Russian and East European Studies (REES) academic plans and courses

Minor in Russian and East European Studies

The Minor consists of 8 courses with a minimum cumulative average of 65%.

*Two courses from:*
RUSS 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302
*Six courses from any of the following:*
Croatian (CROAT)	101, 102, 201, 202, 496
Polish (POLSH)	101, 102, 201, 202
REES	220, 230, 260, 261, 262, 273, 274, 281, 320, 330, 341, 342, 360, 420, 460, 490, 495
History (HIST)	263, 265, 278, 316, 356
Political Science (PSCI)	253, 355, 451

Certificate in Russian Language

Students must successfully complete two academic course units (four courses) in RUSS or REES language, with the exclusion of courses taught in English, with a cumulative average of 70%.

Courses in Russian and East European Studies

We use two rubrics to designate our courses in Russian:

RUSS (short for Russian) is used for courses in the Russian language
REES (short for Russian and East European Studies) is used for courses taught in English that deal with Russian and eastern European culture, literature, and languages

The Schedule of Classes link on the sidebar will give you up-to-date information about the availability of these courses.

RUSS courses

Course	Requisites	Normally offered
RUSS 101 Elementary Russian I: A study of Russian grammar and composition with emphasis on oral practice and pronunciation.	None This course is not open to students with native, near-native or similar advanced ability.	Fall term Winter term
RUSS 102 Elementary Russian II: A continuation of RUSS 101.	RUSS 101 This course is not open to students with native, near-native or similar advanced ability.	Winter term
RUSS 201 Intermediate Russian I: This course is open to students who have either a basic level of proficiency or a cultural / familial tie to the language. It includes a review of more advanced grammatical structures, practice in reading, composition, and conversation. Students will enhance their language skills, speech etiquette, and sociocultural awareness of the Russian-speaking world through authentic text and multimedia resources.	RUSS 102	Fall term
RUSS 202 Intermediate Russian II: A continuation of RUSS 201. This specialized Russian language course is designed for students with an interest in the fields of science, technology, and business. The focus is on specialized terminology and its usage in professional contexts.	RUSS 201 or RUSS 251	Winter term
RUSS 203 Integrative Language Studies I: This course develops competence in Russian through the use of authentic materials. With an emphasis on vocabulary building and consolidation of core grammar.	RUSS 201 (co-req.)	Currently not offered
RUSS 204 Russian for Heritage Speakers: This course is designed for students with Russian speaking background who have not received formal language training.	Department consent	Currently not offered
RUSS 301 Advanced Russian I: In terms of vocabulary building, the comprehension of the literary language is especially stressed.	RUSS 202 or RUSS 252	Currently not offered
RUSS 302 Advanced Russian II: A continuation of RUSS 301.	RUSS 301 or RUSS 351	Currently not offered
RUSS 303 Integrative Language Studies II: This course advances competence in Russian through the use of authentic materials, with an emphasis on vocabulary building and advanced-level writing skills.	RUSS 203 or 204	Currently not offered

REES courses

The REES courses are all taught in English.

Course	Requisites	Normally offered
REES 100 Legendary Past: Russian Myths and Heroes: An introduction to myths in Ancient Russia.	None	Currently not offered
REES 180 German and Russian Literary Masterpieces: An examination of major Russian and German literary works that have influenced world literature. (Cross-listed with GER 180).	None	Currently not offered
REES 220 Russian Folklore: Once Upon a Fairy Tale: Fairy Tales, Then and Now: This course studies fairy tales in the broader context of the history of childhood and practises of education and socialization. (Cross-listed with GER 220).	None	Currently not offered
REES 230 The Devil: The devil and demonic figures in Russian and Slavic cultural traditions.	None	Currently not offered
REES 260 Special Topics: Selected topics in Russian and East European Studies chosen by the instructor. (Students may take REES 260 more than once as long as the topics are different.)	None	Currently not offered
REES 261 Languages and Society I: A linguistic perspective on languages in multilingual societies. Dialects, language & identity, and bilingualism are studied. (Cross-listed with ENGL 220A, GER 261).	None	Occasionally
REES 262 Languages and Society II: The cultural perspective on languages in multilingual societies. Topics include language maintenance and planning. (Cross-listed with ENGL 220B, GER 262).	None	Occasionally
REES 271 Russian Thought and Culture: A course in Russian cultural history from the late tenth century to the late nineteenth century. Lectures and class discussions will focus on major works in the literary and visual arts, as seen against the background of Russian history.	None	Fall term
REES 272 Russian Thought and Culture: A survey of Russian culture from the nineteenth century to the present day.	None	Winter term
REES 273 Croatian Culture and Literature: Evolution of Croatian culture from the beginnings until 1835	None	Fall term
REES 274 Croatian Culture and Literature: Evolution of Croatian culture from 1835 to the present.	None	Winter term
REES 280 Comparative Literature: Theory and Practice:An introduction to comparative literature, its history as a discipline and its continuing role in literary studies. (Cross-listed with ENGL 220C, GER 280).	None	Currently not offered
REES 281 Women in Russia: The Conscience of a Nation:The cultural and social impact of women on Russian society and intellectual development. (Cross-listed with WS 281).	None	Currently not offered
REES 310 Russian Folklore: The cultural background of East Slavic mythology and the Russian fairy tale.	None	Currently not offered
REES 320 The Slavic Short Story: A detailed examination of Russian and eastern European short stories.	None	Currently not offered
REES 330 Russian Politics though Literature: 20th- century Russian literature is used to examine Soviet society.(Cross-listed with PSCI 368).	None	Currently not offered
REES 341 Russian Drama before 1905: A study of the origins and development of Russian drama. Reading and critical analysis of major works with emphasis on authors of the 19th century. (Cross-listed with DRAMA 381).	Anti: RUSS 341	Currently not offered
REES 342 Russian Drama after 1905: A continuation of REES 341. (Cross-listed with DRAMA 382).	Anti: RUSS 342	Currently not offered
REES 360 Special Topics: Selected topics in Russian and East European Studies chosen by the instructor. (Students may take REES 360 more than once as long as the topics are different.)	Level at least 2A	Currently not offered
REES 364 German and Russian Film Pioneers: An examination of early German and Russian cinema, and the way these two film industries influenced each other. (Cross-listed with FINE 364 and GER 364).	Level at least 2A	Currently not offered
REES 385 Culture Behind the Iron Curtain: An examination of the culture of the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic, and other states that experimented with socialism in the 20th century. (Cross-listed with GER 385).	None	Currently not offered
REES 460 - Special Topics: Selected topics in Russian and East European Studies chosen by the instructor.(Students may take REES 460 more than once as long as the topics are different.)	Level at least 3A	Currently not offered
REES 490 Senior Honours Project: Russian and East European Honours students in their third or fourth year may complete a major project, the results of which must be presented in a substantial essay.	Department consent	Fall term Winter term Spring term
REES 495 Reading Course in Approved Topics: Study in selected topics under direction of instructor.	Department consent	Fall term Winter term Spring term
REES 496 Study Abroad	Department consent	Fall term Winter term Spring term