Russian, and East European Languages and Literatures

Major Exploration Course(s) Recommended for Incoming First-Year Students

Introductory courses recommended by faculty. Include at least one of these in your schedule:

Course recommendations beyond this department

Your first year of college is an opportunity for you to explore fields of interest to enhance your understanding of yourself, the world around you, and your main academic and career goals. Think of your schedule as including courses you must take (English, courses to explore potential majors, etc.) and courses you can take (everything else!) All courses are part of your degree - if necessary, review the components of the SAS degree on this page.

Through these degree components, you will curate your own unique educational experience - but we understand that this level of flexibility and freedom can feel overwhelming for new students. Like a recommendation based on a book or TV show you enjoyed, the information below can help you identify related courses to consider in your first semester.

Related Subjects/Departments

The Schedule of Classes provides information about the courses being offered in a particular semester. There are literally thousands of courses offered each semester at Rutgers, and you may find it helpful to narrow down your options by looking for courses in subjects related to your potential major or minor. Use the recommendations below to find possible introductory courses in other subjects. 

To find potential courses in other subjects related to this one:

1. On the Schedule of Classes, select the current term, location "New Brunswick" and level "undergraduate". Click continue.

2. In the Search By box, click the "search multple subjects" link. Select the following departments:

Art History (082)

Comparative Literature (195)

History (510, 508, 512, 506)

Polish (787)

3. In Section Status, deselect Closed

4. In Level of Study, deselect 300 and 400. In general, 100 and 200 are appropriate for first-year students, 300 and 400 are often more appropriate for students with more familiarity with the subject. If you are interested in registering for a 300 or 400 level course, consult with an advisor before registering. 

Review these courses for possible inclusion in your first-semester schedule, or to consider for future semesters.

Departmental Honors track or program

To qualify, a student must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better and an average of 3.4 or better in the major at the end of the junior year. At that time, the student should make a formal application. During their senior year, in addition to fulfilling major course requirements, candidates who are accepted by the discipline honors committee take 01:860:496-497, in which they complete a major research paper under the direction of an adviser. Visit https://reell.rutgers.edu/academics/undergraduate/departmental-honors for more information

What are some usual career paths for Russian majors?

After graduating from Rutgers, many of our students go on to masters or Ph.D. programs in literature, creative writing, film, and international affairs. We have recent graduates who work for Human Rights Watch, or have joined the Peace Corps or the Secret Service. Some of our graduates have gone on to become professors and deans. Some have become translators.  Many of our graduates pursue careers in other fields – marketing, consulting, law, medicine.