Study Abroad

This semester program based in Moscow, St. Petersburg or Vladimir is structured to maximize linguistic and cultural immersion in Russian society. Depending on language proficiency, students may have the opportunity to audit Russian university courses or participate in volunteer or internship opportunities. Language instruction is offered in small groups, and the program offers weekly cultural excursions as well as a 7–10 day excursion each semester.

Location: ACTR/ACCELS programs are conducted by expert faculty: in Moscow, at Moscow International University, Moscow Linguistics University and Moscow State University; in St. Petersburg, at Russian State Pedagogical University; and in Vladmir, at the CORA Center for Russian Language.
Areas of Study: Visiting students participate in 20–24 hours per week of in-class instruction in Russian grammar, phonetics, conversation, cultural studies and literature at universities in Moscow or St. Petersburg. All classes are conducted in Russian. ACTR requires an in-depth predeparture orientation program in Washington, D.C., to ensure success in the program and adjustment to living in Russia. The Vladimir program is open to students at the intermediate (second year) level of Russian language. Moscow and St. Petersburg programs are for advanced students.
Activities: One day a week of the academic program is set aside for travel to local social, cultural and historical sites. Moscow destinations may include the Bolshoi Theater, Kremlin and Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, while destinations in St. Petersburg may include the Hermitage, the Russian Museum and the Dostoevsky Museum. All excursions are conducted in Russian.
Accommodations: Visiting students live with a host family or stay in a university dormitory. Most meals are included in the homestay, and a meal stipend is provided those choosing the dormitory option.
Academic Calendar: Fall semester: August–December
Spring semester: January–May
Eligibility: 3.0 GPA
Language of Instruction: Russian
Web site: http://www.acrussiaabroad.org/
Additional information: Flyer

At a Glance

Student Profiles

John McMahon
St.Petersburg

Cherrington Scholars Eligible

Alexander Herzen, the 19th century writer regarded as the father of Russian socialism, lived much of his adult life in exile, where he campaigned vigorously against tsarist tyranny.
The famous dissident Andrei Sakharov, a nuclear scientist who worked on the Soviet hydrogen bomb project, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975. He was not allowed out of the country to collect it.
The 19th century Russian poet Alexander Pushkin is often compared to Shakespeare in terms of his artistry and influence.
The phrase Molotov Cocktail was coined by Finnish soldiers, who tossed the homemade incendiary devices at advancing Russian soldiers. Vyacheslav Molotov served as Soviet foreign minister during World War II.
Often billed as the greatest railroad journey on the planet, the Trans Siberian Railway stretches nearly 6,000 miles from Moscow to Vladivostock.
The celebrated Russian avant-garde, which flourished from 1890 to 1930, featured such influential artists as Kazimir Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky and Marc Chagall.
During the heydey of Soviet censorship, enterprising Russians circulated clandestine copies of books and records—the illicit books became known as samizdat (meaning self-published), while the audio material was referred to as magnitizdat.