General provisions

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

Entry requirements

Russian in professional contexts: introduction, 15 credits.

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 an 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
• be able to use in relation to the introductory course expanded vocabulary related to the subject area covered by the programme and be able to reason analytically about this vocabulary
• understand and be able to extract relevant information from texts at the appropriate language knowledge level, preferably in areas related to Russian and Eurasian studies
• understand and be able to extract relevant information from oral presentations delivered in clear standard Russian preferably in areas related to the Russian and Eurasian studies
• be able to in oral Russian present authentic Russian-language texts to others and take an active part in discussions of such presentations
• be able to translate level-appropriate texts relevant for the master programme's field of study from Russian to English and back again
• demonstrate a source-critical approach.

Content

The course focuses on reading and analysis of authentic Russian texts related to the field of Russian and Eurasian Studies as well as oral communicative exercises.

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.