Russian

Hello and welcome to Russian and Slavonic Studies at Sheffield

We hope you have had a good summer and congratulations on your results! We are very much looking forward to meeting you and to working with you over the next four years.

Why study Russian?

A fascinating country with a culture forged through a millennium at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Russia has given the world some of its greatest literature, music and art. The current Russian regime's war in Ukraine now makes it more necessary than ever to understand the historical and cultural background to contemporary Russia: this is vital knowledge for securing a lasting peace and for laying the foundations of a post-war world. Our courses will give you an understanding of Russia as an imperial power, as the dominant nation in the Soviet Union, and of its post-Soviet cultural and geopolitical role. For language enthusiasts, studying Russian is an eye-opening journey into the different ways languages work. As a graduate in Russian, your understanding of Russia, its culture and its place in the world will make you stand out to employers in many sectors.

What can you do to prepare before the semester starts?

If you're studying Russian, you will take either our Beginner's Russian course (MLT01044 & MLT01045) or our post-A-level Russian course (MLT01048 & MLT01049).  Russian and Czech Cultures in the Age of Empire and Beyond (MDL118) is core if you want to build a Russian pathway.

You might also like to explore what else the section has to offer apart from Russian. Why not have a look at information about another, closely related language that we teach: Czech, or explore other optional modules you might want to take.

You can also learn more about the Soviet Union; if you already have A-level Russian (or equivalent) you can read Russian classics in the original. What will you choose?

More information about both languages, as well as the optional modules available in the section, can be found in the handbook (to be added shortly). Please log in with your University email account for access. We've given you a few ideas of things to read to prepare for the modules on history and culture.

Need to know more?

Feel free to approach students and staff in Russian and Slavonic Studies for information and to ask questions. We know that there is a lot of information to process over the next few weeks and and this can be a confusing time. We want you to know that we will be there to help and assist if necessary.

If you have any questions, please email: slc-enquiries@sheffield.ac.uk 

How do I get ready? 

Your first week at Sheffield will be one of many new experiences. Not only will you get to know the campus, the department and your fellow students, you will also run into many new words and phrases that are regularly used around the university. If you familiarise yourself with some of the jargon before you get to Sheffield, it will help you find your way more quickly when you get here. 

What goes for your settling into a new environment also goes for your getting ready for your new course. You may want to prepare yourself by listening to radio in Russian and Czech or by following the news in those languages, if you have come with some language preparation behind you already.  Again, good preparation boosts your confidence and will make settling in that much easier.

Why not get in touch with students already studying Russian and Czech? Our student society SlavSoc holds regular Russian- and Czech-themed events. Find out more about what's on offer and meet some new friends on their Facebook page.


Thinking about additional subjects

Students of Russian are required to do either 40 credits in Russian at Level 1, depending on whether or not you have A Level Russian already. If you are doing Czech with us, the language modules will take 20 credits (10 + 10). You may, however, like to pick up more credits in the section, if you have any spare. The options open to you can be found in the Level 1 Module Guide.


Get yourself in the mood

To put yourself in a Slavonic mood at the start of your degree, and to prepare yourself linguistically, try some of the following websites. Remember that your success at university depends to a large extent on your ability to work at your degree subjects independently and using a variety of methods. Get into the habit of reading, listening and speaking Russian and at every opportunity.

Here are some links to warm up your language skills:



Central Services

The University has a great deal to offer centrally: Libraries, Computing Service, Health Service, Counselling Service, Careers Services, Housing Service, USport and of course the Student Union. Take your time to browse around the webpages they provide.