Russian

History Meets Curiosity

The language and culture classes in PSU’s Russian program will teach you how to communicate in Russian so that you can use the language in real-world settings. Use your skills to talk with Russian-speakers in the Portland community, be a tourist in a Russian-speaking country, or live and work as a global professional in a bilingual office or other career path.

We also offer courses in Russian literature, culture, film, history, folklore, and other topics in both English and Russian. Whether you’ve gotten interested in Russian from reading classic stories by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, or are intrigued by the Cyrillic alphabet or encounters with Russian culture and speakers, you can find a course with us that speaks to your interests.

Degree Programs

We offer a Bachelor of Arts in Russian, a Minor in Russian, and a Certificate of Advanced Proficiency in Russian. We also offer a Certificate in Intercultural Competence for the Workplace, a Certificate in Pedagogy in World Languages, and a Certificate in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies.

Note: The Master of Arts in World Languages and Literatures with a secondary language concentration in Russian is currently on Moratorium. During this time, current students may finish their M.A. degree, however we are not admitting students to a WLL M.A. in Russian while the moratorium is in effect.

Russian Flagship Program

PSU is home to one of only eight Russian Flagship programs in the country. The innovative undergraduate program helps you gain professional levels of proficiency in Russian while you pursue any major at PSU. Our students cultivate marketable skills and prepare for global careers through coursework, one-on-one tutoring, internships and extensive study abroad in the Russian-speaking world. Learn more here.

Upcoming Russian Courses

Use the Schedule of Classes to help you plan your course schedule.

Advising and Placement

Visit the Russian Advising and Placement page for instructions on how to:

Take a placement test, if you have previously taken Russian and have questions about which course is appropriate for you
Request a faculty advisor for majors and minors, if you plan to major or minor in Russian
Access the Russian major/minor advising worksheets

Russian Tutoring Services

The Department of World Languages and Literatures offers drop-in tutoring services for 100- and 200-level language students. See the schedule here. Non-PSU students, please see our list of community tutors and translators here.