College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences > Academics > Modern Languages > Student Resources > Language Resources > Russian

Russian

 

  • The Russian language is in high demand for careers in intelligence, cybersecurity and foreign service.
  • Russian is spoken by 300 million people worldwide and is one of the official languages of the United Nations.
  • Russia has impressive cultural achievements in science, mathematics, film, art, music and literature.
  • Russian is a useful adjunct to professional programs in law, medicine, business, education, science/engineering and many other fields.
  • Russian is the second most common language on the internet.
  • Russian-US relations are at the center of international politics and will continue to be in the future.
Click here for more information on the benefits of learning Russian.
DePaul offers Russian language classes at all levels, and has two minor options in Russian. DePaul’s Russian Language minor will help students acquire a solid proficiency in speaking, reading and writing Russian, one of the world’s most important global languages.The Russian Studies minor offers an interdisciplinary focus on the history, culture, art and politics of Russia, along with a grounding in the Russian language. Study of Russian increases not only language skills but critical thinking and analytical skills as well as inter-cultural awareness.
Russian students are a diverse group with wide-ranging interests and goals. Many study Russian as a complement to majors in political science, business, international relations or history. Others explore Russia’s contributions to world culture in the areas of art, dance, theater, film and literature. Science and Math majors also find Russian is a major language for research in their fields.  Many students from Russian-speaking families (from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and other nations) study Russian to understand their family heritage and deepen the connection with cultural roots. Still others study Russian to enhance a career plan in law, medicine or education, working with immigrants to the United States.
Practically anything!  One of the many benefits of a language major is the flexibility afforded to students.  You could even work for NASA, as Russian is a required language for astronauts who work aboard the International Space Station! Russian is considered a critical language by the U.S. Government and is a desirable skill for anyone seeking security, diplomatic or foreign service work. However, one of the many benefits of a language major is the flexibility afforded to you. You can work in whatever areas you've gained experiences in while in college through part-time jobs, internships and student organizations.  If you are interested in living/working in the Russia, review Russian companies and job postings to better understand what is available to you.
 
Students can work in whatever areas they've gained experiences in while in college through part-time jobs, internships and student organizations.  If a student is interested in working in hospitality, for example, they can study Russian and complete hospitality courses while also working a part-time job in the hospitality industry.  If a student is interested in working for the government, they can begin as volunteers in a government office, apply for City of Chicago internships, and work part-time as an office assistant or desk receptionist for an alderman's office.  Working on campus in an administrative capacity can also provide students with excellent experiences in an office setting.

Students gain a variety of skills when they complete language courses, which prepares them for success as a professional in any field.  Students can improve their verbal & written communication skills, interpersonal skills, ability to work in diverse environments, and critical thinking skills, to name a few.  Students may also find a more comprehensive list of what they can do with a language major through the Career Center's websiteAuburn University also has a list of additional skills/benefts gained from language study.

It's important to note that many people do not work in jobs directly related to their major if they don't seek out professional experiences while in college related to their area of study. It is therefore important for students to recognize the overall skills they gain and need to develop while in college, while studing what they enjoy and that corresponds with their strengths.  If students enjoy working/talking with people from other cultures and enjoy the wonder and beauty of self-expression in other languages, a language program may be a good fit! Here are a few articles that address this point:
A college degree can help students qualify to apply for a job; experience, likability, and fit are what get them hired. Students can work on all of these while they are in college, so as to make the most of their college experience and expenses. Read more about the skills employers are looking for in new hires (link above) and look for opportunities to polish these skills.

In Pursuit of Russian

A language "studies" minor allows students to complete classes in the target language and classes in English about the target language culture (religion, history, art, etc.).  This makes language studies minor desirable, as students have more flexibility to select courses that best fit their needs and interests.  Students may be able to double count their learning domain requirements with the "studies" courses (also know as "allied" courses) when they pursue a language studies minor.  In order to fit a language studies minor into their graduation timeline, students are recommended to complete approved allied courses that are also learning domain approved courses.  For a list of approved allied and learning domain courses, please click here.

Language Proficiency Development

  • Submit an article in Russian for Creating Knowledge
  • Submit an article in Russian for Global Voices
  • Visit Gramota.ru, an online informational and reference source with free question-and-answer service, dictionaries, references sources and additional information on Russian publications and news.
  • Listen to the Slow Russian Podcast.
  • Луч света - learn about contemporary topics in Russian news media from selected video segments with contextualizations and transcripts.
  • Listen to on-the-street interviews from the Easy Russian series on YouTube.
  • Watch the classic sitcom, The Kitchen (Кухня), with English subtitles on YouTube.
  • Listen to Russian language podcasts about slang and everyday speech for intermediate/advanced learners.
  • Watch Soviet/Russian class films on YouTube.
  • Listen to local Russian radio broadcasting and Russian radio
  • Get to know "Echo of Moscow" radio: At this site, click on various live audio streams titled "слушать" to hear the live feed of "Echo of Moscow" radio (live broadcasts in Russian are known as прямой эфир). Or you can download (скачать) audio files (звуковые файлы) of past broadcasts. Keep the time difference in mind: EST is 8 hours behind Moscow time.
  • Get a feel for contemporary Russian music at Radio 101. Radio 101 is the web service that remains one of Russian radio’s best post-Soviet radio stations. This site offers English-language navigation for various Russian musical genre channels. Click on stations like «Россия Топ 50», «Russian Dance», «Русский рок», or go right to the “Golden Collection” and try various Russian groups.
  • Listen and view authentic Russian audio and video. Install the TuneIn app and use its search feature to locate dozens and dozens of Russian-related audio sites (just search “Russian”).
  • Watch Russian programs on Netflix using the language learning mode extension on your browser.
  • Mosfilm Studios has made a large number of its classic films freely streamable on the Web. Create a free Mosfilm account and watch all the films you want (you pay only for downloads). Even simpler, go to the official Mosfilm Channel on Youtube.

Employment Opportunities

  • Consider this to be a list of possibilities ~ Bi/multilingual students have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. The key is to gain experiences relevant to your future career so that employers don't have to spend more time and money to train you.  
  • Find additional internship/job options through DePaul Handshake. Once you log in, click on jobs/internships and review the jobs/internships that have been posted.
  • Gather additional information about the types of internships that are available with the companies you're interested in, research intern applicant requirements, and gain perspective on what employers are looking for in job applicants so that you may work to gain those skills. 
The posting of an internship or job does not mean that DePaul University is making any recommendation regarding the internship or job.  Students should understand that DePaul University does not make any representations or guarantees about the accuracy of information regarding internships and jobs included here.  Students are responsible for requesting additional information from a potential internship site or employer as necessary to make internship or employment decisions.
  • Gazprom ~ Gazprom is a global energy company focused on geological exploration, production, transportation, storage, processing and sales of gas, gas condensate and oil, sales of gas as a vehicle fuel, as well as generation and marketing of heat and electric power.
  • Sberbank ~ Sberbank today is the circulatory system of the Russian economy, accounting for one third of its banking system. The Bank provides employment and a source of income for every 150th Russian family.
  • EducationUSA ~ EducationUSA hosts several in-person internships throughout the year (fall, spring, and summer). Prospective interns apply through the U.S. Department of State's internship website and should note their interest in EducationUSA in their essay. If unable to relocate to Washington, D.C. for an internship, students can also explore a virtual internship as a Virtual Student Foreign Service Intern. EducationUSA works with several virtual interns annually on projects for the Washington, D.C. office, as well as for EducationUSA advising centers around the world. Projects include everything from graphic design and social media to working with centers on special regional international student recruitment issues.
  • Going Global ~ provides country-specific career and employment information. Search for jobs and internships in more than 30 countries and over 50 USA metropolitan areas. View country career guides, get news on H-1B Visa employers and more. Campus Connection login and password required.
  • XPAT Jobs ~  We are one of the largest global job boards with millions of job opportunities in over a hundred countries and languages worldwide. We upload new jobs every minute of every day so keep coming back for the latest vacancies. You can apply for all our listed jobs for free, set up job email alerts or alternatively upload your CV and allow our head-hunters and recruitment agents to find your next job for you.

Financial Support

  • Fulbright, Boren, Marshall, Rhodes, Carnegie, Truman information for DePaul students can be found online here.
  • American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) ~ List of scholarships by languages
  • Critical Language Scholarship Program ~ The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully-funded overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. With the goal of broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, CLS provides opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning.
  • Students may review and apply for scholarships available to DePaul students through the Academic Works scholarship application site.

Study Abroad

Please note that the following is a list of ideas, not recommendations. Students should thoroughly research their options and consult the Study Abroad Office before making any study abroad program decisions. Please also note that the number of credits/classes students may complete in a winter/spring quarter vs spring semester may not be the same. Please review information about study abroad and degree progress provided under advising FAQs and plan accordingly.