General provisions

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

Entry requirements

Bachelor in social sciences or language sciences.

Learning outcomes

Upon completing the course, students will have a good knowledge of practical grammar and idiomatical Russian pronunciation. Students will have acquired a basic knowledge of grammatical structures and will be able to read and analyse texts written in Russian. Students will achieve goals as formulated in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR) of Council of Europe: Speaking and writing: A1+; Listening and reading comprehension: A2.

Upon completing the course, students will be able to

• fully master the Cyrillic alphabet and basic pronunciation rules in reading and speaking Russian
• have a good understanding of basic Russian grammar in order to comprehend short, simple texts on topics related to the field of Russian and Eurasian Studies
• recognize and use, in basic oral and written communication, high-frequency vocabulary related to the student's specific area(s) of study and interest
• understand and extract the essential information from short, oral passages dealing with predictable matters which are delivered slowly and clearly.

Content

The course comprises two compulsory course components:

Component 1. Reading and writing Russian in professional contexts, 7,5 hp

After a short and intensive phase of acquisition of the Cyrillic alphabet and pronunciation rules, the unit focuses on reading, comprehension and analysis of Russian texts. Examination is done by oral presentations, written assignments, and written final examination.

Upon completing the component, students will be able to

• fully master the Cyrillic alphabet in cursive and printed script
• analyse the grammar of simple texts
• translate simple texts from Russian into English
• recognize basic types of professional correspondence and professional texts
• use, in basic written communication, high-frequency vocabulary related to the student's specific area(s) of study and interest
• identify specific information in simpler written material such as short newspaper articles describing events
• comprehend short, simple texts on topics related to the field of Russian and Eurasian Studies which consist of high frequency language
• write short messages relating to matters in areas of immediate need, such as meetings and requests for information or assistance
• summarize in writing the content of short Russian texts on current affairs (initially in English and eventually in Russian).

Component 2. Listening and spoken communication in Russian in professional contexts, 7,5 hp

The component is devoted to oral skills, such as speech comprehension and interaction in Russian. It trains students' oral communicative abilities through assignments based on press and multimedia sources. Examination is done in the form of continuous assessment of oral presentations, written assignments and final examination.

Upon completing the component, students will be able to

• apply basic pronunciation rules in reading and speaking Russian words
• conduct simple dialogues in situations related to the student's specific area(s) of study and interest
• give simple descriptions of current and historical events of relevance to the study of Russia and Eurasia
• understand and extract the essential information from short, oral passages dealing with predictable matters which are delivered slowly and clearly
• use, in basic oral communication, high-frequency vocabulary related to the student's specific area(s) of study and interest
• summarize orally the content of short Russian texts or spoken communication relevant to the student's specific area(s) of study and interest.

Instruction

Instruction is normally given in the form of seminars and group instruction; self-study is a prerequisite. Active participation in course seminars is obligatory.

Assessment

Examination in the various components is done by oral presentations, written assignments, and written final examinations. Grades used are either Fail, Pass, or Pass with Distinction. To receive a grade of Pass with Distinction for the whole course, students must have achieved the grade of Pass with Distinction in both components.

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.