This module presents a fusion of linguistic competencies and content analysis to allow students to begin developing a depth and breadth of subject expertise within Russian studies and to begin explaining the significance and relevance of that knowledge. In place of the traditional separation between language and content in Modern Languages curricula, and through the interrelation of comprehension, speaking, and writing, students on the module will develop their understanding and expertise within Russian language in conjunction with a consistent focus on cultural awareness and analysis. The module will cover key cultural concerns; social, political, and historical phenomena; and linguistic skills relating to the Russian-speaking world within and across global contexts and disciplines. Students will also develop skills sets in critical thinking and research that will allow them to engage with and interrogate pressing socio-political issues and cultural phenomena from local and global perspectives. Students will have regular opportunities to use technology to understand language and culture, derived where possible from teaching and research projects based in the Department of Modern Languages.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Evaluate key cultural movements, historical periods and socio-political events of the Russian world and their significance within and across global contexts.
Make appropriate use of up-to-date technology - derived from research and pedagogy that are current in Russian - to analyse and understand key aspects of Russian language and culture from a variety of critical perspectives.
Begin to make use of academic methods and concepts fundamental to the advanced understanding of languages and cultures across different multiple periods and disciplines, and begin to apply this understanding to connections and conflicts between peoples in history and the contemporary period.
Show evidence of independent learning, reflective learning, critical thinking and the ability to perform appropriate research tasks in order critically to examine diverse local and global phenomena relating to languages and cultures.
Show evidence of working towards use of the Russian language to A1 level of the CEFR for languages
Assessment
29761-01 : Critical Essay in English (2,000 words) : Coursework (50%)
29761-09 : Project in Russian involving Digital Humanities (300 words) : Coursework (50%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions
Assessment: 2000-word critical essay in English (50%)
Project in Russian involving digital humanities: 300 words (or equivalent) (50%)