). Lunch stipends are provided for weekday lunches.

Duration/Deadlines:
• Fall Semester (16 weeks): late August – mid December / Application Deadline: April 1st
• Spring Semester (16 weeks): late January – mid May / Application Deadline: November 1st
• Academic Year (32 weeks): late August – mid May / Application Deadline: April 1st

Requirements: (Language of instruction is Russian)
• 3.0 GPA
• RLP-I /Academic Year: 4 semesters of college-level Russian or equivalent; Recommended Oral Proficiency Interview score of Intermediate Low
• RLP-II (spring only): 5 semesters of college-level Russian or equivalent; Recommended Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) score of Intermediate Mid

Program Cost Includes: Tuition, housing and some meals, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, field trips, pre-departure advising, and insurance. Visa not included. For more information: www.ciee.org Catalogues are available in ISAP’s Resource Rooms. Please note: The information on this sheet is for reference purposes only. It is your responsibility to confirm details and deadlines.