Program in Russian and East European Studies

Program Director
Charles Rougle
Associate Professor, Slavic and Eurasian Studies


The major in Russian and East European Studies offers interdisciplinary training, including necessary language skills, in a critically important geographic area. Three concentrations are available: (1) History, (2) Political Science, (3) Soviet and post-Soviet Russia. The major provides excellent preparation for post-graduate work in Russian and East European studies, international law, business, education, foreign affairs and public administration, as well as for professional careers in public or private organizations involved in international activities.

Through cooperation with the State University of New York Office of International Programs, the Russian and East European Studies Program provides advanced students with the opportunity to spend one semester in Russia. Students with appropriate language skills are encouraged to participate in the UAlbany exchange program with Moscow University and enroll in courses in the Russian Area Studies Program at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies. Besides instruction in Russian Language, available courses taught entirely in Russian include Russian History, Russian Culture, Literature, and Religion, Russian Economics and Russian Economic Geography, Russian Society and Politics, Russian International Relations and Foreign Policy, Ethnology in Russia, and Russian Civilization. Adequate language proficiency is a requirement for this option, and application is subject to approval by the faculty of the Slavic and Eurasian Studies Program.


Requirements for the Major in Russian and East European Studies

General Program B.A.: REES Concentration in History 35 credits as follows:

Culture: 3 credits from A RUS 161 or 162

History: 12 credits from A HIS 353, 354, 355, and 483

Political Science: 3 credits from R POS 354

Language: 8 credits from among
 A RUS  101-102 and/or 200-500 level courses
 A POL  101-102
 A UKR  101-102
 or other East European languages as advised

Senior Seminar: 3 credits from A RES 498Z

Electives: 6 credits from 2 prefixes from among
 A HIS 456, 463, 481, 483, or 485 (when topic is relevant) or other History courses as advised
 R POS 356, 452


General Program B.A.: REES Concentration in Political Science 35 credits as follows:

Political Science: 18 credits from R POS 102, 370, 371, 354, 356, and 452 (or other Political Science courses as advised)

History: 3 credits from A HIS 355

Language: 8 credits from among
 A RUS 101-102 and/or 200-500 level courses
 A POL 101-102
 A UKR 101-102
 or other East European languages as advised

Senior Seminar: 3 credits from A RES 498Z

Electives: 3 credits from among 
 
A HIS 353, 354, 483 
 R POS 350, 351, or 461


General Program B.A.: REES Concentration in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia 35 credits as follows:

Culture: 6 credits from A RUS 162 and A RUS 161, 270, 280, or 380

History: 6 credits from A HIS 354 and A HIS 355

Political Science: 6 credits from R POS 354 and R POS 356

Language: 5 credits of Russian language above A RUS 201

Literature: 6 credits from A RUS 252 and A RUS 253

Senior Seminar: 3 credits from A RES 498Z

Electives: 3 credits from among
 A HIS 456, 463, 481, 483, or 485 (when topic is relevant)
 R POS 350, 351, 452, 461
 A RUS 161, 251, 261, 270, 280, 354, 380