ObjectivesA degree in Russian and Philosophy allows you to become an informed user of the Russian language and to develop your understanding of Russian culture, history and society. At the same time you will learn about philosophical issues that have challenged thinkers for centuries. In this four-year dual honours degree course you will normally take half of your modules in Russian and half in Philosophy. You will spend your third year abroad in Russia. Russian: Russian courses at Sheffield focus on small-group teaching. You'll be taught by internationally-renowned experts in our field and by native speakers of the language. You'll gain a thorough grounding in all aspects of spoken and written Russian, including conversation, reading, translating and oral presentation. We also hone your reading, presentation and writing skills in English. All students follow either a beginners or an advanced (post-A Level) Russian course, depending on their qualifications. You also follow a core programme of modules in Russian cultural and social history that complements language instruction at each level. In addition, you may also choose from an exciting range of optional modules, including Russian thought, Soviet politics and culture, literature, art and visual culture, East European cinema, linguistics, and other Slavonic languages (Czech or Polish). The Department of Russian and Slavonic Studies is home to the University of Sheffield's internationally renowned Bakhtin Centre which promotes multi- and inter-disciplinary research on the work of the Russian philosopher and theorist Mikhail Bakhtin and the Bakhtin Circle, and on related areas of cultural, critical, linguistic and literary theory. Philosophy: The Philosophy Department offers an exciting range of courses taught by researchers who are experts in their fields. You can develop your understanding of the key areas of philosophy such as ethics, philosophy of mind, theory of knowledge, political philosophy, metaphysics and logic through the course of your three years. We also have courses on major figures in the history of philosophy such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hegel and others.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements GCE/VCE A Levels - ABB Two GCE A Levels plus two GCE AS Levels - AB+BB Scottish Highers - AAAB Irish Leaving Cert. - Typical offers from BBBBB to AABBB. Contact the department for specific requirements. International Baccalaureate - Typical offers range from 30 to 33 points. Contact the department for specific requirements Core Requirements - Russian is not essential but can affect the offer made. Applicants without GCE A Level Russian should normally have B/C GCE A Level in another language.
Academic titleBA Russian and Philosophy
Course descriptionOur students usually select from a range of compulsory and optional modules to add up to 120 credits.
Some departments offer courses that don't feature optional modules whereas other courses are fully flexible.
Important notice :
This is a list of modules that have been offered in the past. We expect similar modules to be offered for courses starting in 2009.
This information is provided for illustration only and you should check with the department directly when applying to confirm module options.
Typical First Year Modules
Module/Unit Credits
Introduction to Russian Culture 20
Critical Thinking 20
Human Rights 20
Matters of Life and Death 20
Mind, Brain and Personal Identity 20
Philosophy of Art and Literature 20
Russian for Beginners (I) 20
Russian for Beginners (II) 20
Areas of Philosophy 10
History of Philosophy 10
Key Arguments 10
Knowledge, Justification and Doubt 10
Philosophy of Religion 10
Philosophy of Science 10
Philosophy of Space and Time 10
Russian Language I 10
Russian Language II 10
Typical Second Year Modules
Module/Unit Credits
Descartes and The Empiricists 20
Ethics: Theoretical and Practical 20
Ethics: Theoretical and Practical 20
Feminism 20
Formal Logic 20
Philosophy of Art and Literature 20
Philosophy of Mind 20
Plato 20
Political Philosophy 20
Political Philosophy 20
Politics and Culture in the USSR 1917-38 20
Reference and Truth 20
Russian Approaches to Culture 20
The Rationalists 20
The Social Contract 20
The Structures of Russian 20
Theory of Knowledge 20
Visual Culture and Society in the Soviet Union, 1917-1991 20
Czech I 10
Czech II 10
Czech Intermediate I 10
Czech Intermediate II 10
Movements in Russian Culture: Realism, Modernism and Beyond 10
Polish I 10
Polish II 10
Polish Intermediate I 10
Polish Intermediate II 10
Russian Language (Course A): Translation Skills 10
Russian Language (Course B): Translation Skills 10
Russian Language Skills (I) Course A 10
Russian Language Skills (I) Course B 10
Russian Language Skills (II) Course A 10
Russian Language Skills (II) Course B 10
The Russian Novel in the 19th Century I 10
The Russian Novel in the 19th Century II 10
Typical Third Year Modules
Module/Unit Credits
Russian and Slavonic Studies Year Abroad 40
Russian and Slavonic Studies Year Abroad 40
Russian and Slavonic Studies Year Abroad (Project) 20
Russian and Slavonic Studies Year Abroad (Project) 20
Typical Fourth Year Modules
Module/Unit Credits
Aspects of Post-Soviet Russian Culture 10
Russian Language (Advanced): Comprehension and Communication Skills (I) 10
Russian Language (Advanced): Comprehension and Communication Skills (II) 10
Russian Language (Advanced): Translation Skills 10