Russian Language Resources
We highly encourage students interested in Russian and East European Studies to begin taking classes in the Russian department early in their time at Oberlin. We offer other options for studying Russian and other Slavic/East European languages outside of these courses.
Study Abroad: Students have opportunities to gain firsthand academic and practical experience in the languages and cultures of Russia, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic through Oberlin-affiliated study away programs. We encourage students to check with their advisors or with the REES chair about transferring credit for language and other courses completed in any off-campus program.
OCREECAS Internships: The Oberlin Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies has an internship program for advanced and recent graduates to practice their Slavic language skills in Russia, other former Soviet republics, and in Eastern Europe. The program covers students’ travel and living expenses while they apply their linguistic and cultural studies to volunteering at a variety of organizations.
To be considered for an OCREECAS internship, students must typically have prior experience in the region, a high command of the language, and taken coursework in Russian/Russian and East European Studies.
CILC: Oberlin’s Cooper International Learning Center can help students find resources for accredited study of Slavic/East European languages other than Russian. These range from affiliated virtual (online) classes with faculty at other institutions, to semester-long studies with student teachers via tutoring programs and Oberlin’s Experimental College (ExCo).