PROGRAM IN RUSSIAN STUDIES
429 Murray Krieger
Hall; (949) 824-3961
Lora Mjolsness, Director
Faculty
Michael A. Green, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Professor Emeritus of Russian (eighteenth-century Russian theatre and literary theory, Pushkin, Chekhov, Kuzmin, Russian Symbolist theater, cabaret theatre, Russian literature and theater of the 1920s)
Victorina Lefebvre, Ph.D. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lecturer in Russian (methods of teaching, comparative study of Soviet and American culture, Russian language and literature)
Lynn Mally, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor of History (modern Russian and Soviet history)
Lora Mjolsness, Ph.D. University of Southern California, Director of the Program in Russian Studies and Lecturer in Russian (nineteenth- and twentieth-century and contemporary children's literature; Soviet and Russian animation; Russian folklore)
Spanning both Europe and Asia, Russia is one of the world's dominant political entities. Its rich cultural traditions have enhanced world literature, theater, art, and dance. As the world's first socialist state, it became a major political rival of the United States after the Second World War. In the past decade, Russians have abandoned their socialist system and are now in the process of making a rocky transition to capitalism. Although Russia lost sizeable amounts of territory in this transition, the Russian language now serves as the lingua franca throughout many areas formerly controlled by the Soviet Union.
While the demand for specialists in various sectors of government has eased, relationships between our countries at other levels of society are growing more active and business opportunities are exciting and rewarding. Other areas in which the need for Russian language competence is evident right now include trade, environmental protection, social services, law, medicine, and technology.
All students in Russian language courses are encouraged to take part in the UC Education Abroad Program and spend a portion of their junior or senior year studying in Russia. Additional information is available in the Study Abroad Center section of this Catalogue.
The Russian Studies minor is a multidisciplinary curriculum combining the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Social Ecology. It is designed to introduce students to the rich history and culture of Russia and provide them with the intellectual and linguistic tools necessary for sustained engagement with this area of the world.
Language Other Than English Placement and Progression: See page 253.
Russian 1A-B-C, 2A-B-C, 50 (three different topics); 16 units of upper-division courses selected from the following: Russian 140, 150, 190, 199, appropriate Comparative Literature courses, History 124A, 124B, 190 (when topics are related to Russia), Political Science 152D, 159 (when topics are related to Russia), Anthropology 136D, 164P (same as Political Science 154F). A maximum of four units may be chosen from the following courses devoted in part to Russian themes: History 114, 126A, 126B, 126C, 158A, Political Science 142D, 142F, 143E, and Social Ecology E113 (same as International Studies 121).
Residence Requirement for the Minor: At least four upper-division courses required for the minor must be completed successfully at UCI. By petition, two of the four may be taken through the UC Education Abroad Program, provided course content is approved in advance by the appropriate department chair.
(Schedule of Classes designation: Russian)
LOWER-DIVISION
1A-B-C Fundamentals of Russian (5-5-5) F, W, S. Focuses on reading, comprehension, basic composition, and conversation skills, and gives the student an initial exposure to the Russian cultural scene. Prerequisite for 1B: Russian 1A with a grade or C or better, or equivalent; for 1C: Russian 1B with a grade of C or better, or equivalent. (1C: VI)
2A-B-C Intermediate Russian (5-5-5) F, W, S. Students read simple passages from contemporary Russian literary texts and newspapers. Development of oral skills and exposure to Russian culture continue. Prerequisite for 2A: Russian 1C with a grade of C or better, or three years of high school Russian, or equivalent; for 2B: Russian 2A with a grade of C or better, or equivalent; for 2C: Russian 2B with a grade of C or better, or equivalent. (VIII)
50 Russian Culture (4) F, W, S. Study of varied topics in Russian culture, area studies, and society, both in the present and in historical perspective. Topics are not normally repeated for a two-year period. May be taken four times for credit as topics vary. (IV, VIII)
97 Fundamentals of Russian (with Emphasis on Reading) (4). Designed primarily for students interested in acquiring a solid reading knowledge of Russian, and to facilitate the understanding and translating of Russian texts dealing with a variety of disciplines. Not open to Russian Studies minors. Does not serve as prerequisite for any higher-level Russian courses or fulfill any undergraduate foreign language requirement.
99 Special Studies Russian (1 to 5). Prerequisite: consultation with instructor necessary prior to enrollment.
UPPER-DIVISION
140 Topics in Russian Literary Theory (4). Examines the work of individual theorists and schools of literary theory in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (VIII)
150 Topics in Russian Literature (4) F, W, S. Examines major themes in Russian literature, film, and other media from the eighteenth to twenty-first centuries. Taught in English. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (VIII)
190 Russian Language Through Film (4). Uses Russian films of the late twentieth century to enhance students' language skills and deepen their cultural knowledge. Work involves intensive conversation, reading and listening comprehension, and the acquisition of written skills and grammatical accuracy. Conducted primarily in Russian. Prerequisite: Russian 2C or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (VIII)
198 Directed Group Study (4) F, W, S. Group independent study under direct faculty supervision. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be taken two times for credit.
199 Independent Study (1 to 4) F, W, S. Independent study under direct faculty supervision. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. May be taken two times for credit.