Dickinson in Russia

Moscow Programs

• In the post-Soviet era, Russia exhibits a vibrant, creative spirit, visible in radical new theatre productions and audible everywhere. Expect to hear rap and world-beat music on the streets.

• The city of Moscow was founded in 1167 by Prince Yury Dolgoruky—also known as “Yury the Long-Armed.” It is now a modern center for international trade, but retains much of its old-world character, including many opulent buildings capped with the traditional “onion domes” so often associated with the city.

• Moscow honors its rich literary tradition and has preserved the homes of some of the world’s best writers, including Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Chekhov. The arts remain an integral part of daily life for many Muscovites, who take full advantage of inexpensive tickets for live dance, music and theatre performances.

Dickinson’s Moscow programs give students the opportunity to develop their language skills and explore one of the world’s most exciting and fascinating countries.

Students study at the Russian State University for the Humanities, in Moscow, the heart of Russia, where they also can take advantage of museums, theatre, film and other cultural activities. The program also includes travel to other areas of this vast country, including St. Petersburg and the cities of the Golden Ring. During vacations, trips also can be arranged to Siberia and the Black Sea, among other destinations.

While in Moscow, each student lives with a specially selected family who is eager to take an active role in the student’s international experience. This gives each student a unique opportunity to speak Russian in a casual setting. Students and families learn from one another and often become close friends.

Students who go on Dickinson’s Moscow programs come away with an intensified love of the culture and the people and always have a strong desire to return.

Programs and Courses
Dickinson provides several opportunities for study in Moscow. Students interested in Russian area studies who have no previous knowledge of the language may sometimes be eligible for summer study. Students with a working knowledge of the language may spend a summer, a semester or a full year abroad. Students enrolled in a semester or year program take courses at the Russian State University for the Humanities. While course offerings vary from year to year, previous participants have received credit for the following classes:

• Russia Today
• Conversational Russian
• Advanced Grammar
• Phonetics
• Language of the Russian Press
• Russian Theatre
• Russian Art
• The History of Moscow
• Russian Orthodoxy
• Teaching Methodology

Outside opportunities, such as studying other languages, internships and teaching English, may also be arranged.

More than Just an Internship
A recent program participant joined a group of other Dickinson students in presenting a small performance at a Moscow orphanage. When he saw how emotionally the teenagers from the orphanage reacted to his playing banjo and singing in English and Russian, he decided to make his visits weekly so that he could interact with the children and teach them some English on a regular basis.

The Summer Language Immersion Program
The Moscow-St. Petersburg Summer Immersion Program is held in both Moscow (three weeks) and St. Petersburg (two weeks). Students develop language skills in three hours of Russian conversation classes per day taught “on site” at the markets and shops, in cafés and restaurants, in the metro, on buses and on trams. In addition, English-language lectures on Russian culture, politics, art, architecture and theatre feature guest lecturers from the Russian State University for the Humanities and St. Petersburg State University.

Students must have completed the beginning level of college Russian or the equivalent prior to departure. For successfully completing the Immersion Program students earn one credit.

The program is designed to serve both Russian language and Russian area studies majors.

Students live with Russian families in Moscow and St. Petersburg, where students meet “real Russians” and practice their language skills.

Academic Credit
Students who successfully complete the Summer Immersion Program receive one course credit toward the Russian major or minor. For the successful completion of a semester in the Moscow program, participants receive a total of 4.5 credits, applicable to the Russian major or minor. Normally, students who complete an academic year of study can expect to receive eight or nine course credits at Dickinson.

On-Site Administration
The on-site resident director, Elena Aysakova, in close communication with the Dickinson on-campus coordinator, administers the academic program and provides on-site support and advisement to students. The resident director also plans a rich cultural program and accompanies group excursions. She carefully selects and serves as liaison with home-stay families.

Housing
In order to give students the best possible opportunity to participate in Russian society, students in all programs live with carefully selected local families.

* This is the program fee for 2008-09; the program fee for 2009-10 will correspond to on-campus tuition and fees and will be determined during spring 2009.

Program Fee Includes
• tuition and fees
• room and board
• visa
• pre-departure and on-site orientations
• academic excursions

Program fee does not include primary health insurance, airfare, passport, immunizations, optional travel, personal expenses, meals and housing during vacations, books and supplies.

Special Requirements
2.8 GPA
Students must complete at least four semesters of Russian before studying abroad

Links

For more information, contact
Prof. Elena Duzs, On-Campus Coordinator
Department of Russian
Dickinson College
P.O. Box 1773
Carlisle, PA 17013-2896
Phone: (717) 245-1276
E-mail: duzs@dickinson.edu