Deadline: April 1, 2022
Bard Abroad is excited to announce the introduction of a Russian Language Track through the AUCA-Bard Study Abroad Program in Kyrgyzstan. This track is open to students with at least two years of college-level Russian.
Although more than 30 years have passed since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Bishkek remains largely a Russian-speaking city, with Russian used as the common language between the many groups of people that call Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia home. Students will have the opportunity to use Russian in and out of the classroom, in home-stays, with student peers, and in daily life. With a rich history and culture of its own, a shared-Soviet experience and common customs and cultural traditions which transcend borders, Kyrgyzstan is a fascinating place to study Russian (outside of the European context) and experience post-Soviet society.
Key aspects of the program include:
- Two-week Russian Intensive – the program begins with a two-week intensive Russian course to introduce students to daily life in Bishkek, acquainting them with the city and local customs
- Russian Language Courses – students will take between 9 and 11 credits of Russian language each semester. Courses are designed to build proficiency and help students work towards mastery of Russian, taking advantage of Bishkek’s Russian-language environment
- Russian-speaking Home-Stays – students will have the option of staying with Russian-speaking families or living in a dormitory with AUCA peers, providing the opportunity to speak Russian daily outside of class and interact with the language and culture in a real-world context
- Enrollment in 2-3 academic courses from among the variety of courses taught at AUCA, which include many courses in Russian, Central Asian and Post-Soviet area studies. Most academic courses are taught in English, but students are welcome to enroll in courses taught in Russian, which include studio art, theater and physical education offerings
Recent courses taught at AUCA include:
Hybridity and Identity in Central Asia
Novels of the Russian Golden Age
Literature and Art from the Soviet Union
Moral Imagination through Literature
Literature in Imperial and Soviet Central Asia
Empire, Identity, Modernity: Ethnic Classifications in Imperial and Soviet Central Asia
Central Asian Politics
Political Regimes/Democracy in post-communist countries and East Asia
Foreign Policy of Post-Soviet States
Internal History of the USSR
Political History of the USSR
Politics and Development in Post-Soviet Central Asia
Russia and Central Asia
Russian Foreign Policy
Russian Politics
Government & Politics of USSR & CIS
Identity Politics in the Post-Soviet Space Politics of Russia and CIS
Language Policies in Central Asian Republics: Soviet and post-Soviet Periods
Other program highlights:
- A cultural program, which will explore the culture, history, customs, cuisine and natural beauty of Kyrgyzstan and its diverse population
- Participation in student clubs, extracurricular activities and civic engagement projects with Russian-speaking peers from across Central Asia
- Volunteering and internship opportunities at various organizations in Bishkek
To Apply: https://www.bard.edu/bardabroad/bishkek/