Russian Studies at William & Mary
Why Russian?
Russian is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 140 million native speakers, and is considered a critical needs language by the U.S. government. W&M students have the opportunity to take four full years of Russian, live in the Russian House with a native Russian tutor, and study and research abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia, on a faculty-led summer program. Students of Russian are eligible for a number of scholarships to study in Russia. And with the increasingly important role Russia is playing in the global community, speakers of Russian are in high demand for a variety of different careers.
Support Ukraine!
REES Statement on the Russian War Against Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, on the order of Vladimir Putin, Russian armed forces invaded the sovereign country of Ukraine. This assault is accompanied by a barrage of lies and historical falsehoods to justify Russian aggression.
The faculty of the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies Program strongly condemn this war, which has brought death and suffering to the people of Ukraine, which could undermine Ukraine's statehood, and which threatens the security and peace in the region.
Path of Study
Applied Learning
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Courses
Learn about Russian Myths and Legends (RUSN 250), Russian Media Culture (RUSN 350) and The Enemy Among Us: the Spy Genre in Russia and the West (RUSN 395).*
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Study Abroad
Complete a multimedia research project, study and immerse yourself in Russian language and culture at the European Humanities University in Vilnius.
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Russian House
Live among your peers and an international fellow as part of this living-learning community that hosts social activities and tutoring hours.
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Melodia Ensemble
Embrace East European and Russian music and fulfill ARTS proficiency requirement by learning to play domra and balalaika.
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Gazeta
Join the editorial board of the only Russian language newspaper on the William & Mary campus.
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Join the research team for Russian Movie Theater Project
Take part in research or be on the film series organizing committee to study and build the Russian film archive.
Resources for Current Students
Discover more about opportunities to speak Russian, research, and discover Russian culture on this campus.
Outcomes
Russian studies graduates work for major think tanks, the federal government and leading media outlets, such as The New York Times. Many continue their education at the top Ph.D. and M.A. programs nationwide, including Georgetown University, Yale University, University of Pittsburgh, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, George Washington University and Stanford University.
Alumni & Friends
Learn more about our alumni.
Are you a Russian Studies alumn with news to share? Send us your news so we can share your accomplishments.
Support Modern Languages
You can support the Russian Studies program by giving to the Dobro Slovo Scholarship Fund, which supports summer study at St. Petersburg University, or to the Russian Studies Program fund to support activities throughout the Russian Studies program. Your contribution to Modern Languages and Literatures help us offer our students the best possible learning experiences.
Contact Modern Languages
Contact Modern Languages & Literatures
Social Media
Mailing Address
Department of Modern Languages & Literatures William & Mary P.O. Box 8795 Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact Us
- Email: mdll@wm.edu
- Phone: 757-221-3635
- Fax: 757-221-3637
Courses Disclaimer
*Courses listed are examples. Course availability changes each semester.
