Undergraduate Minor

The Minor in Russian and Eurasian Studies, which is administered by the College of Arts and Letters, is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor's degree programs at Michigan State University.  With the approval of the department and college that administer the student's degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor's degree.

The Minor in Russian and Eurasian Studies is designed to enhance the student's understanding of and appreciation for the regions of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The minor offers an interdisciplinary, as well as a comparative and cross–cultural, approach to the study of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

Requirements for the Minor in Russian and Eurasian Studies

The student must meet the requirements specified below:

1.	Foreign Language Proficiency
	The student must demonstrate proficiency in Russian or in a relevant Eurasian language at a level equivalent to the completion of four semesters of study at the university level. Proficiency may be demonstrated either by completing the appropriate courses or by passing a proficiency examination.
2.	Completion of a minimum of 15 credits of course work which includes courses from at least three of the following areas listed below:
	Economics
	EC	306	Comparative Economic Systems				3
	EC	406	Economic Analysis of Russian and the Commonwealth of Independent States (W)				3
	Geography
	GEO	336	Geography of Europe				3
	History of Art
	HA	410	Selected Topics in Medieval Art				4
	History
	HST	342	Modern East-Central Europe				3
	HST	343	Russia from Peter the Great to Lenin				3
	HST	344	Russia in the Twentieth Century				3
	HST	483	Seminar in Modern European History (W)				3
	HST	490	Independent Study				1 to 4
	James Madison College
	MC	321	The Cold War: Culture, Politics, and Foreign Policy				4
	MC	324E	Regional Politics, Cooperation, and Conflict in Europe				4
	MC	325	State and Society in Comparative Perspective				4
	MC	328	Russian Foreign Policy				4
	MC	329	European Security: Challenges and Strategies				4
	MC	386	Women and Power in comparative Perspective				4
	MC	492	Senior Seminar in International Relations (W)				5
	Philosophy
	PHL	357	Philosophy of Karl Marx				3
	PHL	416	Hegel Seminar				4
	PHL	421	Topics in European and Continental Philosophy				3
	Political Science
	PLS	358	Politics of the U.S.S.R. and Its Successor States				3
	Russian
	LL	250D	Topics in National Cinemas: Russian and Soviet Cinema				3
	RUS	231	19th-Century Russian Literature in Translation				3
	RUS	232	20th-Century Russian Literature in Translation				3
	RUS	242	Russian and Eastern European Science Fiction				3
	RUS	311	Advanced Russian: Oral Communication				3
	RUS	341	Russian Life and Culture of the 20th Century				3
	RUS	420	Russian Life and Culture Before World War I				3
	RUS	421	Russian Life and Culture in the 20th Century				3
	RUS	440	Contemporary Russian Life and Culture (W)				3
	RUS	441	Russian Literature (W)				3
	RUS	491	Special Topics in Russian Studies				1 to 6
	RUS	493	Overseas Internship				1 to 12
	Sociology
	SOC	490	Special Topics in Sociology				3
	In order for EC 306, HST 482, HST 490, MC 386, MC 492, PHL 421, or SOC 490 to be counted toward the requirements for the Minor in Russian and Eurasian Studies, the topic of the course must be specifically related to the regions of the former Soviet Union or Eastern Europe and be approved by the Director of the Center for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies or the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. Students are encouraged to take independent study courses that may be helpful to students who are planning to study in the regions of the former Soviet Union or in the East European countries.