Russian Courses (RUSS)

Placement: See Academic Testing section of Admission chapter.

Related Catalog Entry: College of Arts and Sciences / Russian

Related Mason Website: Russian Studies (http://www.gmu.edu/departments/fld/RUSSIAN/r-studies.html)

101 Elementary Russian I (3:3:1). Designed for students with no knowledge of Russian. Introduction to Russian, including elements of grammar, vocabulary, oral skills, listening comprehension, and reading. Lab work required.

102 Elementary Russian II (3:3:1).Prerequisite: RUSS 101 or permission of department. Continuation of RUSS 101. Lab work required.

109 Intensive Elementary Russian (6:6:2). Equivalent to RUSS 101 and 102 taught in a single semester. Recommended for students who desire an intensive introduction to Russian. May not be taken for credit in combination with RUSS 101 and 102. Lab work required.

201 Intermediate Russian I (3:3:1).Prerequisite: RUSS 102, 109, appropriate placement score, or permission of department. Further development of skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. RUSS 201 and 202 must be taken in sequence. Lab work required.

202 Intermediate Russian II (3:3:1).Prerequisite: RUSS 201, appropriate placement score, or permission of department. Application of language skills to reading, composition, and discussion. Lab work required.

209 Intensive Intermediate Russian (6:6:2).Prerequisite: RUSS 102, 109, appropriate placement score, or permission of department. Equivalent to RUSS 201 and 202 taught in a single semester. May not be taken for credit in combination with RUSS 201 or 202. Lab work required.

300 Field Study in Russian Culture (1-3:0:0).Prerequisite: HIST 328 or 329, GEOG 330, RUSS 353 or 354; or permission of instructor. Two- to three-week study tour of Russia. Students must attend a series of lectures before the tour and must consult with the designated faculty member on a research project on a topic in Russian culture, resulting in a term paper or report.

302 Russian Conversation and Composition (3:3:0).Prerequisite: RUSS 202 or permission of instructor. Development of students' ability to express themselves orally on topics of current interest and everyday situations; composition provides practice in more difficult forms of expression.

303 Russian Advanced Conversation (3:3:0).Prerequisite: RUSS 202 or equivalent. Development of oral proficiency, including current Soviet expressions.

310 Readings in Russian Literature (3:3:0).Prerequisite: RUSS 202 or permission of instructor. Readings of Russian literary works in the original language with lectures, discussions, and examination in Russian. May be taken toward fulfillment of the general requirement in literature for baccalaureate degrees.

311 Contemporary Russian Short Fiction (3:3:0).Prerequisite: RUSS 202 or equivalent. Reading and discussion of recent short stories by the best-known Russian writers of today. Readings in original language, with lectures and discussion in Russian. May be taken toward fulfillment of the general requirement in literature for baccalaureate degrees.

325 Major Russian Writers (3:3:0).Prerequisite: ENGL 101 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Study of the works of major Russian writers in translation. Course work in English. Writers to be studied vary. May be taken toward fulfillment of the general requirement in literature for baccalaureate degrees.

326, 327 A Survey of Russian Literature (3:3:0), (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 60 credits or permission of instructor. RUSS 326 consists of a survey of Russian literature from its beginning to 1880. RUSS 327 consists of a survey of Russian literature of the late 19th and 20th centuries. Course work in English. May be taken toward fulfillment of the general requirement in literature for baccalaureate degrees.

353 Russian Civilization (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 60 credits or permission of instructor. Civilization and culture of Russia and the former Soviet Union. Includes films, slides, and music in addition to readings and lectures. Course work in English. May be taken toward fulfillment of the non-Western culture requirement for the B.A. degree.

354 Contemporary Post-Soviet Life (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 60 credits or permission of instructor. Social life, art, economics, education, view of life, and personal aspirations of the Russian citizen today. Course work in English. May be taken toward fulfillment of the non-Western culture requirement for the B.A. degree.

380, 381 Advanced Russian I, II (3:3:0), (3:3:0).Prerequisite: RUSS 202, 209, or equivalent. A comprehensive study of the more difficult characteristics of contemporary standard Russian in the areas of grammar, style, and vocabulary usage. Emphasis on developing fluency in oral and written expression.

401 Readings in the Social Sciences (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 15 credits of Russian or equivalent. Reading, translation, and discussion of Russian materials in fields of history, politics, geography, and sociology.

402 Scientific Russian (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 15 credits of Russian or equivalent. Reading, translation, and discussion of Russian materials in natural and physical sciences.

407 Russian Drama and Theater (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 60 credits or permission of instructor. Development of Russian theater including directing techniques in the Moscow Art Theater. Reading and discussion of major Russian plays of the 19th and 20th centuries. Course work in English; knowledge of Russian not required. May be taken toward fulfillment of the general requirement in literature for baccalaureate degrees.

410 Russian Poetry (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 15 credits of Russian or equivalent. Historical development of Russian poetry and of representative works of the major poets. Reading is in Russian. Course work in English and Russian. May be taken toward fulfillment of the general requirement in literature for baccalaureate degrees.

415 The Slavs: A Cultural Survey (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 60 credits or permission of instructor. Development of Slavic culture through the ages, with emphasis on the western (Polish, Czech) and southern (Yugoslav, Bulgarian) Slavs. Course work in English.

470 Topics in (Post) Soviet Film (3:3:0).Prerequisite: 60 credits or permission of instructor. Russian, Soviet, and post-Soviet films selected by type, period, or director with emphasis varying from year to year. Required viewings, student discussion, and written critiques. May be repeated once with permission of the department or film studies advisor.

480, 481 Fourth-Year Russian (3:3:0).Prerequisite: RUSS 380, 381, or equivalent or permission of instructor. Advanced work in major grammatical and lexical topics of Russian. Application of theoretical principles in guided written and oral exercises.

490, 491 Independent Study (1-3:0:0), (1-3:0:0).Prerequisites: Russian studies major with 90 credits and permission of instructor. Research and analysis of a selected problem in language, literature, or culture in consultation with a member of the Russian studies faculty.

499 Seminar on Russian Literary and Critical Bibliography (3:3:0).Prerequisites: Russian studies major with 90 credits and permission of instructor. Comprehensive bibliographic survey of the major primary and secondary works of Russian literature and criticism.