*Attention: This program is currently suspended by the provider. Travel to Russia while it remains at a State Department Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel is prohibited under the Pomona College Policy Regarding College-Funded International Student Travel. Please reach out to the IDPO if you have any questions.

advanced russian language and area studies program (rlasp)

The Advanced Russian Language & Area Studies Program (RLASP) combines intensive Russian language instruction with a wide range of extracurricular activities, including internships and community service, regional field study excursions, meetings with conversation partners, and discussion groups with local students.

Program Features

Offered in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vladimir, Russia 

Available during Fall and Spring
 
20 hours per week of intensive coursework in Russian grammar, vocabulary, and phonetics; additional course topics include Russian history, literature, political science, and mass media. All classes taught in Russian by expert host-institution faculty

Russian language conversation partners for two hours per week
 
Participants earn 16 U.S. academic credits per semester (4 Pomona credits) in Russian language and regional studies through Bryn Mawr College
 
Housing with carefully-selected, experienced host families or in university dorms; host families provide two meals per day

Weekly excursions led by U.S. resident directors to local sites of historical and cultural significance, such as theatres, museums, and national parks

Extended regional field study excursions outside the host city, led by U.S. resident directors; RLASP groups in Russia have visited sites such as Volgograd and Saratov, while groups in Almaty have traveled to Astana and Ust-Kamenogorsk

Comprehensive health, accident, and evacuation insurance for all participants abroad

Financial Aid

Financial aid from American Councils is available for RLASP. Please visit www.acstudyabroad.org/financialaid to learn more about available scholarships.

Eligibility Requirements

• 2 semesters of college-level Russian or the equivalent
• Minimum 2.7 GPA
• At least 18 years old by application deadline

 

Interested in learning more?

Complete program information, including an online application, is available on the RLASP website at www.acstudyabroad.org/rlasp. 
 
Read what past program participants have to say about their RLASP experience on our blog website. Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for pictures of participants on-program, study abroad articles, and more!

Questions?

Contact American Councils at outbound@americancouncils.org


RLASP serves both graduate and undergraduate students as well as working professionals. The academic year, semester, and summer programs provide approximately 20 hours per week of in-class instruction in Russian grammar, phonetics, conversation, and cultural studies in Russia. Program features include homestays, weekly excursions, travel to other regions of Russia, conversation partners, and a wide range of opportunities to pursue internships, volunteering, hobbies, and personal interests in a Russian-language context. Credit for area studies coursework is offered in such subjects as literature and history, political science, and contemporary society. All courses are taught in Russian by expert faculty with experience teaching foreign students.

Academic Program
All program participants are required to attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation in Washington, D.C. at the start of the program. Orientation sessions address health and safety, academic culture, host-family life, culture shock, and strategies to maximize language gain. Students will also have a chance to meet and get to know their resident directors, fellow participants, and alumni during the orientation. Lodging and meals will be provided. Upon arrival in the host country, participants attend an informative in-country orientation.

A substantial portion of the curriculum of the semester program is devoted to the intensive study of Russian language and literature.

Moscow and Vladimir, Russia
Students enroll in the following courses: Saint Petersburg, Russia There is no CR/NC option on this program.

Number of Students
ACTR enrolls approximately 15 - 23 students per institute/university, selected from a national pool. 

Host Institutions
American Councils for International Education
Moscow International University in Moscow, Russia
Russian State Pedagogical University (Herzen Institute) in St. Petersburg, Russia
KORA Center for Russian Language in Vladimir, Russia

Faculty Liaison
Larissa Rudova
Anne Dwyer

Travel Advisories

• Department of State 
• Centers for Disease Control