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Russian has 140-150 million native speakers and is spoken as a second language by over 120 million people in Russia and the neighbouring countries of Central Asia. Russia has been identified as one of the four major world powers whose influence is growing fast.
British Council, (2014) Languages for the Future
Don't be intimidated by Russian’s reputation as a challenging language to learn. In fact, it takes very little time to master the Cyrillic script (only a week or so), and after that it’s just a matter of building up vocabulary and grammar step-by-step. By the end of Stage 2, a student will typically be able to read a simple Chekhov short story.
Read posts from former IWLP students on our blog. You can also read about how you’ll learn a language and the reasons why you should take a language.
Students of IWLP Russian may also get the chance for some extra-curricular activities, such as events celebrating Russian folklore. You could also join the Russian Speakers' Society and learn more about Russian-speaking cultures.
For detailed information, see our how to apply page.
New students arriving for their first year who are permitted and wish to take an Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) module for credit, starting in Semester 1, must contact the module selection team at moduleselection@reading.ac.uk. Please ensure that you use your university email account, providing the module code and title you would like to take. If you are unable to take an IWLP module for credit, you can still take the module non-credit - please see below.
Existing students who want to take an IWLP module for credit in the following academic year need to sign up via RISIS module selection. All non-credit students must submit the non-credit application form - please note that non-credit applications open in September.
If you have any previous knowledge of Russian, you must complete the placement test so that we can put you in the correct stage - please note that the placement test is only open from April to October.
This beginner’s module is for students who have no prior knowledge or virtually no knowledge of Russian. This module will provide an introduction to Russian, concentrating on its use in familiar, everyday situations. Students will acquire a basic understanding of the language and the ability to communicate at a survival level.
This post-beginner module is for students who have some basic knowledge of Russian, such as that acquired by attending LA1PR1 or equivalent. Students will increase their ability to communicate in Russian by consolidating and building on their existing knowledge of language necessary for everyday situations.
This lower-intermediate module is for students who have some previous knowledge of Russian, such as that acquired by attending LA1PR2 or equivalent. Students will increase their ability to communicate in Russian through engagement with a range of socially relevant and interesting topics, such as local traditions, healthcare and social inequality, and a short research project.
If you wish to take Russian at a higher level than we currently offer, contact us via iwlp@reading.ac.uk.