Russian

This course presents a broad picture of political and cultural situation, including the Russo-Chinese contacts in the 17th-19th centuries. It covers the Kievan Rus, the period of division, culture of the period of Mongol dependency, culture of independent Moscow state; the beginning of secular culture in the 17th century; reforms of Peter I, Westernization of Russian culture in the 18th century; the golden age of aristocratic culture at the end of the 18th century; new trends and schools in Russian culture at the beginning of the 20th century.

UCEAP Keio students are not eligible to enroll as this is a year-long course starting in the spring semester.  This course is designed for students who are learning Russian for the first time. Over the course of one year, the course teaches the grammar necessary to read standard Russian texts.

This semester focuses on mastering the fundamentals of pronunciation and grammar, emphasizing pronunciation, stress, and intonation. In addition, the class acquires essential vocabulary, grammatical structures, and basic sentence patterns that form the foundation for reading comprehension and written expression. The goal of the course is to develop one's ability to read simple Russian texts independently using a dictionary and grammar reference.

This course (followed by RU2202 in Semester 2) is the language track at second level for students who took the beginners' modules (RU1001 and RU1002) at first level. The most important elements of Russian grammar taught in the first year are reinforced and key intermediate grammatical topics are introduced. Audio-visual and writing classes are designed to improve listening comprehension and writing fluency in the language. Oral skills are developed with a native speaker in small-group oral classes. Students must have passed 1st year Russian language (or equivalent for visiting students) in order to take this course.

This course is intended for those who are learning Russian for the first time. Starting with alphabet and pronunciation, the course discusses what kind of country Russia is and what kind of language Russian is, as well as Russian culture.  

The course introduces students to three or more works of pre-20th-century literature and culture to be read in Russian, while improving reading and comprehension skills. It includes a combination of canonical and non-canonical texts by women and men, and explores the cultural and institutional contexts in which texts were produced, published, read, or viewed. Students share impressions through class and online discussions, and informal presentations. Students must have passed 1st year Russian, or equivalent for visiting students.

This course develops beginner to intermediate Russian language skills in a dynamic and communicative way. The course develops all four language skills (i.e. speaking, listening, reading and writing) through individual and group work, topical discussions, and authentic and web-based multi-media materials. The focus is on accuracy as well as communication that advance students’ language competence, transferable skills, and cultural awareness.

This course develops instrumental skills in the Russian language up to the A2 level. It focuses on the basics of applied Russian grammar especially related to verbs, describing the phonetic, grammatical, and lexical structures of Russian, and understanding and producing oral and written work. The course covers morphology and syntax; lexical topics; and vocabulary.

This intermediate A2 level Russian language course focuses on the four skills of listening comprehension, spoken expression, reading comprehension, and written expression to enable students to use documentation in Russian and to practice the language in a non-specialized context. The listening comprehension section focuses on understanding sentences in simple, everyday situations and following short conversations on familiar topics. The spoken expression section allows for conversation in practical, simple, and predictable situations; holding a simple conversation; and summarizing a text. The reading comprehension section practices reading texts fluently and understanding the familiar elements. Finally, the written expression section provides an opportunity to compose a story. Some sessions may be devoted to Russian culture and civilization. In addition to the textbook, the course utilizes extracts from newspapers and other news media. The grammar and vocabulary learned enable students to form a descriptive and explanatory level of speech.