General provisions

The course is part of the MA in Russian and Eurasian Studies.

Entry requirements

Russian: An Introductory Course, 15hp.

Learning outcomes

The primary aim of the course is language proficiency training and further development of basic knowledge of grammatical structures, as well as broadening of vocabulary related to the subject area of the programme. By proficiency it is meant reading comprehension and a basic ability to express oneself in Russian both orally, and in writing. The purpose of the course is to build a stable foundation for the practical use of the Russian language within the subject area covered by the programme.    

Upon completing the course, students will be able to:

• demonstrate a good understanding of the basic Russian grammar in level-appropriate texts related to the field of Russian and Eurasian studies
• identify and analyse the grammatical structures in a short real-world example text
• translate level-appropriate texts from Russian to English
• show that they have acquired an active vocabulary suitable for basic oral and written communication related to the students' interests and field of study
• understand and be able to extract relevant information from level-appropriate oral sources relevant to the students' specific field of study and interests
• demonstrate a critical approach to sources of information
• summarise in English the content of written and oral sources in Russian.

Content

The course component focuses on deepening understanding of Russian grammar for reading and analysis of texts in Russian. Furthermore, oral communication skills will be trained through exercises using media sources, which will also be discussed critically.

Instruction

Instruction is normally given in the form of seminars and group instruction, with the working languages being English and Russian. Students are expected to regularly interact with the university learning platform, where information and course materials can be found, and where course assignments are submitted. Active participation in seminars in combination with self-study is a requirement for successful achievement of the course learning outcomes.

Assessment

The course is assessed using written testing and a final oral examination.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.