Study plan for MAHF-RUSS Russian, Master's, 2 years, fall 2024

ECTS Credits

The course consists of 120 ECTS credits with a standard length of two years of full-time study.

Full-time/Part-time

Full time

If you want to complete a part of or the whole program as a part time student (minimum 50%), you must submit a formal application to the department. For further details, please see Please see Routines for the master's degree programme.www.uib.no/en/hf/96380/routines-masters-degree-programme

Language of Instruction

Norwegian, Russian, and English if required.

See the individual course plans for the courses included in the program.

Semester

Autumn. It may be possible to admit students in the spring semester. Contact the student advisor with any questions about admission (studieveileder@if.uib.no).

The study programme aims to deepen knowledge and develop skills which students have from earlier Russian study programmes in language, literature and culture, and provides a deeper knowledge of the field of focus in the student-chosen master thesis.

The programme will increase theoretical knowledge, the ability to reflect critically, and will provide a foundation in academic practice, which will enable students to present, discuss and debate academic issues, both orally (at master's seminars, under supervision, and during presentations of the thesis) and written (in the thesis and other written exercises) in Norwegian and in Russian (and English if required). In addition, the master's programme in Russian will expand and strengthen written and oral linguistic competence.

The programme raises key issues in the fields of Russian language, literature, and culture.

Required Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, the candidate should have achieved the following learning outcomes, defined by knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate has:

A good insight into the internal and external history of Russian, into Russian language structure, as well as deeper knowledge of individual topics in Russian linguistics, such as sociolinguistics, dialectology or corpus linguistics
Advanced knowledge of the composition of academic texts, in Russian as well as Norwegian, including structure, analysis, argumentation, style and terminology
Solid knowledge of Russian language, culture, and society, and deepened insight into certain issues, themes and periods within either Russian language, culture, or society, depending on the discipline and topic that has been selected for RUS303
Solid knowledge of the topic for the elective course
In-depth knowledge of the topic area of the chosen master's thesis within Russian language, literature or culture, or in a field which overlaps between these disciplines

Skills

The candidate can:

Work critically and independently with problem solving, based on acquired specialist knowledge within Russian language, literature and culture and use theories and methods that have been included in the syllabus and teaching and/or have been used in homework assignments and the master's thesis
Understand and use a wide range of general terminology (including philological terminology) in Russian, both oral and written
Familiarise themselves with, and translate, relatively advanced Russian language texts within various genres and specialist areas, with an emphasis on philology
Prepare and give oral presentations, participate in academic discussions in both Russian and Norwegian, and participate in wider public debate when relevant
Use their broad knowledge of Russian culture and society, their in-depth knowledge of Russian language and literature, and their practical skills in the Russian language and academic writing for problem solving, communication, and further research in this and similar subject areas

General competence

The candidate:

Can effectively search for sources, obtain material in a constructive and ethically justifiable way and use the necessary IT tools to carry out independent work within the subject area
Has a critical, reflective, and analytical attitude to sources such as scholarly publications, collected research materials, dissemination platforms, as well as to theories, interpretations and methods within the academic area
Can prepare and carry out academic presentations, orally and in writing, and with both short- and long-term perspectives and carry out independent research work with notes, references and bibliographies under supervision
Has a good degree of competence in translation between Russian and Norwegian/English and knowledge of the central strategies and choices taken in this work
Has solid competence in long-term development and project work and can independently proceed with their own competence development and specialisation

Admission Requirements

The master's programme in Russian builds on a bachelor's degree, with 80 study points in Russian language, literature and culture, or an equivalent.

Bachelor's degrees from UiB which qualify:

Bachelor's degree in Russian

Other bachelor's degrees which qualify:

Other bachelor's degrees can qualify if you have at least 80 study points in Russian language, literature and culture, or an equivalent

You also need to document:

An average grade of C or above in the subject upon which your admission is based
The language requirements in Norwegian and English are covered by general study competence, either from Norwegian upper secondary school or another means

Recommended previous knowledge

Not relevant

Introductory Courses

There is no introductory course for this master's study.

Compulsory units

RUS301 The Russian Language - History and Structure (autumn, 15 credits)
RUS302 Text and Written Russian (autumn, 15 credits)
RUS303 Topics in Russian Language, Literature og Cultural Studies (spring, 15 credits)
RUS350 Master's Thesis in Russian Studies (autumn, spring, 60 credits)

Students may also take a total of 15 elective credits, see more detailed specifications under "Recommended elective courses".

Students are also offered oral language practice with instructors throughout the study programme. Students write their master's thesis in the third and fourth semesters but are encouraged to attend RUS350 sessions - master's seminar and oral teaching - from the first semester onwards.

Recommended electives

RUS306 Special Course (spring, autumn, if offered, 15 credits)
RUS307 Special Course (spring, autumn, if offered, 5 credits)
ALLV201 Special Study in Comparative Literature I (spring, autumn, 15 credits)
LING313 Methods for Master's Students in Language and Linguistics (spring, 15 credits)
Upon application, other approved elective subjects offered at UiB or another university

At least one of the master's courses must be in the same discipline (language, literature or culture) as the thesis. Master's courses in the same discipline must represent different areas within the discipline.

Students who write a master's thesis in literature also take RUS306 (special course, reading course, 15 credits), the joint course ALLV201 (15 credits), or, upon application, another approved elective course which builds competence within the discipline of the chosen thesis topic, preferably a combination of RUS307 (special course, reading course, 5 credits) and another 10-credit course.

Students who write a master's thesis in language also take RUS306 (special course, reading course, 15 credits), the joint course LING313, or, upon application, another approved elective course that is relevant to the thesis, preferably a combination of RUS307 (special course, reading course, 5 credits) and another 10-credit course.

Students who write a master's thesis in culture, upon application, choose the course that best supports the thesis, preferably RUS306 (special course, reading course, 15 credits), or a combination of RUS307 (special course, reading course, 5 credits) and another 10-credit course.

Students can apply for individual acceptance of exams taken at another department or institution.

Sequential Requirements, courses

Recommended sequencing of courses:

First semester (autumn)

RUS301 Russian Language - History and Structure (15 credits)
RUS302 Text and Written Russian (15 credits)

Second semester (spring)

RUS303 Topics in Russian Language, Literature og Cultural Studies (15 credits)

Accepted elective courses totalling 15 credits:

RUS306 (if offered, 15 credits)
RUS307 (if offered, 5 credits)
ALL201 (15 credits)
LING313 (15 credits)
Upon application, another accepted elective course offered by UiB or another university

Third semester (autumn)

RUS350 Master's thesis

Fourth semester

RUS350 Master's thesis

All modules of the course part (totalling 60 credits) must be completed before submitting the thesis.

Students are encouraged to attend the master's seminars from the first semester onwards, and to develop a project proposal in the second semester.

Students will also be offered oral language teaching throughout the study period.

Study period abroad

Students are strongly encouraged to take part of the programme as an exchange student in another country, with arrangements being made to facilitate this.

Recommended exchange locations can be found on the website of the study programme.

You can also choose a location from UiB's partnerships with study cities all over the world. All information about exchanges can be found at www.uib.no/utveksling

Teaching and learning methods

Through different forms of teaching, students get the opportunity to study and approach the subject in a variety of ways. The teaching is research-based and requires active participation from students.

Working methods and teaching methods can include lectures, seminars, oral Russian sessions, group work, written and oral presentations, problem-focused assignments, problem-based learning, supervision, and practical use of digital resources.

Students are encouraged to participate in master's seminars from the first semester onwards, and to submit a topic for the thesis, discuss this with department staff, and sign a supervision contract as early as possible in the second semester.

For more detailed information, see the individual course descriptions.

Assessment methods

Throughout the programme, students will encounter various forms of assessment. These can include written exams, thesis supervision, oral presentations, home exams, and portfolio assessments.

The forms of assessment are dependent on the learning outcomes of the individual courses.

The master's degree is concluded with an oral exam in which the thesis is discussed.

For more detailed information on the forms of assessment, see the individual course descriptions.

Grading scale

When awarding grades, one of two scales can be used:

A-F, where F is a fail
Passed/not passed

See course descriptions for individual assessment forms.

Diploma and Diploma supplement

Diplomas and supplementary documents are printed after the completion of the degree.

Access to further studies

Completion of the master's degree with good results qualifies students to apply for admission to doctoral studies in relevant subjects.

Employability

With a master's degree in Russian, you will be able to teach Russian at a higher level and will be able to work in various positions in both the public and private sectors whose placement in international contexts places high demands on language and cultural skills. Other career paths can include work with cross-cultural communication, publishing, media, public administration and translation. The course can also form the basis for postgraduate education in Russian linguistics, literary studies or cultural studies.