The American Councils Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP) is designed to maximize linguistic and cultural immersion in Russian society while providing key logistical support and individualized attention to U.S. participants. The program is based at leading universities and educational institutions in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Vladimir (for information on partner institutions, see below). It serves both graduate and undergraduate students, who attend roughly twenty hours per week of class in Russian grammar, phonetics, conversation, history, and cultural studies; all courses are taught by native Russian-speaking faculty. One day per week of the academic program is set aside for local cultural excursions. A full-time, U.S. resident director accompanies each group and provides ongoing logistical assistance to participants. While students may choose to live in university dormitories, the large majority of RLASP participants live with Russian families, who are screened and selected by American Councils host-family coordinators. Peer tutoring, internships, community service, and a broad range of extracurricular activities offer U.S. students a unique opportunity to connect with Russian friends and actively engage in Russian daily life.
Semester programs run for a minimum of fifteen weeks with eight to ten days dedicated to in-country travel; academic-year programs run for a minimum of thirty weeks with sixteen to twenty days set aside for in-country travel; and summer programs run for eight weeks with approximately five to seven days set aside for in-country travel. Participants receive U.S. academic credit for their overseas study through Bryn Mawr College.
Approximate program dates are:
Fall Semester: Third week of August – Second week of December
Spring Semester: Third week of January – Second week of May
Summer Programs: Second week of June – First week of August
(Program dates may vary; contact the American Councils Outbound office for specifics.)
Program applicants should have completed the equivalent of at least two years of college-level Russian. Applicants with less than two years of Russian study should contact the American Councils Outbound Office (202-833-7522); email: outbound@americancouncils.org to discuss their eligibility.
American Councils has administered intensive language-immersion programs for U.S. undergraduates, graduate students, teachers, and scholars at universities and specialized institutions in Russia and Eurasia since 1976. More than 5,000 students, teachers, and scholars from universities and colleges throughout the U.S. have participated in American Councils programs for research and language study in Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Moldova, Belarus, and Southeast Europe. Today American Councils employs more than 300 expatriates and host-country nationals in thirty-four offices throughout Russia, Eurasia, and Southeast Europe.
Russian Language and Area StudiesFeatures
- Opportunity for study at three sites: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vladimir.
- Core language courses that feature grammar and lexical study, phonetics, contemporary Russian language, and the development of vocabulary and conversation skills.
- Lectures and seminars on literature, Russian and Soviet culture, history, politics, and contemporary mass media.
- 20 to 24 classroom contact hours; all language classes taught in small groups of 3 to 5, tailored to proficiency level.
- Native Russian-speaking faculty with extensive experience teaching foreign students.
- Options for independent research during the second semester for academic year students.
- Opportunities to audit university classes and special programs for academic year and semester honors students.
- Full-time U.S. resident directors at each institution who oversee academic and cultural programs and provide logistical support to participants.
- Housing in university dormitories or with Russian families specially selected by American Councils full-time home-stay coordinators.
- Weekly cultural excursions and a seven-to-ten day group trip outside the host city.
- Individual peer tutoring with students training to be teachers of Russian at host universities.
- Volunteer and internship opportunities available for academic year and semester students.
- Housing and logistical support for academic year students between semesters.
- Graduate or undergraduate academic credit through Bryn Mawr College.
- Pre-departure orientation programs in Washington, D.C.
- Comprehensive accident and illness insurance.
- Financial aid provided by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of State, American Councils, and other sources.