Russian
Engaging in the Major
Competencies and Careers
Competencies Developed in the Program
Students in the Russian program can expect to develop strong competencies:
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Cultural Navigation
Want to know more about these professional competencies? Career Readiness.
Common Career Fields
Russian students can use their degree to pursue careers in many fields!
Some of those include: Education, Business Administration, Marketing, Finance, Law, Medicine, Diplomacy, and Translation.
Jobs in these career fields:
Would you like to know about specific jobs in these fields? Check out this pamphlet
Handshake: Check out job postings in a career field that interests you! Use Handshake, the ultimate job board for internships and entry level jobs. Use it to search for jobs, connect with alumni, and research companies.
Meet with your advisor!
Would you like to know more about the program to see if it’s a good fit for your goals? Would you like to know more about your career options? Do you have a career option in mind but you’d like resources to help you chart a path toward that goal? Come meet with your Academic and Professional Development Manager, Cielle Davis!
Contact the Liberal Arts Advisement Center to set up an appointment!
Russian Course Progression
Course order:
Russian-speaking returned missionaries can start in RUSS 330.
If you have some experience with Russian, please speak with Russian Section Head Katya Jordan to assess which Russian class is right for you.
Minor courses:
If you plan to add a minor or a double major, take courses for that program as soon as you can.
Challenge Exam: The Challenge Exam allows BYU students who had a significant language immersion experience for which they did not receive academic credit to demonstrate their proficiency and to receive graded credit.
The exam must be taken during your first Russian language-focused class at BYU or your first Russian language-focused class after your mission.
- Eligible classes: RUSS 330. See this website for details.
- Note: Native speakers cannot take the exam for credit.
Grad Plans:
If you would like help creating a full grad plan, consider meeting with an undergraduate specialist at the Liberal Arts Advisement Center.
Funding & Internships
Should I do an internship?
Internships are encouraged! They vary widely, based on students’ career path of choice! The Russian program runs internships in in Latvia and other Russian-speaking countries every semester. The internships are in a wide variety of career fields. If you are curious about which internship options are a good fit for you, reach out to your academic and professional development manager, Cielle Davis, or the College of Humanities career director, Christian Sagers, or the Russian Internship Coordinator, Tony Brown.
Resources to find internships:
- Russian Internship Coordinator: Tony Brown
- Washington Seminar
- Handshake
- On-Campus Internships
Funding for Internships
We offer funding for unpaid, professional internships. Please apply!
Humanities Financial Aid
Funding for mentored research
You can participate in a faculty-mentored research project, and you can receive funding for your project. Learn about the Hum Grants program.
College of Humanities Tuition Scholarships
The College of Humanities offers tuition scholarships. You can find out about the scholarship options and apply here: Humanities Financial Aid
Funding for Study Abroad Programs:
The Russian program runs a study abroad in Latvia for Russian students every summer. Check out the department website or Find Your Program through the Kennedy Center.
The College of Humanities offers funding for Humanities students going on Humanities study abroad programs.
University financial aid options
There are many resources to help you fund your tuition and experiences at BYU. The Financial Aid Office can help!
Campus Resources
- German and Russian Department: For language placement, course questions, faculty contacts, study abroad info, and more, contact the German and Russian Department.
- Pre-Professional Advisement: For pre-med or pre-law resources, contact the Pre-Professional Advisement Center.
- Handshake Internships and Job Board: To search internships and jobs that match your interests and skills, use Handshake.
- Kennedy Center: For International Study programs and funding, contact the BYU Kennedy Center.
- Career Director: To get help searching for and applying to jobs, plus connecting with employers and alumni, meet with Christian Sagers.
- Course Descriptions and offerings: To check out which classes will be offered in the upcoming semester, use the BYU Class Search.
Getting Involved
Study Abroad
Mentored Research
Language Immersion Student Residence
FAQ's
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Toggle ItemWhich minors do Russian students usually have?
Russian majors are encouraged to have a minor or a double major. Russian pairs well with many minors! Depending on your career goals, you might choose: Digital Humanities, TESOL, Global Business and Literacy, Biology, Legal Studies, or Translation and Localization. You can check out all of the minors BYU offers in the BYU Catalog.
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Toggle ItemHow do I get a language certificate in Russian?
The Center for Language Studies administers all language certificates. Check out their website for information on classes to take and registering for your certificate proficiency exams. For Russian, you will need to take RUSS 321, 322, or 323, RUSS 330 or 343, and RUSS 340, 341 or 342
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Toggle ItemWhat if I want to double major in Russian and another program?
Many Russian students double major. You can petition to double major. Learn about the process here.
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Toggle ItemWhat is the language challenge exam? How do I take it?
The Challenge Exam allows BYU students who had a significant language immersion experience for which they did not receive academic credit to demonstrate their proficiency and to receive graded credit. The exam must be taken during your first Russian language-focused class at BYU or your first Russian language-focused class after your mission.
- Eligible classes: RUSS 330. See this website for details.
- Note: Native speakers cannot take the exam for credit. -
Toggle ItemI have a hold on my account. Who can help me get it removed?
If it is an AIP hold, please meet with your academic and professional development manager, Cielle Davis, to get that hold removed. Contact the Liberal Arts Advisement Center to set up an appointment with her.
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Toggle ItemWhere can I get help with papers, homework, and studying?
- Russian Conversation Lab
- BYU RWC (Research and writing center)
- Y serve tutors
- TA Labs
- Peer Academic Study Specialists (PASS)