Russian Studies Research and Study Opportunities

Thousands of study and academic opportunities in Russian Studies are available internationally. Conferences and summer schools in Russian Studies are organized regularly in the best academic centers of the world. The majority of universities and many foundations also offer BA, MA, and Ph.D. programs in Russian Studies as wells as postdoctoral research grants, awards, and fellowships. Below you will find the updated list of international opportunities available in Russian Studies.

Scholarships in Russian Studies

Fellowships in Russian Studies

Conferences in Russian Studies

Russian Studies relevant accounts on Twitter

Russian Studies as an academic discipline

Russia occupies the most territory on the planet Earth. The country is a dominant power in the post-Soviet region and globally, and numerous countries are directly influenced by each new decision or policy that Russia accepts. It's also one of the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of natural resources such as oil, natural gas, and coal. 

Russian studies as a discipline are dedicated to opening Russia's full scope to interested students and scholars globally. Studying language stands at the core of the Russian studies academic programs, where students learn in-depth linguistics and communication in Russian. However, they go significantly deeper to explore the country from its different perspectives, such as socio-cultural environment, historical events, and development, contemporary culture and traditions, etc. 

What can students gain from Russian Studies?

The completion of the Russian studies program will prepare students for a wide range of careers. If you learn Russia in detail, you can occupy any position related to the relationship with the country. If talking about corporate positions, Russian studies graduates can easily be employed in Russian company branches in other countries or even Russia. Also, they can be competitive for the positions for translation, PR, communication, import/export, logistic services, etc. 

The above-mentioned careers are the most popular for Russian studies graduates, as their communication with Russia is considered near-native. They can easily communicate in the language and be adapted to the communication style and country's accepted standards.

Also, Russian studies can be a good point for you if you aim to open a business in Russia or cooperating with Russia. You will not have integration issues, and cultural shock, which will make the business flows smoother. 

Russian Studies Academic Programs

Russian studies academic programs are offered both within the country's borders and in many foreign-country universities. If you pursue an academic experience of Russian studies in Russia, most probably you will end up choosing one in Moscow or Saint Petersburg, as the two cities concentrate the most quantity of such programs. 

However, you can also apply to a foreign university, Russian studies faculty, and do not worry that you will miss an opportunity to take studies in the local environment. The majority of such programs include international placements to spend a semester or a full year in Russia. 

To have insight into what courses you will explore during the Russian studies academic program, here is the breakdown of the main subjects that most programs include. 

The first years of Bachelor's studies will have a mainly introductory nature. You will learn courses like Introduction to Russia, language, literature, and history basics, etc. Further, as you advance in your studies, Russia will become a deeper topic of studies and research. You will come closer to its current role in the global economy and study more contemporary topics. The below courses are what the majority of the programs include. 

  • Contemporary Russian Politics
  • Russia and the World in Comparative Perspective
  • International Relations of Russia
  • Russian Population Structures
  • Russian Media System
  • Russia and China
  • Migration in Post-Soviet Space
  • Russia and the Muslim World
  • Gender Politics of Russia, etc.

Russian Studies Research opportunities

Russia as a global power is a subject of interest for many research institutions. It's usually studied in the context of Eurasian and European studies, as it's almost impossible to advance your knowledge on Russia without studying it in the global environment. 

For example, the Russian Studies research in the University of Portsmouth focuses on Russia and the EU's relations and generally on the country's external politics and international relations. The main research directions in this context include the following:

  • Russian Politics
  • Russian External Relations
  • Eurasian Economic Union
  • EU-Russia Relations

The Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Uppsala University keeps almost the same route when studying the country and has numerous research issues which can serve as a good base for your future findings in the field. Check the link to read academic materials on Mainstream Russia Nationalism and the "State-Civilization" identity, Conspiracy Theories in Russian Security Thinking, and others. 

You can also pursue research in Russian Studies at the top universities like Oxford, where you can participate in a number of research projects, including but not limited to:

  • Research on Russian Policy in the Middle East
  • Depictions of Covid-19 Futures in Russian International Media
  • Relationships Between Russia and Europe

Russian studies are one of the central parts of the Slavic studies, the study and research opportunities of which are covered in the ARMACAD's dedicated section. Slavic studies is another opportunity to study Russia in a broader context. Also, should you want to combine your Russian studies degrees with the experience in the country, you can check our collection of study and research opportunities in Russia.