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Campus Walking Tour

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 10:00 AM until 11:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time UTC -04:00

Mount Holyoke College 50 College St South Hadley, MA 01075 United States

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Historical Tours of Greater Holyoke

Mount Holyoke Summit House

This is also part of the South Hadley Heritage tour. Navigate back to the tour page HERE .

The Summit House atop of Mount Holyoke mountain is a gem. The entire mountain range is crisscrossed by trails. A TRAIL MAP is available. The mountain house is a former hotel that is now a visitor’s center. Great views can be seen of the entire valley. Skinner State Park surrounds the house and forms the entire top of the mountain.

If geology is your interest, then this is a paradise. A self-guided tour brochure is available from the state.

There is a TREE tour at the peak too.

The Met has an awesome painting of the Oxbow area as done by Thomas Cole.

Inside Views

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Virtual Tour

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Mount Holyoke College Virtual Tour

Are you applying to mount holyoke college explore the campus using the virtual tour below..

Virtual tours are a great way to refresh your memory or to preview an on-site tour of Mt. Holyoke.

What's in it for me?

At the beginning of your college search, a virtual tour can be a beneficial tool to explore the campus before your visit. When you do visit the campus, be sure to talk to current students about their experiences. A student perspective is a helpful way to gauge your future experience when attending Mount Holyoke College. Already took an on-campus tour? It's inevitable. All of your college tours will blend, and you might forget the appearance of Mt. Holyoke's library, dorms, or cafeteria. Use the virtual tour to jog your memory! With the interactive mapping tool below you can even explore the area surrounding the campus.

Use the resources below to start your virtual tour.

Using the Map

Click and drag the little orange person to a location on the map. Locations with panoramas appear as blue lines or blue dots when moving the orange person. The blue dots are panoramic views that you may swivel. The blue lines are paths that you can navigate along.

Panoramic View

You can "pan" or "swivel" the camera around by clicking on the image and dragging your mouse or finger. If you see a white arrow on the picture, you can click or tap on it to move in the direction of the arrow. This will also update the location of the little orange person on the map so you can get a better sense of where you are and what direction you are facing.

Continue Your Research on Mt. Holyoke

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• This page, Mount Tom State Reservation, is   offered by
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Mount Tom State Reservation

Details   of Mount Tom State Reservation

Overview   of mount tom state reservation, hours   for mount tom state reservation.

Sunrise to sunset

Gates close at 4pm

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Daily parking fees May 25 through October 14

MA residents $5

Non-MA residents   $20

Resident and non resident status is determined by the vehicle license plate

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Activities   at Mount Tom State Reservation

• Cross-country skiing

Bird watching and scenic views

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Accessibility   at Mount Tom State Reservation

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Restrictions   at Mount Tom State Reservation

• No mountain biking
• No skateboarding

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Mount Holyoke European Alumnae

Connecting mount holyoke alumnae in europe since 1987, fellowships & awards, european alumnae council award for graduate study in europe.

In cooperation with the McCulloch Center for Global initiatives at Mount Holyoke College, the European Alumnae Council annually offers  a monetary award to a Mount Holyoke graduating student who wishes to pursue graduate work in Europe. For more information on how to apply please contact the McCulloch Center .

Past winners of the Mount Holyoke European Alumnae award are:

• Mary Pura ’17 – to pursue a master’s degree program in English Literature and Society at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Emily Castner ’18 – to pursue an International Master’s program in Mathematics at Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Germany
• Javeria Kella ’19 – to pursue a Master’s degree in Development Studies at the Graduate Institute, Geneva, Switzerland
• Ann C. Hewitt ’20 – Ancient Studies & Anthropology, to pursue a postgraduate degree program in Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Yitongyue Lin (Lilian) ’21 – International Relations & Spanish, to pursue an MS in Sustainable Development at the University of St Andrews, Scotland
• Maya Mauroof ’22 – International Relations, to pursue a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary International Affairs at the Graduate Institute, Geneva, Switzerland
• Natalie O’Neil ’23 – Russian & Eurasian Studies with a minor in Politics, to pursue a MSc at the University of Glasgow in Media, Communications, and International Journalism
• Kathryn (Kit) Corcoran ’24 – pursuing a MSc in Management and Marketing at University College Cork, Ireland

Kathryn (Kit) Corcoran’s Winning Essay for the European Alumnae Council Award 2023:

“Pursuing my master’s degree in Ireland will give me the opportunity to expand upon my professional skill set, become more fully immersed in the academic and extracurricular communities of University College Cork, continue my study of the Irish language (which I began during my semester abroad at the same university in 2022), and grow personally as a sustainability-minded global citizen. 

As a history major with a minor in environmental studies, I have developed a passion for understanding the complexities of societal transformation over time, including the growth of sustainable and inclusive practices. The MHEAC scholarship would be invaluable for my overall study experience, as the decrease of financial stress would allow me to become more actively involved in my campus community.

One of my biggest goals during my period of study is to become involved in business clubs to make connections within my program and in other business tracks. Such societies offer opportunities to build networks of both academic and professional support, and one of the groups that I think may act as an amazing forum for network-building is the new Women in Business and Leadership Society. Based on my research about them, this group appears to be an exciting and empowering space to meet fellow young women striving to succeed as the next generation of business leaders.

I firmly believe that women of my generation are redefining what professional success looks like, and part of that involves supporting fellow women from all backgrounds. My primary professional goal is to be part of the generation of women in business which celebrates diversity of identities and ideas and works towards solidifying ethical and sustainable practices as the undisputed norms of industry. I am confident that my involvement in both business-oriented and artistic clubs and societies at UCC will allow me to maximize my cultural exchange experience.

The scholarship offered by the European Alumnae Council would additionally allow me to expand upon my network within the European Alumnae community, which I have already begun to participate in through their Facebook page. I recently introduced myself to the community through this page, and I was able to make contact with Barbara Schmidt, the alum representative in Ireland.

When I first found out about the European Alumnae Symposium in Munich in November, I was elated that I will soon have the opportunity to meet fellow Mount Holyoke alums living overseas. Even before learning about the scholarship, I immediately started making plans to attend the symposium, from looking at flights, to beginning a travel fund, to researching accommodation options in Munich.

The free registration and contribution towards my travel costs would allow me to attend the symposium and utilize some of my financial resources for other uses, including paying my rent and tuition fees.

I am so grateful that the European Alumnae Council offers new graduates these kinds of opportunities, and I am confident that the scholarship will both enhance my postgraduate study experience and allow me to become more involved in the global MHC alums community.”

Renee Scialom Cary Award for Study Abroad Students

In celebration and fond memory of its founder, Renee Scialom Cary ’48, biennially MHEAC offers a limited number of awards to current Mount Holyoke students studying in Europe to allow them to attend the European Alumnae Symposium taking place on that year.  Entries are currently closed.

Applicants must submit their request supported by a short statement (max. 200 words) elaborating on the following statement: “A Mount Holyoke education is a key to the world: My experience.” The final selection is made by the officers of the European Council. The winning essays are published below. 

The 2022 winners, who attended the 16 th European Alumnae Symposium in the Netherlands, are…

Ina Dombrowski ’24, Cork, Ireland

Renee Russo ’23, Graduate Institute Geneva, Switzerland

Mickiyah “Mickey” Pope ’23, Queen Mary University of London, UK

Our winners’ essays:

A Mount Holyoke education is a key to the world. I learned this during my very first Zoom classes as a first-year. I realized this in the serene spaces I have found across campus. And I continue to turn my key to the world as I prepare my next steps as a Mount Holyoke student.

To explain all of this, I could literally list all of the new things I have learned and exciting experiences I have had. But the world which Mount Holyoke has introduced me to goes far beyond my notebooks. In the buzz of our lecture halls alone, I have met the families of Hmong immigrants, walked the mystical streets of Bulgakov’s Moscow, sat in the studios of great American impressionists, and traversed Venus’s broiling surface.

Now as I prepare for my semester abroad in Cork (though by the time we meet together for the Symposium, I will already have been two months in Ireland), I can hardly imagine what new parts of the world I’ll discover next and new doors I will unlock along the way. And once I am an alumna myself, I hope to help turn this key on a brighter world and future.

Keys are only needed when doors are locked, otherwise, we move freely. Mount Holyoke’s liberal arts education allows that freedom. Even during quarantine, MHC opened doors and helped build connections. These connections are what make Mount Holyoke education a key to the world. Global community is fostered throughout MHC.

From classroom discussions to living in the French LLC, I crafted friendships while strengthening my knowledge of global politics, economics, and history. In 2020, I attended courses with students in ten time zones. In one class, an alumna spoke about her entrepreneurial experience in India, and two years later I contacted her and crafted an internship using LYNK funding.

When doors were locked professors found ways to help unlock these through letters of recommendation, introductions, and knowledge of opportunities. The interdisciplinary approach and world-class connections allow students, like me, to not only know what doors to approach but how to turn the key.

I am now earning my Master’s at the Graduate Institute Geneva in Sustainable Trade and Finance because Mount Holyoke provided the key. As I approach graduation I choose to turn the key, walk through the door, and most importantly — hold it open for others to follow.

“It’s a leap of faith. That’s all it is. A leap of faith.”

On my first visit to Mount Holyoke, I visited the dining hall and sat with all STEM majors. They greeted me feverishly, then showed me all the projects they had been working on. I remember one of them saying, “If you want to come here, be prepared to take a leap of faith every single time.”

At first, I figured she was referring to the equations written sloppily on her paper. Math hadn’t been my forte. However, sitting alone in my room on the carpeted floor the day college decisions came out, I realized she was referring to this. That silent wanting. I wanted to take that leap of faith.

When I first got to Mount Holyoke, a tradition I experienced was Mountain Day. On a warm day in September, I climbed a mountain and saw the world from an angle I never considered before. I have never been able to rid of that feeling since I first enrolled. That is why, with Mount Holyoke’s help, I can always take a leap of faith.

Congratulations to our winners!

• Find Your Program

Russian and Eurasian Studies

Undergraduate.

Explore a part of the world that has reshaped history and where history is still being made; the home to peoples and places immensely rich in their cultural, artistic and intellectual achievements.

• Russian Faculty

Program Overview

From Pushkin to Putin, from Balanchine to Lake Baikal, from caviar to commissars, from yurts to baba yaga—Russia and Eurasia offer a glittering array of riches waiting to be discovered. We invite you to join with us in our exploration of the vast area of the world that we engage in on a daily basis. Through course work in language, literature, history and politics, you will gain a multidimensional understanding of the diverse peoples and cultures that inhabit this region—its past, its present, as well as its prospects for the future.

Whether you choose to study the language, literature, history or politics of this vast region, you’ll become part of a close-knit company of students and teachers passionately committed to not only studying, but also experiencing Russia and Eurasia through in-country internships and study abroad. Your life will never be the same. We guarantee it.

Our programs are intended to develop a critical awareness of both Russia and Eurasia and to provide the linguistic and intellectual tools necessary for sustained engagement with this area of the world. Mastery of Russian and a grasp of Russia’s historical role on the Eurasian continent are essential to developing a deep understanding of regions where native non-Russian peoples lived under Russian and Soviet rule.

Majoring in Russian and Eurasian studies will help you gain a background in the cultures of Eurasia, where questions regarding global energy and the influence of Islamic culture are vitally important.

We offer both a major and minor in Russian and Eurasian studies as well as minors in Russian Language and Russian Culture and Literature.

Community Voices

Spotlight on Russian and Eurasian Studies students and alums

Finding connection through curiosity

Hilary Vergera FP’24

Take the classes you want to explore.

Robin Kerr ’21

A Roller Coaster Worth The Ride

Gabriella Gonzalez ’16

Why study Russian?

With 160 million native speakers, Russian is among the top 10 most commonly studied languages, as well as being one of the top 10 most commonly spoken languages. Learning Russian connects you with speakers around the world, including in places and contexts you might not expect!

Geographically the largest country in the world, Russia has a long history with deep and rich cultural traditions.

From Pushkin to Nabokov, the colossus of Russian literature speaks for itself . Russia has produced many of the world’s great literary giants. Reading these great authors in the original Russian is an eye-opening experience, given the grammatical complexities and cultural subtleties of the Russian language.

Russia has equally rich traditions in film, art, and music . It is home to some of the biggest names in film and classical music (Tchaikovsky, anyone?). In addition, Russia created one of the most widely used ballet methodologies, it boasts arguably the top ballet companies, the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky, and it has produced some of the greatest ballet dancers of all time. Indeed, Russia's place in the arts is unrivaled - its literature, philosophy, music, ballet, architecture, painting, cinema and animation have all made their mark on world culture.

Education and Career Opportunities

Knowing Russian is useful in many fields, from the arts to business and the sciences.

Studying Russian helps you enter graduate programs. Students of Russian have a high acceptance rate for graduate study in law, business, and medicine.

Russia ranks among the top 10 countries for entrepreneurship. It is the world’s largest producer of natural gas and is among the world’s largest producers of many other natural resources. Russia is also an enormous market for US goods and services.

Russian is an important language for science and technology. More articles on the physical and life sciences are published in Russian than in English! Looking for a career in space? NASA relies on Russia to help with its launches and thus requires all potential astronauts to be fluent in Russian.

The US Government is always looking for Russian language specialists! Many federal agencies, including the State Department and the NSA, identify Russian as a priority language and are specifically seeking to employ Russian speakers.

Our courses

We offers courses in Russian ranging from the elementary level (for students with no knowledge of Russian) through advanced-level courses in Russian language and culture. You can also take courses in Russian Literature, taught in English. For placement in Russian language courses, the department will review your course selection, taking into consideration your school and AP records together with your answers to a questionnaire and the results of your online placement exam. 

Courses on Russian literature and culture may be used to satisfy the distribution requirement in the humanities—arts, language, and literature.

Courses on Russian history and politics satisfy distribution requirements either in the humanities (IB) or social sciences (III-A).

We are a five-college department and courses can be also taken through the  Amherst College Russian Department ,  Smith College Russian Department ,  UMass Program in Slavic and East European Studies . 

Selecting courses in your first year

If you have no background in Russian language you should enroll in Russian 101-102, a yearlong introduction to Russian language and culture. If you have previously studied Russian and plan to elect Russian language, you should consult with the department for individual placement.

In addition to RES 101–102, recommended courses for first-year study include:

• RES 210f, Great Books: Literature of 19th Century Russia
• RES 240f,  Contemporary Russian Politics

Courses and Requirements

Learning goals.

• Major Requirements
• Minor Requirements

On completion of the following levels, students will be able to:

Elementary Russian (Completion of the RES-101 and 102 sequence)

• Make introductions and get acquainted with others.
• Talk about self, family, friends, university studies, and jobs by providing basic information and description.
• Read simple authentic texts, such as announcements, schedules, greeting cards, phone texts, e-mails, personal letters, and short prose and poetry pieces for basic facts and information.
• Acquire basic linguistic and cultural knowledge to engage in the following activities: shopping, ordering food, buying tickets, giving directions, giving advice, issuing invitations, filling out forms with basic biographical information.
• Describe hobbies, interests, personal preferences, and routine activities in some detail.
• Talk about past personal events and plans for the future.
• Compare, contrast, and express opinions and feelings about things and people.
• Ask and answer questions about familiar topics.
• Write multi-paragraph compositions on familiar topics.
• Acquire basic Russian grammar: nominal, pronominal and adjectival declension system (6 cases); past, present and future tenses; some verbs of motion; some verbal aspectual pairs; impersonal constructions.
• Acquire cultural knowledge: some facts and names pertaining to Russian and Soviet “high” culture; sociocultural norms of interpersonal communication; some basic facts about Russian and Soviet literature and history which shape the way Russians think about themselves and the others, as well as basics of Russian worldview as coded in the language
• Acquire a working vocabulary of 800-1000 words.

By the end of the academic year, students will communicate at the Intermediate Low to Mid level of proficiency, as defined by ACTFL guidelines .

 Intermediate Russian (Completion of RES-201 and 202 sequence)

• Exchange information on familiar topics (such as family, relationships, housing) using complete sentences and time expressions in the past, present and future.
• Negotiate social interactions in familiar situations (such as daily routine, studies, visit around a city, health issues) in a culturally appropriate way.
• Narrate past events and talk about future plans in a string of connected sentences with some detail.
• Read longer authentic texts in various genres (stories, plays) and extract key information from the texts, as well as ask and answer questions about heroes’ motivations.
• Understand main ideas of simple newspaper articles.
• Talk about reasons for personal preferences and choices.
• Exchange ideas on some abstract topics (Is it better to be an idealist or a pragmatist?).
• Expand knowledge of Russian grammar: construct complex sentences with the help of various conjunctions; prefixed and transitive verbs of motion; verbal aspect; conditional constructions.
• Acquire cultural knowledge though analyzing Russian and Soviet prose and film.
• Broaden active vocabulary to more than 1700 words.

By the end of the academic year, students will communicate at the Intermediate Mid to High level of proficiency, as defined by the ACTFL guidelines . 

Advanced Russian (Completion of RES-251)

• Read authentic Russian texts of various genres and length .
• Exchange ideas about texts’ structure and composition, heroes’ motives, and author’s intent.
• Develop the notion of subtext and the skill of “reading between the lines”.
• Respond to authentic texts by writing multi-paragraph essays.
• Contrast and compare various works of literature .
• Broaden active vocabulary to include specialized words and phrases describing shades of meaning.
• Adhere to Russian-only rule during class times.
• Develop cultural knowledge through analyzing historical and social background as well as people’s behavior in various texts .

By the end of the course, students will communicate at the Intermediate High to Advanced Low level of proficiency, as defined by the ACTFL guidelines . 

Requirements for the Major

Students should note that completion of this major will likely require them to travel to other institutions within the Five Colleges.

A minimum of 40 credits:

Any RES-211 offering, for example RES-211MM

Additional Specifications

• Students entering the College in Fall 2023 who declare a Russian and Eurasian Studies majorand those from a previous entrance year completing these programs should expect to need some Five College classes to complete the programs. Students entering Fall 2024 or later will not have the option to declare a Russian and Eurasian Studies major.
• Majors are strongly encouraged to take elective courses that reflect their particular focus within the major and to study abroad for at least one semester.
• When students have completed two courses at the 200 level, they may, with the permission of the instructor and in consultation with their advisor, enroll in a 200-level course for 300-level credit.
• Students are encouraged to explore Russian and Eurasian Studies courses offered through the Five Colleges if needed.
• The major in Russian and Eurasian Studies is interdisciplinary. Students who complete this major automatically fulfill the College’s “outside the major” requirement.

Requirements for the Minor in Language

A minimum of 12 credits above the 100 level, ordinarily drawn from the following:

Students entering the College in Fall 2023 who declare the Russian and Eurasian Studies minor in Language and those from a previous entrance year completing these programs should expect to need some Five College classes to complete the programs. Students entering Fall 2024 or later will not have the option to declare a Russian and Eurasian Studies minor in Language.

Requirements for the Minor in Culture and Literature

A minimum of 20 credits, which ordinarily include:

• Students entering the College in Fall 2023 who declare the Russian and Eurasian Studies minor in Culture and Literature and those from a previous entrance year completing these programs should expect to need some Five College classes to complete the programs. Students entering Fall 2024 or later will not have the option to declare a Russian and Eurasian Studies minor in Culture and Literature.
• The minor in culture and literature is designed for students who have an interest in Russian literature and culture, but have not studied the language. It requires 20 credits and is not recommended for anyone who wishes to focus on Russia at the graduate level.

Requirements for the Minor in Russian and Eurasian Studies

A minimum of 12 credits, which ordinarily include:

• Students entering the College in Fall 2023 who declare a Russian and Eurasian Studies minor and those from a previous entrance year completing these programs should expect to need some Five College classes to complete the programs. Students entering Fall 2024 or later will not have the option to declare a Russian and Eurasian Studies minor.
• The minor in Russian and Eurasian Studies is designed to encourage an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the former Soviet Union and its peoples and cultures and to develop intermediate-level proficiency in the Russian language.

Course Advice

Getting started in russian.

A student coming to Mount Holyoke with no background in Russian language should enroll in RES-101 and RES-102 , a yearlong introduction to Russian language and culture.

Students who have previously studied Russian and plan to elect Russian language should consult with the department for individual placement.

In addition to the  RES-101  and RES-102  sequence, recommended courses for first-year study include:

As listed, courses on Russian history or literature and culture may be used to satisfy the Humanities distribution requirement, while courses on Russian and Eurasian Politics satisfy the Social Science distribution requirement.

Course Offerings

Taught in russian, taught in english, independent study.

RES-101 Elementary Russian

Fall. Credits: 4

The four-skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) introduction to the Russian Language with the focus on communicative skills development. Major structural topics include pronunciation and intonation, all six cases, basic conjugation patterns, and verbal aspect. By the end of the course the students will be able to initiate and sustain conversation on basic topics, write short compositions, read short authentic texts and comprehend their meaning, develop an understanding of the Russian culture through watching films and listening to songs.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language Other Attribute(s): Speaking-Intensive D. Brooks Coreq: RES-101L.

RES-102 Elementary Russian

Spring. Credits: 4

Continuation of Russian 101. A four-skills course, with increasing emphasis on reading and writing, that completes the study of basic grammar. Major topics include: predicting conjugation patterns, un-prefixed and prefixed verbs of motion, complex sentences, time expressions, and strategies of vocabulary building. Students watch Russian films, read and discuss authentic texts.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language Other Attribute(s): Speaking-Intensive D. Brooks Prereq: RES-101 . Coreq: RES-102L.

RES-201 Intermediate Russian I

In-depth review of grammar topics and expansion of vocabulary with the goal of developing communicative proficiency. Readings include short stories, poetry, and newspaper articles. Students watch Russian films and discuss them orally and in writing. Classes are conducted mostly in Russian.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language Other Attribute(s): Speaking-Intensive D. Brooks Prereq: RES-101 and RES-102 . Coreq: RES-201L.

RES-202 Intermediate Russian II

Not Scheduled for This Year. Credits: 4

Emphasis on increasing active command of grammar while focusing on conversational topics. Readings include poetry, short stories, and magazine and newspaper articles. Students watch and discuss Russian films. Classes are conducted mostly in Russian.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language Other Attribute(s): Speaking-Intensive, Writing-Intensive The department Prereq: RES-201 .

RES-301 Advanced Russian Language: From Reading to Speaking

This course aims at expansion of students' vocabulary and improvement of both writing and speaking skills. Heritage learners of Russian (those who speak the language) will also benefit from the course. With a strong emphasis on integrating vocabulary in context, this course aims to help students advance their lexicon and grammar, increase fluency, and overcome speaking inhibitions. We will read and discuss a variety of texts including short stories, films, and articles.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language Other Attribute(s): Speaking-Intensive The department Prereq: RES-202 . Advisory: The course is intended for students who have completed at least four semesters of Russian or the equivalent.

RES-302 Advanced Russian Language II

This course is a continuation of RES-301 and is a further expansion of students' vocabulary, writing and speaking skills. We will read and discuss a variety of texts including short stories, films, and articles. Heritage learners of Russian (those who speak the language) will also benefit from the course.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language Other Attribute(s): Speaking-Intensive The department Prereq: RES-301 .

RES-309 Literary Translation from Russian: A Seminar Workshop

Translation practice and theory. Poetry and prose. Participants will undertake a joint project selected by the instructor, as well as texts of their own choosing. Comparative consideration of the work of published translators.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities; Language Other Attribute(s): Writing-Intensive P. Scotto Prereq: RES-202 . Notes: In addition to the three-hour weekly class time, students are expected to sign up for individual tutorials with the instructor.

RES-210 Great Books: The Literature of Nineteenth-Century Russia

In no other culture has literature occupied the central role it enjoyed in nineteenth-century Russia. Political, social, and historical constraints propelled Russian writers into the roles of witness, prophet, and sage. Yet, far from being limited to the vast, dark 'Big Question' novels of legend, Russian literature offers much humor, lyricism, and fantasy. We will focus on the Russian novel as a reaction to western European forms of narrative and consider the recurring pattern of the strong heroine and the weak hero. Authors will include: Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities D. Brooks Notes: Taught in English

RES-211 Topics in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature

Topics in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature provide students with an intensive study of major writers, themes, and paradigm shifts in Russian literature during this turbulent century.

RES-211MM Topics in Twentieth-Century Russian Literature: 'Diabolic Carnival: Bulgakov's Master and Margarita and Its Contexts'

Mephistopheles in Moscow? The Gospel retold? At turns both wildly comic and metaphysically profound, Bulgakov's novel has been a cult classic since its unexpected discovery in 1967. This course will consider Bulgakov's masterpiece together with some of its literary, historical, and social contexts. Additional readings from Goethe, Gogol, E.T.A.Hoffman, Akhmatova, and others.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities P. Scotto Notes: Taught in English

RES-213 War and Peace

We will be engaged in a close reading of a translation of Tolstoy's epic novel War and Peace . Tolstoy's sweeping account of men and women caught up in Russia's desperate struggle to survive against the onslaught of Napoleon's army is often considered among the greatest novels. We will focus on Tolstoy's literary strategies, philosophy, and historical contexts.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities P. Scotto Notes: Taught in English.

RES-215 Dostoevsky and the Problem of Evil: The Brothers Karamazov

Perhaps no other novelist has delved as deeply into the psychological and metaphysical dimensions of evil as the Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky. This course will be devoted to a close reading of Dostoevsky's landmark novel of murderous passion and parricide, The Brothers Karamazov. Why should crime and transgression be a privileged avenue of access into the human interior? How is psychology tied to the metaphysical aspect of human existence? What are the sources of evil--and redemption?

RES-226 Philosophical Tales: The Short Fiction of Anton Chekhov

Explore the short fictions of Anton Chekhov as brilliantly crafted exemplars of the Philosophical Tale , stories that use the resources of short narrative fiction to probe life's deepest questions: "what is the meaning of our lives, how do we face our inevitable death, why is there evil and suffering, what does it mean to be human, how should we live?" How do these stories work? What can fictions do that discursive philosophical essays can't? How do they engage the complexity of the world and of life? We'll also read Chekhov's work in larger tradition of Wisdom Literature, with readings drawn from Biblical, Hassidic, Classical, Folk, and Chinese traditions, as well as from other notable practitioners of the genre (Chesterton, Borges, Poe).

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities Other Attribute(s): Writing-Intensive P. Scotto Notes: Taught in English.

RES-231FA Anna Karenina and Contexts: 'Tolstoy on Love, Death, and Family Life'

Anna Karenina (1873) is one of a series of important works Tolstoy wrote pondering love, death, the nature of happiness, and the foundations of family life. Our reading of Anna Karenina will be the centerpiece of this course which will also include works ranging from Childhood (1852) to The Kreutzer Sonata (1889), which shocked and repelled readers with its unsparing depictions of human sexuality and murderous jealousy. Film versions of works will be screened.

RES-235 The Strange World of Nikolai Gogol

Gogol was a strange creature, but genius is always strange." - Vladimir Nabokov. Nikolai Gogol was one of Russia's greatest and most enigmatic writers. Revered by Dostoevsky, he created a literary universe that has lost none of its original power despite the passage of time. This course will trace the development of Gogol's genius from his early Ukrainian stories, through his tales of St. Petersburg, to his comic masterpiece Dead Souls . Special attention will be paid to Gogol's deployment of the comic, fantastic and grotesque to render the reality of tsarist Russia.

Applies to requirement(s): Humanities D. Brooks Notes: Taught in English.

RES-240 Contemporary Russian Politics: From Lenin to Putin

Russia was transformed by communist revolution into a global superpower that challenged the dominant ideologies of liberalism and nationalism. It became a powerful alternative to capitalism. In 1991, this imperial state collapsed and underwent an economic, political, and cultural revolution. What explains the Soviet Union's success for 70 years and its demise in 1991? What sort of country is Russia as it enters the twenty-first century? Is it a democracy? How has Russia's transformation affected ordinary people and Russia's relationship to the West?

Crosslisted as: POLIT-209 Applies to requirement(s): Social Sciences N. Sabanadze Notes: Taught in English

RES-244 Topics in Russian and Eurasian History

RES-244ST Topics in Russian and Eurasian History: 'Stalinism in Central Europe'

This course explores the use of revolutionary terror by the state. More specifically, it examines policies of terror pursued by Communist dictatorships in Hungary and Czechoslovakia during the early years of the Cold War. Who did what to whom, and why? What insights do secret police work and public propaganda, knitted together in macabre show trials, allow us into Stalinist rule, European politics, and maybe ourselves? How did memories of terror shape politics after Stalin's death? Students should deepen their understanding for the discipline of History, improve their reading and writing, and develop a working knowledge of Central European politics at the middle of the twentieth century.

Crosslisted as: JWST-225ST , RES-244ST Applies to requirement(s): Humanities J. King

RES-312 Silk Roads: Ancient and Modern Highways Across the Eurasian Continent

The silk roads were ancient transportation and trade links that wound their way across the Eurasian continent, or by sea through the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, to Europe. They carried silk, glass, jade, and moved religions and literatures across continents. Today, the new silk roads carry oil, gas, drugs, capitalism, and immigrants seeking better lives. We will investigate the parallels between the ancient and modern silk roads and the contemporary strategic, cultural, and economic significance of these new highways, which link China, Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe.

Crosslisted as: POLIT-312 Applies to requirement(s): Social Sciences The department Prereq: 8 credits in Politics, International Relations, History, or Russian and Eurasian studies. Notes: Taught in English

RES-295 Independent Study

Fall and Spring. Credits: 1 - 4

The department Instructor permission required.

RES-395 Independent Study

Fall and Spring. Credits: 1 - 8

Department of Russian and Eurasian Studies

The Russian Department helps students explore a part of the world that has reshaped history and where history is still being made; the home to peoples and places immensely rich in their cultural, artistic and intellectual achievements.

• 413-538-2648
• 103 Ciruti Center

Dominique Rampton

• Academic Department Coordinator
• 413-538-2294
• Russian Faculty and Staff

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