Marina Alexandrova

RUS 601C “INTENSIVE RUSSIAN I”

Class Time:   MW 10-11, TTH 9:30-10:30             Office Hours: Mondays 11am – 1pm via Zoom

Instructor: Marina Alexandrova, PhD                   Email: marina.alexandrova@utexas.edu

Pronouns: she/her/hers                                        Phone: (512) 232-9193

TA information and office hours are published on Canvas

Course Description

Welcome to RUS 601C “Intensive Russian I!” There has never been a better time to learn this beautiful language, and our team is excited to be your guides to Russian language and culture this semester. With about 144 million native speakers in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, tens of millions of speakers around the world, and prominent presence on the Internet (second only to English speakers!), Russian is one of the most important languages in the world. It is also the native language of the first female professor of math Sofia Kovalevskaya, writers Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, composers Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, periodical table creator chemist Mendeleev, first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova, prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, and thousands of others who changed the world for the better. Moscow and Saint Petersburg are among top cultural and tourist destinations, and, as the largest country in the world, Russia boasts ethnic and cultural diversity, incredible diversity of climate zones, richness of mineral resources, and impressive landmarks.

Course Objectives and Logistics

This course is designed for absolute beginners, so you don’t need any previous knowledge of Russian language or culture to take it! The aim of the course is to help you develop functional proficiency in four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking in Russian within authentic cultural contexts. In order to develop these skills, you will be introduced to new material on a daily basis. We will cover 10 units, each of which gradually builds on the other.

RUS 601C is based on the materials developed by Dr. Rice and LAITS team for “Online Russian” sequence «Будем на связи», with additional materials created by Dr. Rice and Frane Karabatic specifically for RUS 601C “Intensive I” synchronous meetings. Each unit consists of 4 content modules, with the exception of unit 1, which consists of 8. You will be given an assessment upon the completion of each unit in the form of an online exam module. Content modules comprises the bulk of the instructional material for this course. Both the instructor and TA are available for “Drop-In Hours,” so stop by to say Hi and ask questions. We are here for you!

Because language study is cumulative, you are encouraged to practice the language we are learning every day, engage with your fellow classmates, and take part in various activities outside of the class assignments. You are expected to complete all daily assignments and activities and to learn the accompanying vocabulary.

Textbook and Course

The materials for this course were created here at UT, and are built directly into the course’s Canvas site. You will NOT need to purchase additional textbooks.

 The course will cover the following material:

• Unit 1: Welcome!
  This first unit will introduce you to the Russian alphabet and the sounds of Russian. You will learn to introduce yourself and others, as well as ask and answer simple questions.
• Unit 2: Life, Work, and Study
  You will learn to talk about where you and your family and friends live, work, and study, as well as describe your hometown and other places in the world.
• Unit 3: What a world!
  You will learn to describe items around you, to talk about the weather, your hobbies, and your favorite places. You will also learn to talk about your major and what you study.
• Unit 4: Make yourself at home!
  You will learn to talk about the rooms in your home and the items you do and do not have. You will learn to talk about your daily routines, as well as talk about what you were doing earlier.
• Unit 5: The best lesson…
  You will learn to describe what and who you look like, to describe your friends and family, to talk about your favorite places and things, express an opinion, and to say something is the ‘best’ or ‘the worst’. You will also learn to say you can or cannot do something, to say you want or do want something, and to give today’s date.
• Unit 6: Do you like Russian?
  You will learn to talk about your hobbies and what you do and do not like. You will learn to compare people and things, as well as give your opinions and impressions. You will learn to say when you were born and give your age.
• Unit 7: Where do we go now?
  You will learn to talk about going places around town and around the world using various forms of transportation.
• Unit 8: Enjoy your meal!
• You will learn to talk about food and the things you love to cook, eat, and drink. You will look at Russian menus and learn about Russian food and drink.
• Unit 9: The more you want, the less you get!
  You will learn to talk about buying things and the language of going shopping. You will learn about Russian shopping centers and their shopping habits. You will learn to talk about how much things cost and to say how much of something you have. You will talk about your interests and hobbies.
• Unit 10: It’s Good to Be Home!
• You will learn talk about your home and how to describe moving items from one place to another. You will learn to talk about where to put things and describe where other things are located. You will to how to tell people what you need them to do.

Class Meets:   TTh 2:00-3:30pm (Zoom)               Office Hours: Mondays 11am – 1pm (Zoom)

Course Mode: Internet                                            Office: CAL 466

Instructor: Marina Alexandrova, PhD                   Email: marina.alexandrova@utexas.edu

Pronouns: she/her/hers                                        Phone: (512) 232-9193

TA information, office hours, and discussion section information are posted on Canvas

Course Description

Signature Course Mission

The Signature Courses at the University of Texas at Austin will connect students with distinguished faculty members in unique learning environments. By way of this rigorous intellectual experience, students will develop college-level skills in research, writing, speaking, and discussion through an approach that is both interdisciplinary and contemporary.

Course Description

Using the 300-hundred-year rule of the Romanov dynasty as a unifying thread, this course explores the dynamic between secular and religious powers, mainstream religion and banned sects and practices, and the way in which Russian history was shaped by the beliefs and practices of its Tsars. What happens to a country's political and social life when its rulers believe that they are divine messengers accountable only to God? What if they surround themselves with self-proclaimed holy men, miracle workers, and mystics, and seek their advice on political, military, and other important matters? A closer look at Russian history from this perspective allows for better understanding of both the past and present political situation in Russia, and helps explain the collapse of the Russian Empire in the beginning of the twentieth century.

UGS 303 “Tsars and Mystics” provides a unique opportunity for students to examine Russian history through the fascinating relationships between its rulers and their spiritual advisors, and to draw parallels with today’s Russia and the world. The course starts with rule of Ivan the Terrible, who established the institution of Tsardom as the central source of both political and religious power, and created a private hit squad in monk garb who prayed at night and killed and tortured during the day. With the conviction that a Tsar is only responsible to God, Ivan the Terrible was the first in the extensive gallery of Russian autocrats who believed in their divine nature and surrounded themselves with various spiritual figures. The course ends with the last Romanovs, the pious and mystically inclined Nicholas II and Alexandra, and the self-proclaimed holy man Rasputin, whose unprecedented influence on the royal couple played a major role in the collapse of the Russian Empire.

Social Responsibility Core Objective

In addition to Critical Thinking Skills and Communication Skills, UGS 303 "Tsars and Mystics" includes Social Responsibility Core Objective. The course is structured as lectures and discussions about Russian cultural and social practices, religious beliefs and histories. In addition to that, students will be asked to explore different cultural and political perspectives in their written and oral assignments.

Cultural Diversity and Global Cultures Flags Information

At least 80% of the course deals with Russia as its primary focus, with Russian tsars from the 16th to 20th centuries and their advisors as the starting point for broader discussions of power, society, religion, and history in Russia. It examines Russian history and culture, and invites students to engage in in-depth analyses of historical and cultural contexts, either in comparison to other societies or on its own, in all written assignments and oral presentations.

This course uses a wide variety of texts from Russia showcasing cultural and historical differences among various social groups, and will introduce students to different perspectives of these non-U.S. groups. Lectures will help students contextualize those readings and to gain understanding of uniquely Russian historical challenges. We will read a variety of articles on Russian history and politics, letters of Russian Tsars, and Russian literary production (poetry, prose, and drama) of the time. Students will engage with these authentic texts (translated into English) for their written and oral assignments, and by the end of the course will be expected to have a nuanced appreciation of specifically Russian modes of expression, ways of thinking, and mentality.

Active Process of Self-Reflection

In “Tsars and Mystics,” students will be expected to engage in an active process of self-reflection and self-awareness through a series of assignments that, while focusing on Russian historical figures and events, also draw parallels with students’ own cultural experiences across societies. Since a large part of the course deals with religion in Russia, students will be asked to examine and compare the role of religious beliefs in Russia and the United States, raising their self-awareness and inviting them to re-examine what they know about power and religion in different cultural communities and time periods. An example of such assignment is a longer writing project, in which students will examine the life and beliefs of a specific Russian ruler and his/her relationship with the Russian Orthodox church or other types of spirituality. It will involve a round of peer revisions during a specially designated class meeting, and will also serve as a springboard for discussion on cultural, spiritual, and societal differences between Russia and the United States. During their oral presentations, they will demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of the perspectives of Russian history and culture.

Course Requirements

Required Materials

All materials are available in electronic format via Canvas or UT libraries. You only need to buy one book, in any format, at your earliest convenience:

Sebag Montefiore, Simon. Romanovs: 1613-1918.

Note: A list of recommended books will be shared on Canvas.

Zoom Etiquette and Expectations

For all our class sessions, we will be meeting online, via Zoom. To make this a viable learning environment, we ask you to abide by the following guidelines (adapted from the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies):

• You will need a computer (desktop or laptop), a reliable WIFI connection, and a webcam. To hear and be heard better, consider using a headset with external microphone. Let us know as soon as possible if you are experiencing technical difficulties!
• Find a quiet space where you would not be disturbed during the Zoom session.
• Conduct yourself as you would in a face-to-face meeting. 
• Clothing is not optional! Dress comfortably, but remember that you are in a public
• Have your video on (unless you are experiencing technical difficulties; contact us if those persist). If your video is off, we will assume that you are not present for the session.
• Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking. This will help limit background noise.
• When you wish to speak, raise your hand or post a hand icon in Zoom.
• To ensure optimal connectivity, close all other windows/applications on your device.
• We highly encourage you to take notes on paper, not on your device. Apart from keeping your screen less cluttered, taking notes by hand has been proven to be a much more effective way to learn during lectures. 
• Be aware that you are on camera, and avoid doing other tasks during the class meeting (checking email, updating social networks, checking your phone, etc.)

Assignments and Essential Elements

Note: all the assignments, detailed instructions, and due dates will be posted on Canvas!

1) Writing – 30%

In the course of the semester, students will engage in planning, drafting, and revising their written assignments. Students will write three papers: a short response paper (5% of the grade), a longer research project (10%), and a write-up for podcast (15%). Response paper will highlight students' analytical thinking and argumentation (3-5 pages) based on assigned readings. It will receive written feedback and in-person comments, if needed. In a longer writing project (around 7 pages), students will examine the life and beliefs of a specific ruler and his/her relationship with Russian Orthodox church or other types of spirituality. It will involve a round of peer revisions during a specially designated class meeting. For their final written project (podcast write-up), students will work on their drafts during peer-review workshops, receive extensive comments from the instructor and/or teaching assistant (if applicable), and then submit a revised version for final grade. The final project is designed to hone their academic writing skills and prepare them for writing assignments in other courses. The sequence of writing assignments, from simple to more complex, is designed to gradually build students’ writing skills throughout the semester. By the end of the course, they will have written about 15 pages (30% of the final grade).

2) Testing – 25%

Students will take a midterm (10%) and a final exam (10%). There will be 5 short quizzes, one per module, 1% each. Detailed instructions and review sessions will be announced closer to the date (on Canvas).

2) Oral Communication – 20%

This course will include two oral presentations. First assignment will be student presentations on topics of their choice related to the course (10%), and the second one will be a 7- to 10-minute podcast on topics that students may have explored in the course (10%). Students will receive clear guidelines and extensive feedback from their instructor and peers on both assignments.

3) Discussion – 10%

In-class and online discussions are an integral part of this course (10% of the final grade). Part of each class meeting will be devoted to discussion of covered material, and students will participate in discussions with TA and on Canvas.

4) Participation – 10%

Students are required to attend all lectures and one discussion session with TA per week. Student performance will be evaluated by the instructor and TA on the basis of preparedness for class, active participation, and regular attendance. Attendance will be taken every class meeting. Throughout the course, there will be special enrichment events, like talks with Russian experts, historians, and field trips to important historical places. Students will be required to attend at least THREE of them and write up a one-page reflection piece about their experience.

5) Information Literacy – 2%

Students will work with UT librarians to learn basic research and information evaluation skills and to build an annotated bibliography. Using UT Libraries’ Information Literacy Toolkit and working closely with Ian Goodale, the Slavic collections librarian, students will learn how to evaluate sources of information and to conduct research. One synchronous class session will help students with their research projects.

10) Gems – 2%

The course will use the Magic Collection and the Houdini Papers  at the Harry Ransom Center of Russian art in Blanton Museum to introduce students to Russian culture and to examine the universal fascination with all things mysterious and "magical." Due to COVID-19-related restrictions on access to materials, the course will also include six interactive exercises/classes that will introduce students to vibrant Russia culture through virtual field trips and talks by experts.

11) University Lecture Series – 1%

Dates and more information will be sent to you via email and will also be available on University Lecture Series website. After students attend the lecture, they will be asked to write a one-page reflection piece on it.

Grading for this Course

The following table represents how you will demonstrate your learning and how we will assess the degree to which you have done so. The result of these calculations will be a number on a scale of 0-100.  This numerical grade will be converted to a letter grade as follows:

 98 – 100         =          A(+)                74 – 77           =          C

94 – 97           =          A                     70 – 73           =          C-

90 – 93           =          A-                    68 – 69           =          D+

88 – 89           =          B+                   64 – 67           =          D

84 – 87           =          B                      60 – 63           =          D-

80 – 83           =          B-                    59 and below =          F

78 – 79           =          C+                   

Spanning almost a century of Russian literature, this course highlights a gallery of fictional and real rebels and revolutionaries. Were they heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives to improve the lot of others? Or unscrupulous and manipulative individuals who disguised their thirst for power behind an agenda of societal betterment? From Pushkin’s portrayal of Emelian Pugachev’s rebellion in the 1770s to Nechaev’s organized revolutionary group, which inspired Dostoevsky’s Demons, to Bakunin’s writings and memoirs of notorious revolutionaries and intelligentsia’s responses to the “revolutionary virus,” the array of representations of rebels and revolutionaries simultaneously served as a reflection of their popular perception and formed the reading public’s opinion on these issues. We will supplement textual analysis of prose and poetry with the study of historical documents in order to understand the complex historical, moral, and cultural dimensions of such enduring phenomena as revolution, rebellion, and terrorism.

Grade Evaluations:

1. Two Response Papers (30%)

2. Two Exams (50% total)

3. Presentation (10%): In pairs, you will prepare a 15-20-minute oral presentation on one of the topics offered at the beginning of the semester.

4. Participation (10%): Your instructor will determine this part of the grade based on your preparedness and participation in class. There are three components of success: regular attendance, advance reading/preparation of assigned materials, and insightful, wellformulated comments during discussions.

RUS611C “Intensive Russian II”

Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies

University of Texas at Austin

SPRING 2021

"Русский язык интенсивно II"

Class Time:   MTWTH 10-11, via Zoom

Drop-In Hours: Mondays 11am – 1pm, and by appointment via Zoom

Instructor: Marina Alexandrova, PhD | Pronouns: she/her/hers                 

Course Description

Welcome to RUS 611C “Intensive Russian II!” We are excited to continue our journey into Russian language and culture this semester! With Russia's increasing political and cultural relevance, 2021 is a great time to continue building your linguistic expertise and to get ready for a study abroad experience this or next year (we have some exciting plans for Maymester 2022!). With about 144 million native speakers in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, tens of millions of speakers around the world, and prominent presence on the Internet (second only to English speakers!), Russian is one of the most important languages in the world. It is also the native language of the first female professor of math Sofia Kovalevskaya, writers Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, composers Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, periodical table creator chemist Mendeleev, first woman in space Valentina Tereshkova, prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, and thousands of others who changed the world for the better. Moscow and Saint Petersburg are among top cultural and tourist destinations, and, as the largest country in the world, Russia boasts ethnic and cultural diversity, incredible diversity of climate zones, richness of mineral resources, and impressive landmarks.

Course Objectives and Logistics

The second part of the Intensive sequence is designed to take from Novice to Intermediate level of proficiency (ACTFL). The aim of the course is to help you improve functional proficiency in four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking in Russian within authentic cultural contexts. In order to develop these skills, you will be introduced to new material on a daily basis. We will cover 10 units, each of which gradually builds on the other.

RUS 611C is based on the materials developed by Dr. Rice and LAITS team for “Online Russian” sequence «Будем на связи», with additional materials created by Dr. Rice and Frane Karabatic specifically for RUS 611C “Intensive Russian II” synchronous meetings. Each unit consists of 4 content modules. You will be given an assessment upon the completion of each unit in the form of an online exam module. Content modules comprises the bulk of the instructional material for this course. We will meet four times a week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday – for synchronous, one-hour-long meetings via Zoom. On Fridays, you will cover assigned materials on Canvas at your own pace. Both the instructor and TA are available for “Drop-In Hours,” so stop by to say Hi and ask questions. We are here for you!

Because language study is cumulative, you are encouraged to practice the language we are learning every day, engage with your fellow classmates, and take part in various activities outside of the class assignments. You are expected to complete all daily assignments and activities and to learn the accompanying vocabulary.

Textbook and Course

The materials for this course were created here at UT, and are built directly into the course’s Canvas site. You will NOT need to purchase additional textbooks.

The course will cover the following material:

• Unit 11: Be Careful Not to Get Sick!
  You will learn to talk about your body, how you’re feeling, what you do when you get sick, if you have allergies, why you do things, what you need to do, things one should and shouldn’t do, what someone told you to do, and general gossip.
• Unit 12: Education and Studies
  You will learn to talk about your education and what you study. You will talk about your skills and things you’ve learned to do. You will learn to tell time and set up a time to meet someone somewhere. You will learn to say when class starts and finishes. You will discuss your daily routine and talk about how long it takes you to do something. You will be able to talk about what you did yesterday compared to what you normally do.
• Unit 13: Are You on Social Media?
  You will look at social media in Russian and say whether you are on social media. You will learn to talk about why you do or don’t use it and what you use it for. You will learn to describe relationships among people, talk about getting and being married, describe your own relationship status, talk about members of your family - what kind of people they are and how you’re related. You will learn about traditional Russian wedding practices.
• Unit 14: Well, OK, then…
  You will learn to talk about your future plans, to say you’re about to go somewhere or that you’re about to do something. You will be able to compare your plans to your past and talk about how long ago you did something. You will learn to express what you or someone else needs. You will even learn to talk about walking your dog. You’ll read a couple of classic nursery rhymes along the way.
• Unit 15: Free Time
• You will describe your feelings, reactions, and impressions of people, places, and events. You will talk about where you have been, for how long you were there, and whether you have been abroad. You will be able to say you went to see someone. You will talk about how you like to spend your time, to say you like something more than something else, and to say you do something as much or as little as possible. You will learn to talk about the weather and learn about the Russian dacha.
• Unit 16: The Russian: Character and Behavior
  You will learn about traditional Russian customs and behaviors. You will learn to describe a person’s character and personality traits in greater detail. You will compare people, places, and things. You will talk about what you do and do not feel like doing and your obligations.
• Unit 17: City Life
  You will talk about your home town and describe places you have visited. You will describe how to get from place to place in your city. You will learn how to ask for and give directions. You will talk about taking a trip somewhere and how to ask others about trips they have taken.
• Unit 18: Modern Life & Love
  You will learn to talk about the kinds of relationships you have with others. You will learn to describe your family, friends, and acquaintances.You will learn to talk about your conversations with others. You will describe what people wear, your future plans.
• Unit 19: The Russian Soul: Belief, Superstition, and Well-being
  You will learn to talk about your beliefs and about religion. You will describe your hopes and fears. You will learn about certain Russian customs and traditions tied to health and hygiene, including learning about the Russian banya. You will learn to give advice, tell others to do and not do certain things, and express gratitude.
• Unit 20: A Life of Learning
  You will learn to talk about your major and why you study what you do. You will learn to talk about registering for classes and to describe your daily schedule. You will talk about teaching others and describe when you learned to do certain things, like ride a bike, drive a car, or play an instrument.
• Unit 21: Making plans
  You will learn to talk about making plans. You will learn to talk about preparing for guests, including cleaning up around the house, going shopping, making (or buying) food, arranging things, welcoming guests to your home (or graciously visiting others’ homes), and entertaining. You will talk about your hopes and dreams for the coming one.

RUS 326 “Advanced Russian Through History”

Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies

University of Texas at Austin

Spring 2021

RUS 326 “Advanced Russian Through History” Syllabus

Overview:

Based on the principles of “contextualized learning,” this course is designed to develop Russian language skills in all areas of cultural and linguistic proficiency (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) while introducing students to major events and figures in Russian history from Kievan Rus to the early twentieth century. As its primary textbook, the course uses a Russian reader for intermediate and advanced students of Russian and heritage learners of Russian, Advanced Russian through History (Yale). Each chapter features a written text and web-based learning tasks designed to promote students' abilities to understand and produce arguments in the style of scholarly discourse, both in speech and in writing. In addition, a variety of authentic Russian historical materials (letters, archival documents, etc.) will offer students an opportunity to engage in experiential learning activities as they compile a virtual case study or portfolio on a historical figure or event. 

Required Textbook:

Rifkin, Benjamin, et al. Advanced Russian Through History. Yale UP, 2007.

Materials on Canvas.

Grading Policy:

20% - Homework 

20% - Essays on assigned topics

20% - Final project (a podcast on chosen topic in Russian history and an in-class presentation)

15% - Group presentation

15% - Participation

10% - Case study of a historical event/figure

Zoom Etiquette and Expectations

For all our class sessions, we will be meeting online, via Zoom. To make this a viable learning environment, we ask you to abide by the following guidelines (adapted from the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies):

• You will need a computer (desktop or laptop), a reliable WIFI connection, and a webcam. To hear and be heard better, consider using a headset with external microphone. Let us know as soon as possible if you are experiencing technical difficulties!
• Find a quiet space where you would not be disturbed during the Zoom session.
• Conduct yourself as you would in a face-to-face meeting. 
• Clothing is not optional! Dress comfortably, but remember that you are in a public
• Have your video on (unless you are experiencing technical difficulties; contact us if those persist). If your video is off, we will assume that you are not present for the session.
• Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking. This will help limit background noise.
• When you wish to speak, raise your hand or post a hand icon in Zoom.
• To ensure optimal connectivity, close all other windows/applications on your device.
• We highly encourage you to take notes on paper, not on your device. Apart from keeping your screen less cluttered, taking notes by hand has been proven to be a much more effective way to learn during lectures. 
• Be aware that you are on camera, and avoid doing other tasks during the class meeting (checking email, updating social networks, checking your phone, etc.)

The following table represents how you will demonstrate your learning and how we will assess the degree to which you have done so. The result of these calculations will be a number on a scale of 0-100.  This numerical grade will be converted to a letter grade as follows:

 98 – 100         =          A(+)                74 – 77           =          C

94 – 97           =          A                     70 – 73           =          C-

90 – 93           =          A-                    68 – 69           =          D+

88 – 89           =          B+                   64 – 67           =          D

84 – 87           =          B                      60 – 63           =          D-

80 – 83           =          B-                    59 and below =          F

78 – 79           =          C+                   

Course Description:

An intensive Russian language instruction course developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading. Writing will be developed primarily through workbook and computer-based home assignments.  We will cover all of Volumes One and Two of the textbooks, Units One through Unit Fourteen in the textbooks, spending about one week on each unit. In addition, this course aims to develop computer literacy skills – in Russian – for you to be truly functional and competitive in the language.

The entire first-year sequence is covered in one semester.

Readings:

Textbook: 

• Davidson, Gor, and Lekic.  Russian: Stage One: Live from Russia! 2nd ed., vols. 1 and 2, (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2008 and 2009). These packaged sets comprise two basic textbooks, two workbooks, two audio CDs, and two DVDs. Available at the University Co-op.

Recommended:           

• Russian/English Dictionary
• Gerhart, G., The Russian’s World, Orlando: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.
• Garza, T., Fundamentals of Russian Verbal Conjugation for Teachers  and Students, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt and ACTR Publications, 1993.

Grading:

There are five components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1.  Testing:  35%

Unit tests: 15%

Final exam: 20%

2.  Homework:  15% 

3.  Participation:  15% 

4.  Portfolio:  15%

5.  Oral Presentation:  20%

UGS 303 “TSARS AND MYSTICS”

FALL 2020

Class Meets:   TTh 2:00-3:30pm (Zoom)               Office Hours: Mondays 11am – 1pm (Zoom)

Course Mode: Internet                                            Office: CAL 466

Instructor: Marina Alexandrova, PhD                   Email: marina.alexandrova@utexas.edu

Pronouns: she/her/hers                                        Phone: (512) 232-9193

TA information, office hours, and discussion section information are posted on Canvas

Course Description

Signature Course Mission

The Signature Courses at the University of Texas at Austin will connect students with distinguished faculty members in unique learning environments. By way of this rigorous intellectual experience, students will develop college-level skills in research, writing, speaking, and discussion through an approach that is both interdisciplinary and contemporary.

Course Description

Using the 300-hundred-year rule of the Romanov dynasty as a unifying thread, this course explores the dynamic between secular and religious powers, mainstream religion and banned sects and practices, and the way in which Russian history was shaped by the beliefs and practices of its Tsars. What happens to a country's political and social life when its rulers believe that they are divine messengers accountable only to God? What if they surround themselves with self-proclaimed holy men, miracle workers, and mystics, and seek their advice on political, military, and other important matters? A closer look at Russian history from this perspective allows for better understanding of both the past and present political situation in Russia, and helps explain the collapse of the Russian Empire in the beginning of the twentieth century.

UGS 303 “Tsars and Mystics” provides a unique opportunity for students to examine Russian history through the fascinating relationships between its rulers and their spiritual advisors, and to draw parallels with today’s Russia and the world. The course starts with rule of Ivan the Terrible, who established the institution of Tsardom as the central source of both political and religious power, and created a private hit squad in monk garb who prayed at night and killed and tortured during the day. With the conviction that a Tsar is only responsible to God, Ivan the Terrible was the first in the extensive gallery of Russian autocrats who believed in their divine nature and surrounded themselves with various spiritual figures. The course ends with the last Romanovs, the pious and mystically inclined Nicholas II and Alexandra, and the self-proclaimed holy man Rasputin, whose unprecedented influence on the royal couple played a major role in the collapse of the Russian Empire.

Social Responsibility Core Objective

In addition to Critical Thinking Skills and Communication Skills, UGS 303 "Tsars and Mystics" includes Social Responsibility Core Objective. The course is structured as lectures and discussions about Russian cultural and social practices, religious beliefs and histories. In addition to that, students will be asked to explore different cultural and political perspectives in their written and oral assignments.

Cultural Diversity and Global Cultures Flags Information

At least 80% of the course deals with Russia as its primary focus, with Russian tsars from the 16th to 20th centuries and their advisors as the starting point for broader discussions of power, society, religion, and history in Russia. It examines Russian history and culture, and invites students to engage in in-depth analyses of historical and cultural contexts, either in comparison to other societies or on its own, in all written assignments and oral presentations.

This course uses a wide variety of texts from Russia showcasing cultural and historical differences among various social groups, and will introduce students to different perspectives of these non-U.S. groups. Lectures will help students contextualize those readings and to gain understanding of uniquely Russian historical challenges. We will read a variety of articles on Russian history and politics, letters of Russian Tsars, and Russian literary production (poetry, prose, and drama) of the time. Students will engage with these authentic texts (translated into English) for their written and oral assignments, and by the end of the course will be expected to have a nuanced appreciation of specifically Russian modes of expression, ways of thinking, and mentality.

Active Process of Self-Reflection

In “Tsars and Mystics,” students will be expected to engage in an active process of self-reflection and self-awareness through a series of assignments that, while focusing on Russian historical figures and events, also draw parallels with students’ own cultural experiences across societies. Since a large part of the course deals with religion in Russia, students will be asked to examine and compare the role of religious beliefs in Russia and the United States, raising their self-awareness and inviting them to re-examine what they know about power and religion in different cultural communities and time periods. An example of such assignment is a longer writing project, in which students will examine the life and beliefs of a specific Russian ruler and his/her relationship with the Russian Orthodox church or other types of spirituality. It will involve a round of peer revisions during a specially designated class meeting, and will also serve as a springboard for discussion on cultural, spiritual, and societal differences between Russia and the United States. During their oral presentations, they will demonstrate an understanding of the complexity of the perspectives of Russian history and culture.

Course Requirements

Required Materials

All materials are available in electronic format via Canvas or UT libraries. You only need to buy one book, in any format, at your earliest convenience:

Sebag Montefiore, Simon. Romanovs: 1613-1918.

Note: A list of recommended books will be shared on Canvas.

Zoom Etiquette and Expectations

For all our class sessions, we will be meeting online, via Zoom. To make this a viable learning environment, we ask you to abide by the following guidelines (adapted from the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies):

• You will need a computer (desktop or laptop), a reliable WIFI connection, and a webcam. To hear and be heard better, consider using a headset with external microphone. Let us know as soon as possible if you are experiencing technical difficulties!
• Find a quiet space where you would not be disturbed during the Zoom session.
• Conduct yourself as you would in a face-to-face meeting. 
• Clothing is not optional! Dress comfortably, but remember that you are in a public
• Have your video on (unless you are experiencing technical difficulties; contact us if those persist). If your video is off, we will assume that you are not present for the session.
• Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking. This will help limit background noise.
• When you wish to speak, raise your hand or post a hand icon in Zoom.
• To ensure optimal connectivity, close all other windows/applications on your device.
• We highly encourage you to take notes on paper, not on your device. Apart from keeping your screen less cluttered, taking notes by hand has been proven to be a much more effective way to learn during lectures. 
• Be aware that you are on camera, and avoid doing other tasks during the class meeting (checking email, updating social networks, checking your phone, etc.)

Assignments and Essential Elements

Note: all the assignments, detailed instructions, and due dates will be posted on Canvas!

1) Writing – 30%

In the course of the semester, students will engage in planning, drafting, and revising their written assignments. Students will write three papers: a short response paper (5% of the grade), a longer research project (10%), and a write-up for podcast (15%). Response paper will highlight students' analytical thinking and argumentation (3-5 pages) based on assigned readings. It will receive written feedback and in-person comments, if needed. In a longer writing project (around 7 pages), students will examine the life and beliefs of a specific ruler and his/her relationship with Russian Orthodox church or other types of spirituality. It will involve a round of peer revisions during a specially designated class meeting. For their final written project (podcast write-up), students will work on their drafts during peer-review workshops, receive extensive comments from the instructor and/or teaching assistant (if applicable), and then submit a revised version for final grade. The final project is designed to hone their academic writing skills and prepare them for writing assignments in other courses. The sequence of writing assignments, from simple to more complex, is designed to gradually build students’ writing skills throughout the semester. By the end of the course, they will have written about 15 pages (30% of the final grade).

2) Testing – 25%

Students will take a midterm (10%) and a final exam (10%). There will be 5 short quizzes, one per module, 1% each. Detailed instructions and review sessions will be announced closer to the date (on Canvas).

2) Oral Communication – 20%

This course will include two oral presentations. First assignment will be student presentations on topics of their choice related to the course (10%), and the second one will be a 7- to 10-minute podcast on topics that students may have explored in the course (10%). Students will receive clear guidelines and extensive feedback from their instructor and peers on both assignments.

3) Discussion – 10%

In-class and online discussions are an integral part of this course (10% of the final grade). Part of each class meeting will be devoted to discussion of covered material, and students will participate in discussions with TA and on Canvas.

4) Participation – 10%

Students are required to attend all lectures and one discussion session with TA per week. Student performance will be evaluated by the instructor and TA on the basis of preparedness for class, active participation, and regular attendance. Attendance will be taken every class meeting. Throughout the course, there will be special enrichment events, like talks with Russian experts, historians, and field trips to important historical places. Students will be required to attend at least THREE of them and write up a one-page reflection piece about their experience.

5) Information Literacy – 2%

Students will work with UT librarians to learn basic research and information evaluation skills and to build an annotated bibliography. Using UT Libraries’ Information Literacy Toolkit and working closely with Ian Goodale, the Slavic collections librarian, students will learn how to evaluate sources of information and to conduct research. One synchronous class session will help students with their research projects.

10) Gems – 2%

The course will use the Magic Collection and the Houdini Papers  at the Harry Ransom Center of Russian art in Blanton Museum to introduce students to Russian culture and to examine the universal fascination with all things mysterious and "magical." Due to COVID-19-related restrictions on access to materials, the course will also include six interactive exercises/classes that will introduce students to vibrant Russia culture through virtual field trips and talks by experts.

11) University Lecture Series – 1%

This fall, Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers and Dr. Jason McLellan will present on their research regarding COVID-19, and Dr. Leonard Moore will lead a conversation around race and justice.  Dates and more information will be sent to you via email and will also be available on University Lecture Series website. After students attend the lecture, they will be asked to write a one-page reflection piece on it.

Grading for this Course

The following table represents how you will demonstrate your learning and how we will assess the degree to which you have done so. The result of these calculations will be a number on a scale of 0-100.  This numerical grade will be converted to a letter grade as follows:

98 – 100         =          A(+)                74 – 77           =          C

94 – 97           =          A                     70 – 73           =          C-

90 – 93           =          A-                    68 – 69           =          D+

88 – 89           =          B+                   64 – 67           =          D

84 – 87           =          B                      60 – 63           =          D-

80 – 83           =          B-                    59 and below =          F

78 – 79           =          C+                   

Please check back for updates.

Course Description:

An intensive Russian language instruction course developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading. Writing will be developed primarily through workbook and computer-based home assignments.  We will cover all of Volumes One and Two of the textbooks, Units One through Unit Fourteen in the textbooks, spending about one week on each unit. In addition, this course aims to develop computer literacy skills – in Russian – for you to be truly functional and competitive in the language.

The entire first-year sequence is covered in one semester.

Readings:

Textbook: 

• Davidson, Gor, and Lekic.  Russian: Stage One: Live from Russia! 2nd ed., vols. 1 and 2, (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2008 and 2009). These packaged sets comprise two basic textbooks, two workbooks, two audio CDs, and two DVDs. Available at the University Co-op.

Recommended:           

• Russian/English Dictionary
• Gerhart, G., The Russian’s World, Orlando: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.
• Garza, T., Fundamentals of Russian Verbal Conjugation for Teachers  and Students, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt and ACTR Publications, 1993.

Grading:

There are five components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1.  Testing:  35%

Unit tests: 15%

Final exam: 20%

2.  Homework:  15% 

3.  Participation:  15% 

4.  Portfolio:  15%

5.  Oral Presentation:  20%

Please check back for updates.

Course Description: Spanning almost a century of Russian literature, this course highlights a gallery of fictional and real rebels and revolutionaries.  What was their cause?  Who supported them?  How were they portrayed in popular novels of the time?  We will supplement textual analysis of prose and poetry with the study of historical documents in order to understand the complex historical, moral, and cultural dimensions of such enduring phenomena as revolution, rebellion, and terrorism.

 Course Materials:

• Pushkin, Aleksandr.  The Captain’s Daughter (1836)
• Pushkin, Aleksandr.  “In the Depths of Siberian Mines” (1827)*
• Turgenev, Ivan.  Fathers and Sons (1862)
• Bakunin, Mikhail.  The Revolutionary Catechism (1865) vs. Nechaev's Catechism of the Revolutionary (1869)(excerpts)*
• Dostoevsky, Fyodor.  The Demons (1873)
• Vera Zasulich's memoirs (excerpts from Five Sisters: Women against the Tsar)*
• Andreyev, Leonid.  “The Seven That Were Hanged” (1909)
• Bely, Andrei.  Petersburg (1913)
• Related documents and articles*

Based on the communicative-function approach to language, the course aims to develop functional linguistic proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with special emphasis on written expression. The textbook will provide topics and vocabulary for essays and review of Russian grammar. It will be supplemented by various authentic materials in different media. By the end of the course, the students would have created a collection of essays on real-life topics. The course is conducted in Russian. Taken together with RUS 322C, RUS 322W "Intermediate Russian through Writing" aims to bring students' proficiency to level to on the ILR scale (comparable to Advanced on the ACTFL scale).

Based on the communicative-function approach to language, the course aims to develop functional linguistic proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with special emphasis on oral expression. The films and textbook exercises will serve as a springboard in class discussions. Speaking skills will be developed through oral presentations, partner work, and class discussions of various topics. The course is conducted in Russian. Taken together with RUS 322W, RUS 322C "Intermediate Russian through Conversation" aims to bring students' proficiency to level to on the ILR scale (comparable to Advanced on the ACTFL scale).

Description:

Explores the history and practice of food production and consumption in Russia and the former Soviet Union from historical, literary, and cultural points of view.  Using the methodology of food history, we will explore the restrictions, beliefs, etiquette, and taboos surrounding food and drink in Tsarist and Soviet Russia.  From Orthodox Church-mandated dietary restrictions and fasting through the Soviet cult of nutritious and abundant food to “deficit”-driven inventive dishes of the Perestroika period, the history of Russian food reflects the vicissitudes of political, social, economic, and even spiritual life.  Through a variety of historical and literary texts, we will explore the rich cultural context of Russian food and drinks and their role as an integral part of Russian national identity.

Required Texts:

Pushkin. “Eugene Onegin” (1825) (excerpts) (Course Pack) Gogol. “The Old World Landowners” (1838) (CP)?Goncharov. Oblomov (1859) (excerpts) (CP)?Molokhovets. A Gift to Young Housewives (1861) (excerpts) (CP) Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy (excerpts) (CP)

The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food (1939) (excerpts)?Pokhlebkin. A History of Vodka (1994) (excerpts) (CP)?Smith, Alison K. Recipes for Russia: Food and Nationhood Under the Tsars (2011) (CP)

Erofeev, Venedikt. Moscow to the End of the Line (1970) (UT CO-OP) Glants, Musya, et al. Food in Russian History and Culture (1997) (UT CO-OP) Von Bremzen, Anya. Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking (2013) (UT CO-OP) Coursepack at Jenn’s Copies (22nd St. and Guadalupe)

Description:

Geared towards developing Advanced proficiency in Russian, this course focuses on improving students’ pronunciation, intonation, and public speaking skills while introducing them to the life and works of the great Russian writer, artist, actor, and cultural icon, Vladimir Mayakovsky. Through a variety of authentic texts, students will learn about Russia of the 1920s, the “bourgeois” culture of NEP, Meyerhold’s theater, and Mayakovsky’s poetic and prosaic works. The course will culminate in the production and performance of Mayakovsky’s controversial comedy “The Bedbug” (1928) at the end of the semester.

The course will draw on local resources (HRC holdings pertinent to Russian theater, consultations with faculty from the dept. of theater and dance, and others).

Students should expect to be involved in all stages of production, including stage and costume design, photography, poster design, and other aspects of theatrical production. Additional evening or weekend rehearsals may be scheduled in March and April. The course is conducted entirely in Russian.

Required texts:

Mayakovsky, Vladimir. “The Bedbug” and other works.

Course packet with articles and other materials.

Course Description: Spanning almost a century of Russian literature, this course highlights a gallery of fictional and real rebels and revolutionaries.  What was their cause?  Who supported them?  How were they portrayed in popular novels of the time?  We will supplement textual analysis of prose and poetry with the study of historical documents in order to understand the complex historical, moral, and cultural dimensions of such enduring phenomena as revolution, rebellion, and terrorism.

 Course Materials:

• Pushkin, Aleksandr.  The Captain’s Daughter (1836)
• Pushkin, Aleksandr.  “In the Depths of Siberian Mines” (1827)*
• Turgenev, Ivan.  Fathers and Sons (1862)
• Bakunin, Mikhail.  The Revolutionary Catechism (1865) vs. Nechaev's Catechism of the Revolutionary (1869)(excerpts)*
• Dostoevsky, Fyodor.  The Demons (1873)
• Vera Zasulich's memoirs (excerpts from Five Sisters: Women against the Tsar)*
• Andreyev, Leonid.  “The Seven That Were Hanged” (1909)
• Bely, Andrei.  Petersburg (1913)
• Related documents and articles*

*Included in Course Packet

Grade Evaluations: 

a. Two Response Papers (10% each):  Response papers should reflect your thinking on assigned reading.  Format: 3-5 pages (at least 1,000 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.  You will be evaluated on the depth and quality of your reflections, clarity of style, and cohesive argumentation.  After you receive your paper back, you will have about a week to revise and resubmit it.  Detailed instructions will be provided two weeks before the due date.

 b. Three In-Class Exams (10% each): Each exam will test your knowledge of material discussed in class and read independently at home.

 c.  Presentation (10%): Individually or in pairs, you will prepare a 5-10-minute oral presentation on one of the topics offered in the beginning of the semester.  You will discuss your presentation with your instructor no later than two weeks in advance.

d. Final Paper  (30%):  You final paper may draw on one of your response papers.  It should include  your reflections on the topic supported by textual evidence from assigned works.  Detailed instructions will be available mid-semester.  Format: 8-10 pages (at least 2,500 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.

 e. Participation (10%):  Your instructor will determine this part of the grade based on your preparedness and participation in class.  There are three components of success: regular attendance, advance reading/preparation of assigned materials, and insightful, well-formulated comments during discussions.

Course Description:

An intensive Russian language instruction course developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading. Writing will be developed primarily through workbook and computer-based home assignments.  We will cover all of Volumes One and Two of the textbooks, Units One through Unit Fourteen in the textbooks, spending about one week on each unit. In addition, this course aims to develop computer literacy skills – in Russian – for you to be truly functional and competitive in the language.

The entire first-year sequence is covered in one semester.

Readings:

Textbook: 

• Davidson, Gor, and Lekic.  Russian: Stage One: Live from Russia! 2nd ed., vols. 1 and 2, (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2008 and 2009). These packaged sets comprise two basic textbooks, two workbooks, two audio CDs, and two DVDs. Available at the University Co-op.

Recommended:           

• Russian/English Dictionary
• Gerhart, G., The Russian’s World, Orlando: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.
• Garza, T., Fundamentals of Russian Verbal Conjugation for Teachers  and Students, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt and ACTR Publications, 1993.

Grading:

There are five components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1.  Testing:  35%

Unit tests: 15%

Final exam: 20%

2.  Homework:  15% 

3.  Participation:  15% 

4.  Portfolio:  15%

5.  Oral Presentation:  20%

This course is the fourth semester of Russian language instruction developing functional proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This semester we will cover Units 6 through 10 of the textbook, devoting ten class days to instruction for each unit. The goal is to achieve an active vocabulary of 1600-2000 words and an oral proficiency level of what is called `Intermediate Mid’ or `Intermediate High’, as defined by theAmerican Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. 

Description:

Explores the history and practice of food production and consumption in Russia and the former Soviet Union from historical, literary, and cultural points of view.  Using the methodology of food history, we will explore the restrictions, beliefs, etiquette, and taboos surrounding food and drink in Tsarist and Soviet Russia.  From Orthodox Church-mandated dietary restrictions and fasting through the Soviet cult of nutritious and abundant food to “deficit”-driven inventive dishes of the Perestroika period, the history of Russian food reflects the vicissitudes of political, social, economic, and even spiritual life.  Through a variety of historical and literary texts, we will explore the rich cultural context of Russian food and drinks and their role as an integral part of Russian national identity.

Required Texts:

Pushkin. “Eugene Onegin” (1825) (excerpts) (Course Pack) Gogol. “The Old World Landowners” (1838) (CP)?Goncharov. Oblomov (1859) (excerpts) (CP)?Molokhovets. A Gift to Young Housewives (1861) (excerpts) (CP) Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy (excerpts) (CP)

The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food (1939) (excerpts)?Pokhlebkin. A History of Vodka (1994) (excerpts) (CP)?Smith, Alison K. Recipes for Russia: Food and Nationhood Under the Tsars (2011) (CP)

Erofeev, Venedikt. Moscow to the End of the Line (1970) (UT CO-OP) Glants, Musya, et al. Food in Russian History and Culture (1997) (UT CO-OP) Von Bremzen, Anya. Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking (2013) (UT CO-OP) Coursepack at Jenn’s Copies (22nd St. and Guadalupe)

Course Description:

An intensive Russian language instruction course developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading. Writing will be developed primarily through workbook and computer-based home assignments.  We will cover all of Volumes One and Two of the textbooks, Units One through Unit Fourteen in the textbooks, spending about one week on each unit. In addition, this course aims to develop computer literacy skills – in Russian – for you to be truly functional and competitive in the language.

The entire first-year sequence is covered in one semester.

Readings:

Textbook: 

• Davidson, Gor, and Lekic.  Russian: Stage One: Live from Russia! 2nd ed., vols. 1 and 2, (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2008 and 2009). These packaged sets comprise two basic textbooks, two workbooks, two audio CDs, and two DVDs. Available at the University Co-op.

Recommended:           

• Russian/English Dictionary
• Gerhart, G., The Russian’s World, Orlando: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.
• Garza, T., Fundamentals of Russian Verbal Conjugation for Teachers  and Students, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt and ACTR Publications, 1993.

Grading:

There are five components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1.  Testing:  35%

Unit tests: 15%

Final exam: 20%

2.  Homework:  15% 

3.  Participation:  15% 

4.  Portfolio:  15%

5.  Oral Presentation:  20%

Course Description: Spanning almost a century of Russian literature, this course highlights a gallery of fictional and real rebels and revolutionaries.  What was their cause?  Who supported them?  How were they portrayed in popular novels of the time?  We will supplement textual analysis of prose and poetry with the study of historical documents in order to understand the complex historical, moral, and cultural dimensions of such enduring phenomena as revolution, rebellion, and terrorism.

 Course Materials:

• Pushkin, Aleksandr.  The Captain’s Daughter (1836)
• Pushkin, Aleksandr.  “In the Depths of Siberian Mines” (1827)*
• Turgenev, Ivan.  Fathers and Sons (1862)
• Bakunin, Mikhail.  The Revolutionary Catechism (1865) vs. Nechaev's Catechism of the Revolutionary (1869)(excerpts)*
• Dostoevsky, Fyodor.  The Demons (1873)
• Vera Zasulich's memoirs (excerpts from Five Sisters: Women against the Tsar)*
• Andreyev, Leonid.  “The Seven That Were Hanged” (1909)
• Bely, Andrei.  Petersburg (1913)
• Related documents and articles*

*Included in Course Packet

Grade Evaluations: 

a. Two Response Papers (10% each):  Response papers should reflect your thinking on assigned reading.  Format: 3-5 pages (at least 1,000 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.  You will be evaluated on the depth and quality of your reflections, clarity of style, and cohesive argumentation.  After you receive your paper back, you will have about a week to revise and resubmit it.  Detailed instructions will be provided two weeks before the due date.

 b. Three In-Class Exams (10% each): Each exam will test your knowledge of material discussed in class and read independently at home.

 c.  Presentation (10%): Individually or in pairs, you will prepare a 5-10-minute oral presentation on one of the topics offered in the beginning of the semester.  You will discuss your presentation with your instructor no later than two weeks in advance.

d. Final Paper  (30%):  You final paper may draw on one of your response papers.  It should include  your reflections on the topic supported by textual evidence from assigned works.  Detailed instructions will be available mid-semester.  Format: 8-10 pages (at least 2,500 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.

 e. Participation (10%):  Your instructor will determine this part of the grade based on your preparedness and participation in class.  There are three components of success: regular attendance, advance reading/preparation of assigned materials, and insightful, well-formulated comments during discussions.

Description:

This course explores the history of Russian prisons from the 19th to the 21st century through the prism of literature and culture.  Students will gain understanding of political, social, and cultural impact of incarceration, and examine first-hand accounts by major Russian writers like Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Solzhenitsyn, and many others, to learn about this important part of Russian life.  The course will compare and contrast state policies concerning various types of crime (political dissent, terrorism, espionage, regicide,  and others)  during different regimes - Tsarist, Soviet, and post-Soviet - to elicit important consistencies in the attitudes toward and effects of Russian penitentiary system on the society as a whole. 

Readings:

Dostoevsky "Notes from the Dead House," Chekhov "The Sakhalin Island," Solzhenitsyn "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich," Ginzburg "Into the Whirlwind," contemporary memoirs and prison writing

Grading:

2 response papers (30%)

midterm (20%)

final paper (20%)

oral presentation (20%)

participation (10%)

Course Description:

An intensive Russian language instruction course developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading. Writing will be developed primarily through workbook and computer-based home assignments.  We will cover all of Volumes One and Two of the textbooks, Units One through Unit Fourteen in the textbooks, spending about one week on each unit. In addition, this course aims to develop computer literacy skills – in Russian – for you to be truly functional and competitive in the language.

The entire first-year sequence is covered in one semester.

Readings:

Textbook: 

• Davidson, Gor, and Lekic.  Russian: Stage One: Live from Russia! 2nd ed., vols. 1 and 2, (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2008 and 2009). These packaged sets comprise two basic textbooks, two workbooks, two audio CDs, and two DVDs. Available at the University Co-op.

Recommended:           

• Russian/English Dictionary
• Gerhart, G., The Russian’s World, Orlando: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.
• Garza, T., Fundamentals of Russian Verbal Conjugation for Teachers  and Students, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt and ACTR Publications, 1993.

Grading:

There are five components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1.  Testing:  35%

Unit tests: 15%

Final exam: 20%

2.  Homework:  15% 

3.  Participation:  15% 

4.  Portfolio:  15%

5.  Oral Presentation:  20%

Prerequisites: RUS 611C or 412L. Or a proficiency level of 1 on the ILR scale (equivalent to Intermediate-low or Intermediate?mid on the ACTFL scale).

Course Content: This course is the fifth semester of Russian language instruction. It is a practical advanced all-round language course, based on the communicative-functional approach to language. We have two goals. The first is to develop functional linguistic proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The second is to develop practical linguo-cultural competence, encompassing both high and popular culture. The textbook, a systematic review of Russian grammar, serves as a skeleton for the course structure. It will be supplemented by various authentic materials in different media developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Special attention will be paid to the contemporary mass media not only as linguistic material, but also as a point of access to Russian culture in its various forms. The course is conducted in Russian. At the end of the year (after this course and its successor Russian 325), most students should have achieved a proficiency level of 2 on the ILR scale (comparable to Advanced on the ACTFL scale).

Textbook:           

• Benjamin Rifkin, Grammatika v kontekste. Russian grammar in literary contexts. McGraw-Hill, 1996. ISBN-10: 007-052831-4.

Recommended reference sources (not required):

• Katzner, Kenneth. English-Russian, Russian-English Dictionary. 2nd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 1994). ISBN: 978-0-471-01707-3.
• Wade, Terence. A Comprehensive Russian Grammar. 3rd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2000). ISBN: 978-1-4051-3639-6.
• Gerhart, Genevra. The Russian's World. 3rd ed. (Slavica Publishers, 2001). ISBN: 978-0-893-57293-8.

Grading. The components of the course grade and their relative weights are:

• Unit exams: 40%
• Daily homework assignments: 20%
• Class participation: 20%
• Cultural project: composition and oral presentation: 10%
• Oral proficiency exams (mid-term and end-of-semester): 10%

There is no final in the course. Plus/minus grading will apply.

Please contact the instructor if you have any questions.

Course Description: Spanning almost a century of Russian literature, this course highlights a gallery of fictional and real rebels and revolutionaries.  What was their cause?  Who supported them?  How were they portrayed in popular novels of the time?  We will supplement textual analysis of prose and poetry with the study of historical documents in order to understand the complex historical, moral, and cultural dimensions of such enduring phenomena as revolution, rebellion, and terrorism.

 Course Materials:

Pushkin, Aleksandr.  The Captain’s Daughter (1836)

Pushkin, Aleksandr.  “In the Depths of Siberian Mines” (1827)*

Turgenev, Ivan.  Fathers and Sons (1862)

Bakunin, Mikhail.  The Revolutionary Catechism (1865) vs. Nechaev's Catechism of the Revolutionary (1869)(excerpts)*

Dostoevsky, Fyodor.  The Demons (1873)

Vera Zasulich's memoirs (excerpts from Five Sisters: Women against the Tsar)*

Andreyev, Leonid.  “The Seven That Were Hanged” (1909)

Bely, Andrei.  Petersburg (1913)

Related documents and articles*

*Included in Course Packet

Grade Evaluations: 

a. Two Response Papers (10% each):  Response papers should reflect your thinking on assigned reading.  Format: 3-5 pages (at least 1,000 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.  You will be evaluated on the depth and quality of your reflections, clarity of style, and cohesive argumentation.  After you receive your paper back, you will have about a week to revise and resubmit it.  Detailed instructions will be provided two weeks before the due date.

 b. Three In-Class Exams (10% each): Each exam will test your knowledge of material discussed in class and read independently at home.

 c.  Presentation (10%): Individually or in pairs, you will prepare a 5-10-minute oral presentation on one of the topics offered in the beginning of the semester.  You will discuss your presentation with your instructor no later than two weeks in advance.

d. Final Paper  (30%):  You final paper may draw on one of your response papers.  It should include  your reflections on the topic supported by textual evidence from assigned works.  Detailed instructions will be available mid-semester.  Format: 8-10 pages (at least 2,500 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.

 e. Participation (10%):  Your instructor will determine this part of the grade based on your preparedness and participation in class.  There are three components of success: regular attendance, advance reading/preparation of assigned materials, and insightful, well-formulated comments during discussions.

Explores the history and practice of food production and consumption in Russia and the former Soviet Union from historical, literary, and cultural points of view.  Using the methodology of food history, we will explore the restrictions, beliefs, etiquette, and taboos surrounding food and drink in Tsarist and Soviet Russia.  From Orthodox Church-mandated dietary restrictions and fasting through the Soviet cult of nutritious and abundant food to “deficit”-driven inventive dishes of the Perestroika period, the history of Russian food reflects the vicissitudes of political, social, economic, and even spiritual life.  Through a variety of historical and literary texts, we will explore the rich cultural context of Russian food and drinks and their role as an integral part of Russian national identity.

Prerequisites: RUS 611C or 412L. Or a proficiency level of 1 on the ILR scale (equivalent to Intermediate-low or Intermediate?mid on the ACTFL scale).

Course Content: This course is the fifth semester of Russian language instruction. It is a practical advanced all-round language course, based on the communicative-functional approach to language. We have two goals. The first is to develop functional linguistic proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The second is to develop practical linguo-cultural competence, encompassing both high and popular culture. The textbook, a systematic review of Russian grammar, serves as a skeleton for the course structure. It will be supplemented by various authentic materials in different media developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Special attention will be paid to the contemporary mass media not only as linguistic material, but also as a point of access to Russian culture in its various forms. The course is conducted in Russian. At the end of the year (after this course and its successor Russian 325), most students should have achieved a proficiency level of 2 on the ILR scale (comparable to Advanced on the ACTFL scale).

Textbook:           

• Benjamin Rifkin, Grammatika v kontekste. Russian grammar in literary contexts. McGraw-Hill, 1996. ISBN-10: 007-052831-4.

Recommended reference sources (not required):

• Katzner, Kenneth. English-Russian, Russian-English Dictionary. 2nd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 1994). ISBN: 978-0-471-01707-3.
• Wade, Terence. A Comprehensive Russian Grammar. 3rd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2000). ISBN: 978-1-4051-3639-6.
• Gerhart, Genevra. The Russian's World. 3rd ed. (Slavica Publishers, 2001). ISBN: 978-0-893-57293-8.

Grading. The components of the course grade and their relative weights are:

• Unit exams: 40%
• Daily homework assignments: 20%
• Class participation: 20%
• Cultural project: composition and oral presentation: 10%
• Oral proficiency exams (mid-term and end-of-semester): 10%

There is no final in the course. Plus/minus grading will apply.

Please contact the instructor if you have any questions.

Focusing on literary and artistic expressions of Russian modernist and avant-garde aesthetics, this course explores various responses to Russian cultural modernity between 1890s, when Russian Symbolists first published their works, and the Party decree of 1932 that established the Writers’ Union and outlawed all other artistic organizations.  Unfolding against the background of the revolutions and civil war in Russia, diverse manifestations of the spirit of modernity were captured by the aesthetics of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, Futurists’ shocking manifestos, socialist realist works, and avant-garde art movements like Constructivism and Malevich’s Suprematism, among others.  While reading critically both textual and non-textual works, we will constantly reference the unique socio-political and cultural context of the period locally and globally in order to create a panoramic vision of possibly the richest period in Russian culture.

Requirements:

Participation – 10%

Short response paper – 15%

Presentation – 15%

Two exams – 30%

Final paper or multimedia project – 30%

Texts:

Dmitry Merezhkovsky. On the Causes of the Decline and on the New Trends in Contemporary Russian Literature (1892) (Excerpts)

Alexandr Blok.  The Unknown Lady (1906)

A Slap in the Face of Public Face (1912)

Igor Stravinsky.  The Rite of Spring (1913)

Vladimir Mayakovsky.  A Cloud in Trousers (1915)

---. About That (1923)

Evgeny Zamiatin. We (1920)

Osip Mandelstam.  The Noise of Time (1923)

Trotsky, Leon.  Literature and Revolution (1923) (excerpts)

Various manifestos and documents (course packet)

Poems by Velimir Khlebnikov, Konstantin Balmont, Valery Bryusov, Anna Akhmatova and others (course packet)

Course Description:

This course is the first semester of intensive Russian language instruction developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading. Writing will be developed primarily through workbook and computer-based home assignments.  We will cover all of Volumes One and Two of the textbooks, Units One through Unit Fourteen in the textbooks, spending about one week on each unit. In addition, this course aims to develop computer literacy skills – in Russian – for you to be truly functional and competitive in the language.

Readings:

Textbook: • Davidson, Gor, and Lekic.  Russian: Stage One: Live from Russia! 2nd ed., vols. 1 and 2, (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2008 and 2009). These packaged sets comprise two basic textbooks, two workbooks, two audio CDs, and two DVDs. Available at the University Co-op.

Recommended:            • Russian/English Dictionary

• Gerhart, G., The Russian’s World, Orlando: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.

• Garza, T., Fundamentals of Russian Verbal Conjugation for Teachers  and Students, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt and ACTR Publications, 1993.

Grading:

There are five components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1.  Testing:  30%

Unit tests: 15%

Final exam: 15%

2.  Homework:  15% 

3.  Participation:  15% 

4.  Portfolio:  20%

5.  Oral Presentation:  20%

Course Description: Spanning almost a century of Russian literature, this course highlights a gallery of fictional and real rebels and revolutionaries.  Were they heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives to improve the lot of others?  Or unscrupulous and manipulative individuals who disguised their thirst for power behind an agenda of societal betterment?  From Pushkin’s portrayal of Emelian Pugachev’s rebellion in the 1770s to Nechaev’s organized revolutionary group, which inspired Dostoevsky’s Demons, to Bakunin’s writings and memoirs of notorious revolutionaries and intelligentsia’s responses to the “revolutionary virus,” the array of representations of rebels and revolutionaries simultaneously served as a reflection of their popular perception and formed the reading public’s opinion on these issues.  We will supplement textual analysis of prose and poetry with the study of historical documents in order to understand the complex historical, moral, and cultural dimensions of such enduring phenomena as revolution, rebellion, and terrorism. 

Course Materials:

Pushkin, Aleksandr.  The Captain’s Daughter (1836)

Pushkin, Aleksandr.  “In the Depths of Siberian Mines” (1827)*

Bakunin, Mikhail.  The Revolutionary Catechism (1865)*

Nechaev's Catechism of the Revolutionary (1869)(excerpts)*

Dostoevsky, Fyodor.  The Demons (1873)

Stepniak-Kravchinsky, Sergei.  Underground Russia: Revolutionary Profiles and Sketches from Life (1883) – Google Books

Vera Zasulich's memoirs (excerpts from Five Sisters: Women against the Tsar)*

Ropshin, V. (Savinkov, Boris) Pale Steed (1909) – Google Books

Andreyev, Leonid. The Seven Who Were Hanged (1909) – Google Books

*Included in course packet available from Jenn’s Copies on Guadalupe St.

Class Attendance:  Daily class attendance is required.  You are expected to read all assigned texts before the class and to participate actively in the discussion.  According to the General Information catalog, “[a] student who is absent from a class or examination for the

observance of a religious holy day may complete the work issued within a reasonable time after the

absence, if proper notice has been given” (page 71). The deadline for notification of such an absence

is fourteen days prior to the class absence or the first class day for religious holy days that fall

within the first two weeks of the semester.

Special Accommodations: At the beginning of the semester, students with disabilities who need special accommodations should notify the instructor by presenting a letter prepared by the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. To ensure that the most appropriate accommodations can be provided, students should contact the SSD Office at 471-6259 or 471-4641 TTY.

Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.  Refer to the Student Judicial Services website for official University policies and procedures on scholastic dishonesty.

Grade Evaluations: 

a. Two Response Papers (30% total): Response papers should reflect your thinking on assigned reading. Format: 2-3 pages (at least 1,000 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt. You will be evaluated on the depth and quality of your reflections, clarity of style, and cohesive argumentation. After you receive your paper back, you will have about a week to revise and resubmit it, if desired. Detailed instructions will be provided two weeks before the draft is due.  

b. Two In-Class and One Take-Home Exams (50% total): Each exam will test your knowledge of material discussed in class and studied independently at home. Exams will include ID, multiple-choice, and essay questions. 

First in-class exam (40 min) – 15%

Take-home exam – 15%

Final in-class exam (75 min) – 20%

c. Presentation (10%): In pairs, you will prepare a 10-15-minute oral presentation on one of the topics offered at the beginning of the semester. You will discuss your presentation with your instructor no later than one week in advance. Graduate students will prepare to teach or co-teach during one class meeting. Two meetings with your instructor are required (one before the class and one after). More instructions to follow.

e. Participation (10%): Your instructor will determine this part of the grade based on your preparedness and participation in class.  There are three components of success: regular attendance, advance reading/preparation of assigned materials, and insightful, well-formulated comments during discussions. Important: Bring your text and reading diary to each class! In the diary, you will record your thoughts, questions, and observations while reading the assigned pieces.  It is tremendously helpful when you are generating ideas for your papers and prepare for exams. 

Course Description:

This course is the first semester of intensive Russian language instruction developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading. Writing will be developed primarily through workbook and computer-based home assignments.  We will cover all of Volumes One and Two of the textbooks, Units One through Unit Fourteen in the textbooks, spending about one week on each unit. In addition, this course aims to develop computer literacy skills – in Russian – for you to be truly functional and competitive in the language.

Readings:

Textbook: • Davidson, Gor, and Lekic.  Russian: Stage One: Live from Russia! 2nd ed., vols. 1 and 2, (Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. 2008 and 2009). These packaged sets comprise two basic textbooks, two workbooks, two audio CDs, and two DVDs. Available at the University Co-op.

Recommended:            • Russian/English Dictionary

• Gerhart, G., The Russian’s World, Orlando: Houghton Mifflin, 1994.

• Garza, T., Fundamentals of Russian Verbal Conjugation for Teachers  and Students, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt and ACTR Publications, 1993.

Grading:

There are five components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1.  Testing:  30%

Unit tests: 15%

Final exam: 15%

2.  Homework:  15% 

3.  Participation:  15% 

4.  Portfolio:  20%

5.  Oral Presentation:  20%

This course is the fourth semester of Russian language instruction developing functional proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This semester we will cover Units 6 through 10 of the textbook, devoting ten class days to instruction for each unit. The goal is to achieve an active vocabulary of 1600-2000 words and an oral proficiency level of what is called `Intermediate Mid’ or `Intermediate High’, as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

Course Requirements: You are expected to attend classes regularly, participate actively in class, do all assigned coursework (written, oral, and preparatory), and take all exams.  An outline of each unit, listing video episodes (found on the DVD), communicative goals, lexical fields, and grammatical topics, is found on pp. vii-xvii of your textbook. An overview of our schedule this semester is given (with dates of exams) is given on p. 5 of this syllabus. The homework assignments are found in the workbook and, for aural work, on the CDs (as well as on the website http://www.livefromrussia.org). We are going to work in group on the Black Board. Every week your group will be assigned a new task. Guidelines will be posted on BB on week before the assignment is due.

If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact your instructor or another student, find out what was covered, and make up the missed work.

In order to do well in this (or any) language class, you must:

Read this syllabus!

Attend class regularly, participate actively, and take notes.

Prepare for each class in advance so that you are familiar with what will be covered that day.

Learn all of the words and expressions which appear in the vocabulary list at the end of each unit covered; these words are utilized in the chapter material. 

Review material specified in the homework assignments and submit written homework on time.

Spend about two hours of preparation for each hour in the classroom. 

Take all exams as scheduled.

Accommodations for disabilities: Any student with a documented disability (physical or cognitive) who requires academic accommodations should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259 (voice) or 471-4641 (TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing) as soon as possible to request an official letter outlining authorized accommodations.

Electronic devices. Please ensure that your cell phone and any other electronic devices are off and out-of-sight throughout the class period. Laptop computers may be utilized during class ONLY for class-related purposes and ONLY with the permission of the instructor. Failure to observe these courtesies will be reflected in your class participation grade.

II. GRADING

There are three components of your final course grade.  These components and their relative weights are:

1. Testing: 50%

In-class tests: 30% Final exam: 15%.  Oral proficiency exam: 5%

There are no make-ups on in-class tests or on the final. If you must miss an exam, contact your instructor as soon as you can. Any accommodations will require documentation of the reason for your absence; otherwise a zero will be recorded. 

2. Homework: 25%+10%

Written homework or in-class quizzes (e.g., vocabulary, grammar checks, etc.) will be graded on a credit/no credit basis. An assignment for which you are not awarded credit may be resubmitted for credit on the following class day. Your homework grade will be the percentage of assignments for which you receive credit.

On Monday in class your group will receive an assignment for the BB work. First posting is due on Friday, 6 p.m. Second posting is due on Sunday that week 10 p.m.

3. Participation: 15%

This grade is determined by your instructor as a reflection of your overall preparedness and performance in class. 

You are expected to a) attend class daily, b) prepare assigned material in advance for each class, and c) respond in class with reasonable accuracy, relevance, and enthusiasm.

Attendance will be recorded by your instructor. While there is no direct, automatic penalty for absences (however, if there is more than 5 unexcused absences, instructor is required to fill out “absence report and submit it to the dean’s office), your attendance record will be reflected in your participation grade: if you aren’t present, you can’t participate.

The result of these calculations will be on a number on a scale of 0-100.  Plus/minus grading will apply. This numerical grade will be converted to a letter grade as follows:

98 – 100 = A+

78 – 79 = C+

94 – 97 = A

74 – 77 = C

90 – 93 = A-

70 – 73 = C-

88 – 89 = B+

68 – 69 = D+

84 – 87 = B

64 – 67 = D

80 – 83 = B-

60 – 63 = D-

59 and below = F

An Incomplete will be granted only under the direst of circumstances (e.g., an unexpected family or health crisis preventing you from continuing your academic work) and you will be asked to substantiate any such circumstances. 

These rules will be strictly observed by your instructor.

III. RESOURCES

Your Textbook comes with two CDs and a DVD that accompany the exercises in each unit, indicated by a "cassette" and "camera" symbol, respectively.  You will greatly enhance your listening comprehension of Russian by using these resources as often as indicated in the book and as possible.  The Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies, Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, and Audio-Visual Library of the General Libraries have extensive collections of recordings that may be checked out for home viewing.  There are vast resources on the Web as well. For example, you can take a look at my blog http://teachl2memo.blogspot.com/, where I collect resources for learners of Russian of different levels. If you have any good finds, let your instructor know. 

Remember to come at least once to the Russian Table, which is held on Fridays and provides you with more opportunities to carry out activities in Russian not associated with your class.

Course Description

Focusing on literary and artistic expressions of Russian modernist and avant-garde aesthetics, this course explores various responses to Russian cultural modernity between 1890s, when Russian Symbolists first published their works, and the Party decree of 1932 that established the Writers’ Union and outlawed all other artistic organizations.  Unfolding against the background of the revolutions and civil war in Russia, diverse manifestations of the spirit of modernity were captured by the aesthetics of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, Futurists’ shocking manifestos, socialist realist works, and avant-garde art movements like Constructivism and Malevich’s Suprematism, among others.  While reading critically both textual and non-textual works, we will constantly reference the unique socio-political and cultural context of the period locally and globally in order to create a panoramic vision of possibly the richest period in Russian culture.

Texts:

Dmitry Merezhkovsky. On the Causes of the Decline and on the New Trends in Contemporary Russian Literature (1892) (Excerpts)

Alexandr Blok.  The Unknown Lady (1906)

A Slap in the Face of Public Face (1912)

Igor Stravinsky.  The Rite of Spring (1913)

Vladimir Mayakovsky.  A Cloud in Trousers (1915)

---. About That (1923)

Evgeny Zamiatin. We (1920)

Osip Mandelstam.  The Noise of Time (1923)

Trotsky, Leon.  Literature and Revolution (1923) (excerpts)

Various manifestos and documents (course packet)

Poems by Velimir Khlebnikov, Konstantin Balmont, Valery Bryusov, Anna Akhmatova and others (course packet 

Requirements and Grading

Participation – 10%

Short response paper – 15%

Presentation – 15%

Two exams – 30%

Final paper or multimedia project – 30%

Course Description: Spanning almost a century of Russian literature, this course highlights a gallery of fictional and real rebels and revolutionaries.  What was their cause?  Who supported them?  How were they portrayed in popular novels of the time?  We will supplement textual analysis of prose and poetry with the study of historical documents in order to understand the complex historical, moral, and cultural dimensions of such enduring phenomena as revolution, rebellion, and terrorism.

 Course Materials:

Pushkin, Aleksandr.  The Captain’s Daughter (1836)

Pushkin, Aleksandr.  “In the Depths of Siberian Mines” (1827)*

Turgenev, Ivan.  Fathers and Sons (1862)

Bakunin, Mikhail.  The Revolutionary Catechism (1865) vs. Nechaev's Catechism of the Revolutionary (1869) (excerpts)*

Dostoevsky, Fyodor.  The Demons (1873)

Vera Zasulich's memoirs (excerpts from Five Sisters: Women against the Tsar)*

Andreyev, Leonid.  “The Seven That Were Hanged” (1909)

Bely, Andrei.  Petersburg (1913)

Related documents and articles*

*Included in Course Packet

Class Attendance:  Twice-weekly class attendance is required.  You are expected to read all assigned texts before the class and to participate actively in the discussion.    According to the General Information catalog, “[a] student who is absent from a class or examination for the

observance of a religious holy day may complete the work issued within a reasonable time after the

absence, if proper notice has been given” (page 71). The deadline for notification of such an absence

is fourteen days prior to the class absence or the first class day for religious holy days that fall

within the first two weeks of the semester.

Deadlines: 

February 15 – First in-class exam

March 1 – Response paper #1 due

March 10 – Revised paper due

March 29 – Second in-class exam

April 7 – Response paper #2 due

April 19 – Revised paper due

May 6 – Third in-class exam

May 15 – Final paper due

*Deadlines are subject to change.  Please consult Blackboard for latest announcements!*

Special Accommodations: At the beginning of the semester, students with disabilities who need special accommodations should notify the instructor by presenting a letter prepared by the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. To ensure that the most appropriate accommodations can be provided, students should contact the SSD Office at 471-6259 or 471-4641 TTY.

Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.  Refer to the Student Judicial Services website for official University policies and procedures on scholastic dishonesty.

Grade Evaluations: 

a. Two Response Papers (10% each):  Response papers should reflect your thinking on assigned reading.  Format: 3-5 pages (at least 1,000 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.  You will be evaluated on the depth and quality of your reflections, clarity of style, and cohesive argumentation.  After you receive your paper back, you will have about a week to revise and resubmit it.  Detailed instructions will be provided two weeks before the due date.

 b. Three In-Class Exams (10% each): Each exam will test your knowledge of material discussed in class and read independently at home.

 c.  Presentation (10%): Individually or in pairs, you will prepare a 5-10-minute oral presentation on one of the topics offered in the beginning of the semester.  You will discuss your presentation with your instructor no later than two weeks in advance.

d. Final Paper  (30%):  You final paper may draw on one of your response papers.  It should include  your reflections on the topic supported by textual evidence from assigned works.  Detailed instructions will be available mid-semester.  Format: 8-10 pages (at least 2,500 words), Times New Roman, 12 pt.

 e. Participation (10%):  Your instructor will determine this part of the grade based on your preparedness and participation in class.  There are three components of success: regular attendance, advance reading/preparation of assigned materials, and insightful, well-formulated comments during discussions.

Course Description

This course is the third semester of Russian language instruction developing functional proficiency in listening, speaking, and reading.  Writing will be developed primarily thorough workbook home assignments. 

Texts:

Russian Stage 2, Welcome Back. Martin-Zaitseiv

Requirements and Grading

In-class tests                        30%

Final Exam                        30%

Homework                        25%

Participation                        15%

Prerequisites: RUS 804, 507, 507T, or appropriate score on Russian placement examination.

RUS 325 Third-Year Russian (45845)

Syllabus

Instructor:                        Marina Potoplyak

E-mail:                        marina.potoplyak@gmail.com

Office Hours:                        MF 11:00 AM-12:30 PM in CAL 429C

and by appointment

Class Meetings:            MWF 10:00-11:00 AM in BEN 1.106

                                    Lab meetings in MEZ 2.120

Course Description:  Building on language skills and cultural competence acquired during first two years of Russian and RUS 324, this course aims at further expansion of students’ vocabulary and improvement of both writing and speaking skills.  In addition to the textbook, this course uses a variety of authentic materials and resources to enhance learning experience.  Russian only is spoken in class.

Course Materials: 

Rosengrant, Sandra F. Focus on Russian: An Interactive Approach to Advanced Communicative Competence.  (FR)

Course Packet available at JENN’S Copies next to Caffé Medici (CP)

Class Attendance:  Regular class attendance and extensive preparation at home are crucial to your success in this class.  It is your responsibility to review the vocabulary and study grammar rules presented in your textbook before coming to class. Bring Focus on Russian and the course packet to class every day.  Please arrive on time, turn off your cell phone, and be ready to participate!  Only three unexcused absences are allowed.  Any additional undocumented absences will result in lower grade (half-grade per absence).  Make sure to complete all assignments missed in class. 

Russian outside the Class:  You are strongly encouraged to join Austin Russian Speakers Meet-Up group (http://www.meetup.com/RusskiYazyk/), so you can practice Russian regularly with native and non-native speakers of Russian.  We will also have a conversation group on Fridays at 12:00 noon (Russian Table).  Please take advantage of all Russia-related activities and events on campus and around Austin.  For example, join Russian Facebook of Austin (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13487049484 to enjoy their non-academic fun activities.  You can earn extra credit by attending Russian film screenings and participating in the departmental events (the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies and CREEES).  Please discuss with the instructor other options to improve your Russian and gain cultural proficiency (independent reading, journaling, blogging, etc.).

Special Accommodations: At the beginning of the semester, students with disabilities who need special accommodations should notify the instructor by presenting a letter prepared by the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. To ensure that the most appropriate accommodations can be provided, students should contact the SSD Office at 471-6259 or 471-4641 TTY.

Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.  Refer to the Student Judicial Services website for official University policies and procedures on scholastic dishonesty.

Grade Evaluations: 

a. Presentation on Russian Culture (5%):  Working in pairs, prepare a 10-min long presentation on one of the topics (in Russian!).  You may use small index cards with an outline of your presentation.  Do not hesitate to ask your instructor for suggestions and resources.  The date of your presentation cannot be changed, so make sure you and your partner have rehearsed the presentation several times before the big day!  Use a variety of authentic materials (music, images, games, etc.) to engage your audience.  Design a short quiz to test their knowledge!   (Make sure to show your presentation to your instructor at least two days in advance!).  

b. Homework (15%): You are responsible for writing out the homework assignments listed on your chapter schedule. Your instructor may assign other homework in addition to that listed on the schedule.  If you receive a “-” you have a chance to resubmit your homework with corrections.    NO LATE HOMEWORK assignments will be accepted, unless you have been absent. In that case, the missing homework must be turned in immediately upon your return to class.

c. Essays and Translations (15% and 15%): Essays and translations will be written individually, outside of class, and should be turned in on the day stated on the chapter schedule.  Translations can be turned in just once.  For the essays, the first due date is for the first draft; the second (“Essay Revised”) specifies when you may turn in your corrected version.  Criteria for grading the take-home essay are similar to those used for the translation exercises. Late essays will have 10% subtracted from the grade for each class day they are late, unless you have been absent due to verified illness, religious holy day, or university-connected activity. In that case, the missing assignment must be turned immediately upon your return to class.

d. Unit Tests (20%):  At the end of each unit, students are expected to show their knowledge of the vocabulary, grammar, and any other relevant cultural information covered in the unit during a 50-min long exam.  There will be no make-ups for unit tests.

e. Class Participation (10%): Evaluated on the grounds of the students’ daily preparedness for class, readiness to contribute to activities, completion of lab tasks, and overall performance.

f. Vocabulary Quizzes (5%):  Short, 10-min translation tests on vocabulary covered in the unit.

g. Final Exam (15%):  Final exam is a comprehensive test covering lexical, grammatical, and cultural issues discussed over the spring semester.  Oral proficiency will also be tested.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE

[1] Date and time of the final exam to be announced

Prerequisites: RUS 611C or 412L. Or a proficiency level of 1 on the ILR scale (equivalent to Intermediate-low or Intermediate?mid on the ACTFL scale).

Course Content: This course is the fifth semester of Russian language instruction. It is a practical advanced all-round language course, based on the communicative-functional approach to language. We have two goals. The first is to develop functional linguistic proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The second is to develop practical linguo-cultural competence, encompassing both high and popular culture. The textbook, a systematic review of Russian grammar, serves as a skeleton for the course structure. It will be supplemented by various authentic materials in different media developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Special attention will be paid to the contemporary mass media not only as linguistic material, but also as a point of access to Russian culture in its various forms. The course is conducted in Russian. At the end of the year (after this course and its successor Russian 325), most students should have achieved a proficiency level of 2 on the ILR scale (comparable to Advanced on the ACTFL scale).

Textbook:           

• Benjamin Rifkin, Grammatika v kontekste. Russian grammar in literary contexts. McGraw-Hill, 1996. ISBN-10: 007-052831-4.

Recommended reference sources (not required):

• Katzner, Kenneth. English-Russian, Russian-English Dictionary. 2nd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 1994). ISBN: 978-0-471-01707-3.
• Wade, Terence. A Comprehensive Russian Grammar. 3rd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2000). ISBN: 978-1-4051-3639-6.
• Gerhart, Genevra. The Russian's World. 3rd ed. (Slavica Publishers, 2001). ISBN: 978-0-893-57293-8.

Grading. The components of the course grade and their relative weights are:

• Unit exams: 40%
• Daily homework assignments: 20%
• Class participation: 20%
• Cultural project: composition and oral presentation: 10%
• Oral proficiency exams (mid-term and end-of-semester): 10%

There is no final in the course. Plus/minus grading will apply.

Please contact the instructor if you have any questions.

Prerequisites: RUS 611C or 412L. Or a proficiency level of 1 on the ILR scale (equivalent to Intermediate-low or Intermediate?mid on the ACTFL scale).

Course Content: This course is the fifth semester of Russian language instruction. It is a practical advanced all-round language course, based on the communicative-functional approach to language. We have two goals. The first is to develop functional linguistic proficiency in the four basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The second is to develop practical linguo-cultural competence, encompassing both high and popular culture. The textbook, a systematic review of Russian grammar, serves as a skeleton for the course structure. It will be supplemented by various authentic materials in different media developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Special attention will be paid to the contemporary mass media not only as linguistic material, but also as a point of access to Russian culture in its various forms. The course is conducted in Russian. At the end of the year (after this course and its successor Russian 325), most students should have achieved a proficiency level of 2 on the ILR scale (comparable to Advanced on the ACTFL scale).

Textbook:           

• Benjamin Rifkin, Grammatika v kontekste. Russian grammar in literary contexts. McGraw-Hill, 1996. ISBN-10: 007-052831-4.

Recommended reference sources (not required):

• Katzner, Kenneth. English-Russian, Russian-English Dictionary. 2nd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 1994). ISBN: 978-0-471-01707-3.
• Wade, Terence. A Comprehensive Russian Grammar. 3rd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, 2000). ISBN: 978-1-4051-3639-6.
• Gerhart, Genevra. The Russian's World. 3rd ed. (Slavica Publishers, 2001). ISBN: 978-0-893-57293-8.

Grading. The components of the course grade and their relative weights are:

• Unit exams: 40%
• Daily homework assignments: 20%
• Class participation: 20%
• Cultural project: composition and oral presentation: 10%
• Oral proficiency exams (mid-term and end-of-semester): 10%

There is no final in the course. Plus/minus grading will apply.

Please contact the instructor if you have any questions.

Добро пожаловать! Welcome to RUS 412! This is the third and final class of the three-semester online sequence. This course is designed to introduce you to the language and culture of one of the most influential and important regions of the world today. Russian is spoken by more than 200 million people in the former Soviet Union, and an additional 150 million throughout the world. Now you can speak it, too.

RUS 412 will be conducted entirely online. We will be using a new multi-media curriculum developed at the University of Texas. All course content and materials will be delivered online, and you will not need to purchase additional textbooks. Students will be required to meet as a class, along with the instructor, one hour per week in a virtual classroom.

The pace of Russian 412 is designed to be moderately intensive. Although class meets as a unit only once a week, you should expect to do between 12 and 18 hours of work each week, depending on the types and number of activities assigned. Many of your assignments will require that you work independently a large portion of the time. You can also expect to work with your classmates for various paired conversation activities online.

The general goal of this course is to introduce you to Russian language and culture. We will work towards developing intermediate-range language proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. And since we will be online, you can expect to start learning to navigate the Russian language realm of the Internet. 

This course follows the dates of the regular University of Texas fall semester, August 30 – December 11.

·       TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

o   Reliable internet connection - A very strong connection is required for weekly class meetings and strongly recommended for other synchronous interactions and video recordings. Do not expect to be able to use a coffee shop’s connection for these.

o   A  working computer with webcam, microphone, and headphones.

o   Canvas is designed to be compatible with Chrome, so if you are using a web browser other than Chrome, you might not have full functionality in Canvas.  Bottom line, use Chrome as your browser for Canvas.

Добро пожаловать! Welcome to RUS 412! This is the third and final class of the three-semester online sequence. This course is designed to introduce you to the language and culture of one of the most influential and important regions of the world today. Russian is spoken by more than 200 million people in the former Soviet Union, and an additional 150 million throughout the world. Now you can speak it, too.

RUS 412 will be conducted entirely online. We will be using a new multi-media curriculum developed at the University of Texas. All course content and materials will be delivered online, and you will not need to purchase additional textbooks. Students will be required to meet as a class, along with the instructor, one hour per week in a virtual classroom.

The pace of Russian 412 is designed to be moderately intensive. Although class meets as a unit only once a week, you should expect to do between 12 and 18 hours of work each week, depending on the types and number of activities assigned. Many of your assignments will require that you work independently a large portion of the time. You can also expect to work with your classmates for various paired conversation activities online.

The general goal of this course is to introduce you to Russian language and culture. We will work towards developing intermediate-range language proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. And since we will be online, you can expect to start learning to navigate the Russian language realm of the Internet. 

This course follows the dates of the regular University of Texas fall semester, August 30 – December 11.

·       TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

o   Reliable internet connection - A very strong connection is required for weekly class meetings and strongly recommended for other synchronous interactions and video recordings. Do not expect to be able to use a coffee shop’s connection for these.

o   A  working computer with webcam, microphone, and headphones.

o   Canvas is designed to be compatible with Chrome, so if you are using a web browser other than Chrome, you might not have full functionality in Canvas.  Bottom line, use Chrome as your browser for Canvas.

Добро пожаловать! Welcome to RUS 412! This is the third and final class of the three-semester online sequence. This course is designed to introduce you to the language and culture of one of the most influential and important regions of the world today. Russian is spoken by more than 200 million people in the former Soviet Union, and an additional 150 million throughout the world. Now you can speak it, too.

RUS 412 will be conducted entirely online. We will be using a new multi-media curriculum developed at the University of Texas. All course content and materials will be delivered online, and you will not need to purchase additional textbooks. Students will be required to meet as a class, along with the instructor, one hour per week in a virtual classroom.

The pace of Russian 412 is designed to be moderately intensive. Although class meets as a unit only once a week, you should expect to do between 12 and 18 hours of work each week, depending on the types and number of activities assigned. Many of your assignments will require that you work independently a large portion of the time. You can also expect to work with your classmates for various paired conversation activities online.

The general goal of this course is to introduce you to Russian language and culture. We will work towards developing intermediate-range language proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. And since we will be online, you can expect to start learning to navigate the Russian language realm of the Internet. 

This course follows the dates of the regular University of Texas fall semester, August 30 – December 11.

·       TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

o   Reliable internet connection - A very strong connection is required for weekly class meetings and strongly recommended for other synchronous interactions and video recordings. Do not expect to be able to use a coffee shop’s connection for these.

o   A  working computer with webcam, microphone, and headphones.

o   Canvas is designed to be compatible with Chrome, so if you are using a web browser other than Chrome, you might not have full functionality in Canvas.  Bottom line, use Chrome as your browser for Canvas.