Frequently Asked Questions

The Department of Russian Language and Literature of our university aims to educate individuals who are able to think critically, culturally equipped, and have ethical concerns as well as mastering the Russian language, and to ensure that its graduates acquire the competence and knowledge that enable them to work as both educators and researchers in their fields. At the end of the four-year undergraduate education shaped within this framework, it is aimed that students will be able to speak Russian as if it were their mother tongue and learn Russian culture and literature.

It is also a part of the undergraduate programme to enable students to develop their researcher identities in the national and international arena. In this sense, it is aimed to increase the knowledge and competences of the graduates of the department in different international fields.

The aim of the Department of Russian Language and Literature is to educate bright-minded young people who are well-equipped in the field of literature and culture, have a critical perspective, observe ethical values, as well as a competent knowledge of the language, and to equip them with the knowledge, skills and competencies that will enable them to work in different areas of the public and private sectors, as well as to become productive "educators - researchers" specialised in their fields.

Students graduating from the programme are expected to speak Russian at an advanced level and have a good command of Russian literature and culture. During the four years of undergraduate education after one year of preparatory education, students are expected to acquire the ability to conduct research and analysis at national and international level and to enrich their knowledge and equipment in many different interdisciplinary and intercultural fields. In the last semester, students have the opportunity to apply the language and field knowledge they have learnt academically with the thesis studies they will write on the subjects they have previously determined with their supervisors and under their guidance. Our newly established department has started to work on student and faculty exchange and co-operation agreements with reputable universities in Russia. Thus, our students will have the chance to complete one semester of their undergraduate education in Russia. 

For detailed information, you can access our department and profession introduction videos from the links here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UniHpFC4RLM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msy4GDlqNnM

Our students who complete the preparatory education and enter the undergraduate programme take advanced grammar courses in the first year to complete their knowledge of the Russian language. The courses related to Russian grammar continue for four years in the form of morphology, syntax, linguistics, etc. Our aim is to improve our students' linguistic knowledge as well as their knowledge of various subjects.

In addition, the aim of Yeditepe University Department of Russian Language and Literature is to ensure that graduates have the knowledge of Russian that they can use in different fields and that they can actively use the language. For this purpose, our curriculum is designed with a integrated and complementary approach with the courses of country knowledge, Russian culture and, of course, literature. Click here to view our department curriculum.

According to the language learning standards set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), A1 level refers to the most basic and initial level of language learning. At this level, the aim is to understand and use the basic structures of a language and the expressions used in daily life. However, the process of language learning can vary depending on personal traits, motivation and interest. Some people learn quickly, while others may need a longer period of time. For example, for a lesser-known language such as Russian, 7 weeks with 30 hours of active study per week under the guidance of specialised instructors would be sufficient to reach level A1.

However, this can vary depending on factors such as personal effort, level of education and language skills. Intensive and regular study can contribute to faster language learning.

Russian has many similarities with other Slavic languages. These include other Slavic languages such as Ukrainian, Belarusian, Polish, Slovak, Czech, Slovenian, Croatian and Serbian. Russian's use of the Cyrillic alphabet is also similar to other Cyrillic languages such as Ukrainian and Belarusian. Therefore, there are common letters and sounds between these languages.

However, Russian has also borrowed some words and grammatical structures from other language families, such as the Baltic languages, which are Indo-European languages, and German. This shows that Russian interacts with various languages in a cultural and historical context. Although Russian has a strong relationship with other Slavic languages, it is also enriched with elements from other language families.

Russian is a language belonging to the family of Slavic languages and is the official language of the Russian Federation. It is also an important language in the former Soviet Republics and Eastern European countries. Russian is written in Cyrillic script and spoken by about 260 million people worldwide. It is one of the official languages recognised by the United Nations. It is widely used in diplomacy and international relations. Russian is also an important cultural language with its great writers and rich literature.

You do not need to know Russian to enroll in the Department of Russian Language and Literature. Students who enter the university entrance exams from the language field can prefer our department.

Students who are placed in the Department of Russian Language and Literature study at the Russian Preparatory School for the first year. The preparatory programme consists of two semesters. In the first semester, it is aimed for students to reach A1 level language knowledge. At the end of the second semester, our students are entitled to start their undergraduate education by completing the B1 level.

Russian Preparatory School consists of two courses: Autumn Term - Beginner level A1- A2, Spring Term B1. In case of failure, the course is repeated.

Our students who speak Russian take the Proficiency Test and continue their education at the appropriate level according to the results of the test. Students who have B1 level Russian language knowledge start their undergraduate education directly.

The Department of Russian Language and Literature offers a wide range of opportunities to students through exchange and summer school programmes. Starting from preparatory education, our students have the opportunity to participate in international programmes through collaborations with leading universities in Russia. In undergraduate education, there is the opportunity to study in Russia for a semester through student exchange programmes.

Yeditepe University is a university that offers students very important opportunities such as double major and minor programmes. Within this framework, the Department of Russian Language and Literature also offers a wide range of opportunities to its students. Our students can do double major in fields that will provide wider opportunities to transform the cooperation opportunities between Russia and Turkey into opportunities for themselves in the future. Our students generally prefer the Department of International Trade and Business Administration and the Department of Tourism. In addition, Psychology, Visual Communication Design, English Language Teaching, and the Department of English Language and Literature are the fields where our students do their double major. In the future, agreements can be made with different departments according to the interests and skills of our students. Click here for more detailed information about double major and minor programmes.

After receiving the title of philologist, graduates of the Department of Russian Language and Literature can find job opportunities in a wide range of fields and build their careers according to their field of interest. One of these areas is academia. After the undergraduate programme, graduates who fulfill the specified requirements can continue their education with Master's and Ph.D. programmes, become academics and carry out academic studies related to Russian Language and Literature.

In addition, there are also job opportunities both in public institutions and organisations and in the private sector. Foreign trade companies, law offices, tourism sector, construction sector, gas sector, government agencies and embassies, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, transport, customs, press and media institutions and translation and interpreting offices. In these different fields, they have the opportunity to make a career as academicians, translators and teachers.