Postgraduate taught 

Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies MSc/PgDip

Russian For Social Scientists (Intermediate) CEES5055

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Social and Political Sciences
  • Credits: 40
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Runs Throughout Semesters 1 and 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course provides students with intensive Russian language tuition over 2 semesters of study. The course is taught to enable students to enhance the basic skills they have developed through entry-level courses. In so doing they will acquire sufficient linguistic knowledge and translating skill to be able to read social sciences' texts of an intermediate standard in the original language and to use these in their study of social sciences' disciplines. They will also develop the requisite oral and aural skills to deal with more complex situations in Russian. In addition they will have acquired sufficient writing skills to be able to provide a considered account of their research. At the end of the course the students will have attained the necessary competence in Russian in order to use original intermediate level language sources competently with the help of a dictionary, so that they can undertake more advanced research programmes or employment in the field of Central and East European Studies.

Timetable

4 hours weekly. Class times to be arranged

Assessment

1. End-of-course written examination: There will be one two-hour written examination at the end of the year which will test translation, comprehension and writing skills. The end-of-course examination is worth 70% of the overall mark.
2. Oral examination: there will be an oral examination at the end of the year of approximately 20 minutes? duration which will test comprehension and speaking skills. Students will be required to give a presentation in Russian on their research. The oral examination is worth 30% of the overall mark.

Main Assessment In: April/May

Course Aims

This course provides students with intensive Russian language tuition over 2 semesters of study. The course is taught to enable students to enhance the basic skills they have developed through entry-level courses. In so doing they will acquire sufficient linguistic knowledge and translating skill to be able to read social sciences' texts of an intermediate standard in the original language and to use these in their study of social sciences' disciplines. They will also develop the requisite oral and aural skills to deal with more complex situations in Russian. In addition they will have acquired sufficient writing skills to be able to provide a considered account of their research. At the end of the course the students will have attained the necessary competence in Russian in order to use original intermediate level language sources competently with the help of a dictionary, so that they can undertake more advanced research programmes or employment in the field of Central and East European Studies.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
Read and translate standard social sciences' texts with the aid of a dictionary
Write a full summary in English of a Russian social sciences' text
Conduct conversations in Russian and give a presentation about their research
Make effective use of dictionaries and other reference sources
Understand oral presentations in Russian of social sciences' topics

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

none