Russian

Bachelor of Arts

Minor

Few places on the planet offer more to study than Russia, home to more than 1,000 years of documented history and 193 ethnic groups spread over 11 time zones that collectively occupy one of every nine square feet of Earth’s land mass. The Russian major is largely focused on learning the Russian language, spoken by 80% of the country’s 145 million people.


Courses

Sample courses for students studying Russian include:

  • Structure of Russian
  • Russians and Their World
  • Russian Literature
  • Russian Culture and Civilization

View official major requirements »

Practical Experience & Skills

Majoring in a foreign language provides you with many of the skills in which employers are interested, although securing a job that uses your foreign language skills can be challenging. With the exception of positions in translating, interpreting or teaching, in most cases at the entry level your language fluency is seen as a secondary skill, an asset.

One option many foreign language students pursue is taking a semester to study abroad in a foreign speaking country. This will give you not only a better handle of the language, but if you are intentional with your time abroad a number of future job connections. Other possibilities to get your feet wet are available with international volunteer organizations that require translators in the field. On the local level, Wake Forest has connections with volunteer clinics and community centers in need of interpreters.

Students in this program will develop the following skills:

  • Translating ideas/languages
  • Strong written and oral communication skills
  • Perception of word patterns and structures
  • Analyzing content
  • Gathering information
  • Summarizing
  • Comparing ideas/translations
  • Memorizing
  • Project development and follow through
  • Attention to detail
  • Understanding other cultures

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Clubs & Organizations

Russian students participate in the following clubs and organizations:

Career Outcomes

Careers that often interest Russian majors include:

  • Editor/Proofreader
  • Educator
  • Foreign Service Officer
  • Interpreter
  • Journalist
  • Language Engineer
  • Lexicographer
  • Librarian
  • Linguist
  • Missionary
  • Social worker
  • Technical writer
  • Translator

Graduates majoring in Russian have gone on to a wide variety of careers including Russian and Eurasian issues policy in the U.S. State Department.


Ready to take the next step?

Related Programs

Those who are interested in Russian also consider the following programs:

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