Why Russian?

But isn’t Russian really hard?

What about the Carleton Moscow Seminar?

“You get to learn about the culture, you can impress your friends by reading a whole new alphabet, and it’s an exciting challenge.” Frances Reid ‘08

“Russian is the 5th most widely spoken language in the world, and yet very few Westerners consider learning it. Be among the few who do! The language is musical, sexy, and fun to speak. Russians love to laugh, drink, make music, talk late into the night, and celebrate anything and everything, and the language is the key to the party.” Jenny Holm ‘07

“Russia is a fascinating place, and most know very little about its history, language and culture.” Robbie Webber ‘07

"There is a whole world of Russian music, art, literature, dance, culture, and science that Americans are largely unaware of." Ben Owens '07

"I took Russian because I love languages, and I knew absolutely nothing about it. The grammar is fascinating and logical. There are also many amusing and useful cognates that quickly broaden your vocabulary." Laura Roberts '10

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What’s special about Russian at Carleton?

"The class sizes are very small, so you quickly get to know everyone in the class. It doesn't take long for everyone to feel like family, and there is always someone to turn to for personal and academic help." Laura Roberts '10

"The Russian professors are the best I've ever met or heard of - as weird as it may sound, Laura Goering teaching you complex grammar structures is not a terrifying experience. In fact, we usually all wind up laughing!" Kevin McGrath '10

"Because of the department's small size, students are able to receive more attention than they typically would. From writing and performing small skits to enjoying a home-cooked Russian meal courtesy of our professor, it is truly an enjoyable experience." Alex Dvorkin ’08

"There are only three professors, your classes will be small, and there's strong community within the department. You can look forward to dinners at Diane/Anna's house and tons of activities put on by the Language Assistant, including the Russian Table during Tuesday lunch, and Russian Tea on Thursday evenings." Dan Callahan ‘08

"If you take Russian, be prepared to do something fun in class every day like singing, watching TV clips in Russian, acting in mini plays, playing trivia, and if it turns out to be your lucky day, getting to taste Russian sweets imported directly from Moscow’s Red October chocolate factory just for the good students in Carleton’s Russian classes." Ben Owens '08

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But isn’t Russian really hard?

"Russian homework, quizzes, and tests are not sneaky. The homework is straightforward, and if you keep up on the homework, the quizzes are easy. All the grammar that you will be tested on is covered in class, so the tests have no surprises. If you study and pay attention in class, you will do well." Laura Roberts '10

"The general consensus in my class of Russian students is that the 100 level classes were not that stressful or too much work….I’ve found that the classroom atmosphere in all my Russian classes was pretty relaxed and jovial and I’ve found that students in Russian classes develop a family-like bond after being together after a while." Ben Owens '08

"Russian is not as difficult as they would have you believe. And when you take Russian here you get to meet a lot of excellent people and know them intimately, besides - not least on account of the small class/department size." Emily Young ‘05

"Russian does come with a bit of a workload, and it can be challenging, but it's nothing unmanageable. In exchange for your effort, you come away with a phenomenally deep understanding of the Russian language and its history, as well as the culture of Slavic nations. Take Russian" Dan Callahan ‘08

"Russian is a lot of work, but it's also fun and rewarding." Ayla Grey ‘08

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What is the department like?

"The size of the department also means that your Tuesday/Thursday sessions are taught by a prof, instead of a TA. Usually, that means Anna. What makes the deal even better is that Anna speaks not a word of English (to students, at least), so your second class will be conducted entirely in Russian. And you'll understand. That's how good she is." Dan Callahan ‘08

"It's a strong department, the professors are great, and other amazing people are taking Russian." Ayla Grey '08

"I’m no Russian department fanatic, but I seriously think that the language requirement should just be made into a general Russian requirement." Ben Owens '07

"There is no other department at Carleton in which you can have such small classes with such strong faculty members." Roddy Theobald '06

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What about the Carleton Moscow Seminar?

"The Moscow Program is reason alone to study Russian. I woke up every morning of those ten weeks with a smile on my face, excited for the new experiences the day would surely bring. In Russia, you never know quite what to expect, which makes each hour, each conversation, each turn of the corner an adventure in itself." Jenny Holm ‘07

"I wanted my study abroad experience to be more than a typical journey around Europe, and taking Russian provided me with the incredible opportunity to live and study in Moscow last fall." Roddy Theobald ‘06

"[Unique experiences on the trip included] learning how to brew and drink a cup of Russian tea properly, getting scolded by my 80-year-old babushka whenever I came back after eleven, getting blessed by people from three different religions in one day, seeing Siberia (which is about as different as the moon is from what you’re used to, and can look an awful lot like it sometimes.)" Ben Owens '07

"I just had a wonderful time on the Moscow program. It was an excellent group and very well run. This trip was a perfect supplement to the courses I had taken and only furthered my interest in Russia." Robbie Webber ‘07

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Can I combine study of Russian with a major in another field?

"Definitely. I'm considering double-majoring in two departments that don't have any overlapping electives, and I plan on completing Russian through to 206 - maybe even further. It's always a matter of planning it out right, and the professors are always happy to work with you to help make things fit." Kevin McGrath '10

"Taking Russian was one of my two or three favorite experiences at Carleton, and as someone who did not end up as a Russian major, I would encourage anyone to consider taking Russian even if their primary academic interests lie elsewhere." Roddy Theobald ’05 (Math major)

"Diane Nemec-Ignashev has been talking to me a lot about different opportunities to combine Russian and geology. Don't let your potential major decide what language you learn. There will always be ways to use the two together if you look for them." Frances Reid ’07 (Geology major)

"I can honestly say that though I won't be majoring in Russian, being that I still don't consider myself a language person, its one of the most valuable experiences I've had so far at Carleton, and expect it only to be more so as this year goes on. The department is really, really strong and though the language is pretty tough and definitely a fair amount of work, I won't lie about that, it's been worth it to me to take a language that I actually enjoy, as opposed to something that I would just suffer through and have wasted however much time." Liza Styles ’09 (Undeclared)

"I know two bio majors for whom Russian is very important (one young woman planning to become a doctor will use Russian next year to volunteer at a clinic with many Russian patients, and a young man I know is going to Russia next summer to study the Russian national parks system.) Another young woman I know took Russian at Carleton largely because she loves the music of Russian composers. For those interested in volunteering, knowledge of Russian provides many opportunities, whether that means working in orphanages, or more recently fighting the AIDS epidemic that is predicted to erupt if the Kremlin continues refusing to admit that Russia has an AIDS problem. This past summer Carleton just had two young women volunteering in both those areas." Ben Owens '07

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