Moscow

Study Abroad

There are many options for students that wish to study abroad. After at least two years of Russian language study, or one year plus one summer of intensive study, Macalester students select one of the following programs:

  • C.V. Starr-Middlebury College
    The C.V. Starr Middlebury College School in Russia offers three unique opportunities for students who wish to immerse themselves in the study of Russian language and culture. Its programs in Irkutsk, Moscow, and Yaroslavl encourage linguistic and cultural integration into university and community life.

  • Council on International Educational Exchange
    CIEE offers two programs in St. Petersburg, one that focuses on Russian language and culture, and one that focuses on Russian area studies, as well as an intensive summer program to help students improve their proficiency with the language.

  • National Theater Institute
    The O'Neill Moscow Art Theatre semester offers undergraduate students a living experience with one of the most accomplished and groundbreaking theaters in the world. Daily acting classes in the Stanislavsky System and the Michael Chekhov Technique, and movement classes including biomechanics and ballet, are complemented with voice, design, Russian language, and Russian theater history.

  • American Councils Study Abroad in Russia
    American Councils offers four study abroad programs, including the Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program, the Contemporary Russia Program, and the Heritage Speakers Program.

  • Bard-Smolny Study Abroad Program
    Smolny College is the only program in Russia to offer visiting North American students a broad range of liberal arts courses along with Russian as a Second Language (RSL). Strictly speaking, Smolny is not a "study abroad program." It is a four-year college with a diverse curriculum, faculty, and student body.

  • School of Russian and Asian Studies (SRAS) - New!
    SRAS has programs in 6 locations in Russia, two in Ukraine, and one
    in Kyrgyzstan. They can discuss with students the advantages of certain locations over others relative to each student's academic, professional, or personal interests and objectives. They also have programs targeted at specific interests,
    including Acting in Russia, Central Asian Studies, Baikal Environmental Studies, Translation Abroad, and Sino-Russian Relations, among others.

  • Other Study Abroad Programs
    Other organizations offer study abroad programs in Russia. Visit the AATSEEL website for a list of many more intensive languages and study abroad programs.


Please check with Macalester's Study Abroad Office to ensure that the program you are interested in meets the eligibility requirements for academic credit. The faculty at Macalester have spent considerable time in Russia and can also advise you on what to expect.

 

Notes from Abroad ...

Marisa Raether and the Bronze Horseman
View of Old Tver' from the bank of the Volga River

 

Kaitlyn Arctander writes: "The photo of the Volga is one of the first photos I took in Russia. I was with a group of really friendly Russian girls who wanted to make me feel at home. I had told them that in New York I lived by the water, and they brought me to the river to show me that my new home has water, too. We stayed by the river until nearly 2am when it started getting dark and had a picnic -- it was also the first time I tried Kvas!"

 

Marisa Raether and the Bronze Horseman
Zhenya & I atop a Russian fire truck during a presentation at Camp
Computeria

 

Also from Kaitlyn: "The camp I was working at - Computeria - was a summer camp for kids ages 6-17. It was originally a pioneer camp, and the staff really tried to honor the longstanding traditions of pioneer camps -- but with a new twist. The camp is also a technology camp, with 8 computer labs and top of the line computer programs and teachers. Everyday, along with team-building activities and sports hour, the kids would have two hour-long computer classes. They could choose which programs they wanted to work with - Powerpoint, Photoshop, etc - and at the end of each camp session we held a "Technology Conference" for the kids to present what they learned. After their computer classes, the children had two hours with me - one learning English, and one learning about America. I covered all ranges of English language learning, from no experience even reading the alphabet, to those who could speak almost fluently. I also covered a variety of topics about America - friendship in America, education in America, family life in America, as well as American history."

 

Marisa Raether and the Bronze Horseman
Marisa Raether and the
Bronze Horseman

Marisa Raether writes: "I studied abroad in St. Petersburg from January to May of 2007. In this picture, I am standing in front of the famous "Bronze Horseman" statue dedicated to Peter the Great, the founder of the city, which is situated on the bank of the Neva River near the Admiralty and St. Isaac's Cathedral (which you can glimpse in the background). St. Petersburg is full of beautiful statues and monuments, and this one was my absolute favorite. I squealed with delight every morning when I rode by it in the bus on the way to school. This statue is especially famous for the poem inspired by, Aleksandr Pushkin's "The Bronze Horseman," in which the statue comes to life and pursues a young Petersburger. It never came to life while I was nearby, but I don't doubt that it happens from time to time.