Study Abroad in Russia...

The Russian Federation, known more commonly as Russia, spans two continents and has a total land mass nearly twice the size of the United States. It should be no surprise that Russia's massive size is matched by a fascinating history and culture, catering to a range of academic interests.

Though Moscow is the official capital, a common Russian saying suggests the country has two - Moscow for government and state affairs and St. Petersburg for culture and art. Most students study abroad in one of these two main cities where the majority of Russia's 48 major universities are located. American students going to Russia frequently study Russian language and literature. Other popular subjects include political science, business, economics, history, and environmental studies. Those with an interest in science and math can study at one of Russia's many outstanding technical universities.

As politically minded students spend hours in Moscow's Red Square analyzing remnants of communism and visiting Lenin's mausoleum, architecture students will admire the Kremlin, especially the whimsical domes of St. Basil's Cathedral. Art history and studio art majors may choose to study in St. Petersburg where they can make frequent visits to the art collection at the Hermitage, generally considered one of the best in the world. Students interested in religion can take a spiritual pilgrimage to the island of Kizhi or observe a Russian Orthodox Church service in one of Russia's extravagant cathedrals while literary scholars retrace the steps of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky and Nabokov and admire the equestrian statue of Peter the Great in St. Petersburg described in Aleksandr Pushkin's famous poem "The Bronze Horseman". The world-renowned Kirov Ballet company, based in St. Petersburg, and the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow will wow those interested in the performing arts though the opportunity to attend breathtaking ballet productions by smaller companies across the country should not be missed by any student.

The Russian education system is highly structured, and the country boasts a literacy rate of nearly 100%. The country's institutions of higher education have long and proud histories. Lomonosov Moscow State University, for instance, was established in 1755 and today has more than 40,000 undergraduates and 7,000 graduate students, including nearly 2,000 international students from around the world. St. Petersburg State University, founded by an edict of Peter the Great in 1724, has since expanded to 20 departments, 11 scientific institutes, and educates almost 30,000 students today. While it is possible to complete a four-year Bachelor's degrees at a few institutions in Russia, most universities and institutes usually confer a "diplom" or Specialist's degree, after five or six years of study.

Russia's beginnings date back to the 9th Century, with the formation of an independent East Slavic state with its capital in the city of Kiev. After the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, Russia's political center moved north, eventually settling in the Principality of Muscovy. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Romanov dynasty came to power and continued expanding the Muscovite state. Peter the Great began building a new capital in the northwest (St. Petersburg) in 1703, as an expression of his policies for aligning Russia more closely with Europe. In the wake of World War I, the Romanovs were overthrown in 1917. Later that same year, the Bolshevik revolution ushered Vladimir Lenin into power and ultimately brought Russia and its neighboring nations together as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The USSR disintegrated in 1991, creating an independent Russia and 14 other new states from former Soviet republics. Today, Russia is a multi-party democracy with a bicameral federal legislature led by a strong executive, President Vladimir Putin, and supported by a prime minister, who is the head of the government.

Whether your interests lie in literature, politics, architecture, religion, language, science, art or history, Russia's dynamic political history, fine universities and rich culture make it an ideal study abroad destination. And don't worry, warm Russian hospitality offsets the chilly winter weather.

Though Moscow is the official capital, a common Russian saying suggests the country has two - Moscow for government and state affairs and St. Petersburg for culture and art. Most students study abroad in one of these two main cities where the majority of Russia's 48 major universities are located. American students going to Russia frequently study Russian language and literature. Other popular subjects include political science, business, economics, history, and environmental studies. Those with an interest in science and math can study at one of Russia's many outstanding technical universities.

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Here are some pictures from Darren Dolly, our featured student in our country of the month calendar:

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ONLINE RESOURCES
Embassy of the Russian Federation: http://www.russianembassy.org/
Russian Federation: http://www.gov.ru/index.html
Lomonosov Moscow State University: http://www.msu.ru/en/
Saint-Petersburg State University: http://www.spbu.ru/e
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program: http://www.iie.org/gilman
National Security Education Program: http://www.iie.org/NSEP
MIUSA Resources for Students with Disabilities: http://www.miusa.org/ncde/intlopportunities/russia

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