Given the current political climate in Russia and Eastern Europe, there is reason to believe that the United States will play an increasing role in trade and cultural exchange with these countries. As a result, there will be a need, in both the private and public sectors, for people familiar with East European languages and cultures. Students find a comprehensive curriculum in language. The program in Russian language offers introductory courses in the fundamentals and more advanced courses in reading, composition, stylistics, and the language of business. Instruction is also available in other Slavic languages including Polish, Czech, Serbian, Croatian, and Ukrainian.
Russian literature is also a major emphasis of the department.
Course offerings cover the entire range of Russian literature, from the works of medieval Russia to those of the present. Emphasis is placed on the forces that have shaped Russian literature, including social concerns as well as the Russian sense of history and national destiny. Finally, the department offers courses in folklore that deal with Slavic myth, ritual, epic, tale, song, and folklore theory. Theory courses, while often relying on Slavic examples, address issues with relevance beyond the Slavic field, such as the nature of oral literature and the significance of ritual in understanding human behavior. The eight faculty members of the department are involved on a daily basis in the education of their students.