---

German and Russian Studies

Professor Decker (chair); Associate Professor Browne; Assistant Professors Cernahoschi and Kazecki; Visiting Instructor Loginova

Contemporary central and eastern Europe consists of heterogeneous societies with contested cultural traditions. Offerings in the Department of German and Russian studies investigate important interconnections among history, society, culture, and language in the region. The curricula in German and Russian explore societies challenged and invigorated by change and stress the importance of attaining fluency not only in the language but also in the nuances of cultural understanding.

The department offers a major and a minor in German and a minor in Russian. Beginning in 2013-2014, the department also will contribute to the new interdisciplinary program in European studies. More information on the Department of German and Russian studies is available on the website (www.bates.edu/german-russian).

All students, and especially majors and minors, are strongly encouraged to spend an extended period of time abroad prior to graduation. Opportunities to do so include participation in the Bates Fall Semester Abroad programs in Austria, Germany, and Russia; junior-year- or junior-semester-abroad programs; summer sessions; and the various off-campus Short Term courses sponsored by the department.

Entering students are assigned to the appropriate level in language courses according to the following criteria: their performance on the SAT II or Advanced Placement Test of the College Entrance Examination Board taken in secondary school, relative proficiency based on length of previous study, and/or after consultation with an appropriate member of the department.

Literatures and Cultures in Translation

While the department emphasizes the importance of acquiring the fluency needed to study literature and culture in the original, many courses are offered in translation. See listings under individual languages for detailed descriptions of these courses.

GR/RU 248. Narratives of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
GER 254. Berlin and Vienna, 1900–1914.
GER s20. Transylvanian Journey: Myth, Reality, and the Traveler "beyond the Forest."
INDS s13. Daily Life under Hilter and Stalin.

RUSS 120. Kusturica: Gentle Barbarian or Barbaric Gentleman?
ES/RU 216. Nature in Russian Culture.
INDS 256. Rites of Spring.
RUSS 261. Russian Culture.
RUSS 270. Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature.
RUSS s26. Russian and Soviet Film.

Major Requirements

The major consists of nine courses at the 200 level or above. Required are GER 233, 234, and at least one course from each of the following four groups: 1) 241, 242, 301, 303, 310; 2) 243, 244; 3) 357, 358; 4) 270, 356. In addition, majors must complete at least one of the following: ENG 295, PHIL 234, 272, 273. Students for whom German is the only major must also register for the senior thesis, 457 or 458. Students may choose to pass a series of comprehensive examinations in German if German is one of two majors and they complete a thesis in the other major.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major except for 201, 202, and/or 233; nor for the minor except for 101, 102, 201, 202 and/or 233.

Minor

A minor requires a minimum of seven courses in German. At least one of the seven courses must involve a study of literature or culture (taught either in the language or in translation), but only one course in translation may be counted toward the minor. A student may petition to have up to three comparable courses, completed at other institutions either in the United States or abroad, apply toward the minor. Advanced Placement courses may not be applied toward the minor.

Courses
Short Term Courses

Major Requirements for the Classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015

A major in Russian is available for the classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015. The department expects students majoring in Russian to have a broad exposure to Russian language and culture and strongly encourages majors to spend some portion of an academic year in Russia by the end of the junior year.

To fulfill the major in Russian, students complete ten courses: five from the language sequence, PLTC 232, any Russian literature/culture course, and three electives from the offerings in Russian literature/culture. Students may petition to have appropriate Short Term course(s) count toward the major.

Students for whom Russian is the only major must complete a thesis, RUSS 457 or 458, which may count as one of the ten courses. Students may choose to pass a comprehensive examination based on their course work when Russian is one of two majors and they complete a thesis in the other major.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major or minor, except for 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, and 302.

Minor

A minor requires a minimum of seven courses in Russian. At least one of the seven courses must involve a study of literature or culture (taught either in the language or in translation), but only one course in translation may be counted toward the minor. A student may petition to have up to three comparable courses, completed at other institutions either in the United States or abroad, apply toward the minor. Advanced Placement courses may not be applied toward the minor.

Courses
Short Term Courses