Russian and Slavic Studies
Learning Services Building 305
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Student Learning Outcomes for the Undergraduate Russian Major

 

 

  1. Content
    1. Be familiar with the major Russian literary movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Identify major authors, themes, genres within these movements.
    2. Explain the gist of the views of a representative number of historically important Russian writers as expressed in their work.
    3. Utilize basic literary vocabulary, distinctions, and concepts.
    4. Display a basic understanding of the chronology of Russian cultural history (major political, social, cultural, literary events).
    5. Identify and discuss some major social and political issues concerning Russia in the world today.

 

  1. Language and Cultural Proficiency
    1. Demonstrate emerging knowledge of systematic (linguistic) rules through speaking and writing Russian. Be able to explain the reasons for linguistic choices.
    2. Undergraduate majors are expected to attain intermediate proficiency at all four levels (or Basic Level Proficiency of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation (i.e. students must be able to narrate in all tenses and communicate with native speakers (not accustomed to dealing with foreigners) on such topics as the self, family, education, and environment.  in all skill areas of the Russian language.
    3. Read and understand the gist of Russian texts in the original using various reading strategies.
    4. Explain how specific historical and cultural contexts shape perceptions, practices, and products of individuals, e.g. literary texts (also a Critical Thinking outcome)
    5. Negotiate typical survival situations in Russian.
    6. Write a summary in Russian of a short story or film.
    7. Develop and utilize appropriate strategies for enhancing and deepening aesthetic appreciation of literary texts and cultural monuments.

 

 

  1. Critical Thinking Outcomes
    1. Question how the larger context shapes individual expression in the present and the past.
    2. Read texts actively rather than passively (i.e. question, disagree, debate, integrate with prior knowledge).

 

  1. Writing/Discussing Outcomes
    1. Write a persuasive paper on a cultural/literary text; defend your thesis by a close reading of the text.
    2. Write a persuasive paper on a cultural/literary topic; defend your thesis with the use of secondary sources.
    3. Employ MLA citation style properly; document sources ethically.

 

  1. Professional Outcomes
    1. Be able to name career or advanced training opportunities for students of Russian/East European languages.
    2. Be able to access such information.

 

  1. Library/Research Outcomes
    1. Be acquainted with the range of relevant materials (print and electronic), services (ILL, reference), people (subject specialists) and locations at UA libraries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Learning Outcomes for the Russian MA

 

  1. Content
    1. Distinguish the major Russian literary movements of the 19th and 20th centuries from each other by identifying major authors, themes, genres, style and values expressed in representative works.
    2. Explain the gist of the views of a representative number of historically important Russian writers as expressed in their work.
    3. Utilize literary vocabulary, distinctions, and concepts.
    4. Display a solid understanding of the chronology of Russian cultural history (major political, social, cultural, literary events).
    5. Identify and discuss major social and political issues concerning Russia in the world today.
    6. Interpret cultural texts in a variety of genres (e.g. narrative and discursive prose, drama, lyric poetry, film).
    7. Demonstrate a level of knowledge and understanding of other areas appropriate to the student’s chosen emphasis/track.

 

  1. Language and Cultural Proficiency
    1. Demonstrate knowledge of systematic (linguistic) rules through speaking and writing Russian. Be able to explain the reasons for linguistic choices.
    2. Attain a minimum proficiency of Level 2 “Advanced” in all skill areas of the Russian language (or Russian Federation government Certificate I level certification) i.e.  narrate in all tenses about everyday, school, and work situations; talk about current events; narrate on the paragraph level (i.e. in multiple sentences); demonstrate emergent strategic competency; produce utterances free of patterned errors.
    3. Concomitantly, demonstrate a level of language proficiency in Russian that is appropriate to the student’s chosen emphasis and or track: philology (language, literature, culture), Slavic linguistics, interdisciplinary area and cultural studies.
    4. Read and understand the gist of Russian literary and other texts in the original using various reading strategies and knowledge of grammar structures.
    5. Explain how specific historical and cultural contexts shape perceptions, practices, and products of individuals, e.g. literary texts (also a Critical Thinking outcome)
    6. Negotiate typical survival situations in Russian.
    7. Write academic papers of varying lengths in Russian. Write a summary in Russian of, for example: a short story or film; a critical approach; a literary movement.
    8. Develop and utilize appropriate strategies for enhancing and deepening aesthetic appreciation of literary texts and cultural monuments.

 

 

 

  1. Critical Thinking Outcomes
    1. Question how the larger context shapes individual expression in the present and the past.
    2. Read critical/scholarly texts actively rather than passively (i.e. question, disagree, debate, integrate with prior knowledge)
    3. Understand that literary texts are the product of a particular biographical, cultural, and literary context and are defined and continue to evolve in the course of cultural and literary history.
    4. Design and conduct independent research
    5. Develop an area of special interest and/or expertise

 

  1. Writing/Discussing Outcomes
    1. Write a persuasive paper on a cultural/literary text; defend your thesis by a close reading of the text.
    2. Write a persuasive paper on a cultural/literary/ linguistic (for LLL track) topic; defend your thesis with the use of secondary sources.
    3. Employ MLA citation style properly; document sources ethically.
    4. Understand the difference between transcription and transliteration; use transliteration uniformly in a scholarly work.

 

  1. Professional Outcomes
    1. Be aware of the range of employment opportunities/careers and/or advanced training opportunities for students of Russian/East European languages.
    2. Access information about employment opportunities, graduate programs, workshops, and summer study or internship opportunities.
    3. Know the major organizations and associations, conferences and listservs in the Slavic field.
    4. Realize the value of formal and informal contacts with other researchers as an information resource.
    5. Accumulate practical teaching skills.

 

  1. Library/Research Outcomes
    1. Be well acquainted with the range of relevant materials (print and electronic), services (ILL, reference), people (subject specialists) and locations at UA libraries.
    2. Locate bibliographic sources relevant to literary research and assess the credibility of such sources.