Russia is of critical geopolitical importance in today’s world and understanding its language, complex history, and rich cultural traditions is more relevant now than ever. Expertise in Russian language and culture prepares students for a wide variety of careers in spheres such as industry, finance, law, international relations, national security, and education. All of these sectors actively recruit graduates in Russian studies.
The Russian Studies Program is committed to providing its students with a thorough, well-balanced and practical proficiency in contemporary spoken and written Russian, as well as with introducing students to Russia’s fascinating and diverse literary and cultural worlds. We are committed to helping students develop the critical, analytical and interpretive tools essential for successfully working and living in today’s increasingly global environment. Toward these ends, we regularly offer an array of courses conducted in both English and Russian that are small in size and taught by full-time faculty who are trained to teach Russian as a foreign language and culture. Our summer Russian language study abroad program, currently located in Tbilisi, Georgia, offers UF students a safe, affordable means of studying Russian in a more immersive environment while also learning about post-Soviet geopolitics firsthand in a captivating and important country that has a long and complex relationship with Russia.
- Learn more about the FLL – Russian Specialization.
- Learn more about the Russian Studies Minor.
- Learn more about UF in Tbilisi
- For career opportunities in Russian, please read the Russian Studies alums’ stories.
- Past student activities and study abroad trips to Russia (PDF)
The Russian language proficiency/placement exam is designed to assess students’ ability to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of Russian to place out of the 2-semester, 10-credit, first-year introductory Russian course sequence (RUS 1130, RUS 1131). The test is approximately 1 hour long and includes written sections with grammar, translation, and essay answer components as well as a short oral/speaking component. Literacy is required.
If you attended school in Russia (or a Russian-speaking area) and have a transcript or diploma that shows this, that may be sufficient for you to demonstrate proficiency without taking the test. You will need to show the Russian Studies UGC this documentation.
The proficiency test is offered in the first two weeks of the fall and spring semesters. Please plan to schedule the test accordingly.
*Please contact the UGC to schedule a test appointment during regular office hours. If you are a UF Online student, please reach out to the UGC at the start of the fall or spring semester to schedule a time during regular office hours to take a proctored test via zoom.
*Please note that as this is a proficiency test, it can only be taken once. No outside assistance of any kind is allowed.
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Questions?
If you have any questions regarding a Russian Major or Minor, please contact Dr. Ingrid Kleespies (iakl@ufl.edu), the Undergraduate Coordinator for Russian Studies at UF.
Dr. Ingrid Kleespies
328 Pugh Hall
iakl@ufl.edu
Fall 2024 office hours (August 22 to December 4, 2024): Mondays from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and Tuesdays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
- Learn more about the FLL – Russian Specialization.
- Learn more about the Russian Studies Minor.
- Learn more about UF in Tbilisi
- For career opportunities in Russian, please read the Russian Studies alums’ stories.
- Past student activities and study abroad trips to Russia (pdf)
Why Study Russian?
A major or minor concentration in Russian Studies prepares students for a wide variety of careers, including international law, national security, business, journalism, advertising, foreign service, tourism, teaching and educational exchange, as well as for advanced degree work in the humanities or social sciences. Completed alone, in combination with a second major, or as a minor, the concentration in Russian provides students with interpretive and analytical skills essential for performing effectively in today’s global environment. Successful completion of the program, which includes a range of courses in Russian language, literature and culture–as well as optional overseas Russian language study on the UF exchange program currently located in Tbilisi, Georgia–will give students the tools needed to interact with Russian speakers, to understand Russian-language media on the level of everyday communication and to pursue their interests in cross-cultural communication independently, beyond the walls of the classroom.
Finally, you don’t need to be a genius to study Russian. While the grammar is somewhat more challenging than Spanish, French, or German for native English speakers, our teaching methods are student-friendly and geared primarily toward introducing students to Russian culture and giving them the tools for interacting with it. All you need to bring is a healthy dose of curiosity and a willingness to engage. We welcome students who are looking to fulfill the language requirement.