School of Modern Language and Cultures

Slavonic Studies

(September 2007 to June 2008)
(at times to be arranged)
(Course Convener: Dr John Bates)

ENROLMENT MEETING: Thursday 20 September 2007 at 10.00 am, in Room 130, Level 1, Hetherington Building, Bute Gardens.

The Joint Honours programme is intended to broaden and deepen students' knowledge of key aspects of primarily Czech, Polish and Russian cultures. It includes options in the history, literature, politics and economics of these countries. In addition, students may study one or two of the three languages on offer up to intermediate level.

Aims
This course is intended to:

1. impart to students an advanced knowledge of comparative aspects of developments in literature, culture, history and/or politics in at least two of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;
   
2. acquaint students with aspects of the literatures, culture, history, politics and economics of Central and Eastern Europe via English-language sources;
   
3. optionally, to provide students with language instruction at an appropriate level in one or two of the Slavonic languages;
   
4. increase students' ability to work effectively, as well as to further the acquisition of generic and transferable skills which will be of value in later life.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. provide evidence of a broad knowledge of developments in at least one field of comparative study relating to Central and East European culture, literature, history, economics and/or politics;
   
2. demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of key issues arising from the various cultural, historical, political, economic and literary options chosen;
   
3. write critically and cogently upon those issues with an awareness of the different approaches outlined in the English-language secondary literature;
   
4. demonstrate an appropriate level (normally beginner's to intermediate, but, exceptionally, to a more advanced level) of competence in writing, speaking and translating from any of the Slavonic languages on offer, where such an option is chosen;
   
5. make effective use of works of reference and, where appropriate, dictionaries;
   
6. make effective and appropriate use of web-based resources; and produce by specific deadlines cogently argued, appropriately documented and well-crafted pieces of written work;
   
7. deliver with increasing confidence coherent, well-informed and fully referenced presentations on different aspects of the course;
   
8. apply the analytical skills acquired from the study of history, culture, politics, economics and literature to a broad range of problems they may face in different situations and contexts.

Regulations
Over the two years of the Honours course students must choose options worth 120 credits in total. Each option is a full-year module. Normally students will take options worth 60 credits in total each year. Students may select from the following four groups of Options:

I: Comparative Options:
Course 90UJ: Czech, Polish and Russian Women's Writing in English Translation (not available in Session 2007-2008)
Course 90UP: The Mass Media of Central and Eastern Europe (15 credits) (not available in Session 2007-2008)
Course 90UQ: Further Issues Concerning the Mass Media (15 credits)
Course 89CV: Slavonic Drama (15 credits) (not available in Session 2007-2008)
Course 89CX: Holocaust Literature (15 credits)

Course 89FT: 'Domesticating the Dictators?': Women's Writing under Stalin and Franco
Course 89RX: Censorship in Western Culture
II: Cultural Options:
Course 90VE: Contemporary Czech Cinema
Course 90VM: Polish Literature in English Translation from the Renaissance to the Twentieth Century (not available in Session 2007-2008)
Course 90UE: Polish Cinema (not available in Session 2007-2008)
Course 90UR: The Russian Novel in English Translation
Course 90VT: Polish Identities: Readings in Polish Cultural and Intellectual History
Course 90VD: History of the Czechs and Slovaks
Course 89FS: The Lost Empire: Byzantium and the Slavs 800-1600 (taught jointly with the Department of Medieval History) (not available in Session 2007-2008)
Course 89BL: Russian Cinema
Course 87CR: Russian 20th-Century Visual Culture

III: Language Options:
Course 90VF: Subsidiary Czech Language (Beginners)
Course 90VJ: Subsidiary Czech Language (Intermediate)
Course 90VG: Subsidiary Polish Language (Beginners)
Course 90VK: Subsidiary Polish Language (Intermediate)
Course 90VH: Subsidiary Russian Language (Beginners)
Course 90VI: Subsidiary Russian Language (Intermediate)

IV: Political and Economic Options (taught by or for the Department of Central and East European Studies):
Course 96BL: An Economic and Social History of Central and Eastern Europe 1918-1989
Course 87CQ: Estonian Society, Culture and Language (1)
Course 87JC: Estonian Society, Culture and Language (2)
Course 87JB: Latvian History, Society, Culture and Language (1)
Course 89PS: Cultural Politics and Social Change in Post-Soviet Russia
Course 90CA: Civil Society and the State in Central and Eastern Europe
Course 89EZ: Statehood, Nationality and Identity. The Baltic States since 1918 (this course will not run in Session 2007-2008)
Course 88RE: The Russian Revolution and Civil War, 1917-1921
Course 87EM: Society and Environment in the Post-Socialist World

We cannot guarantee the availability of any of the Options offered for this degree. Detailed information about course components and Options can be found via our web link Compulsory and Optional Elements for Honours Courses.

Students are required to take a minimum of 30 credits from Group I and may take a maximum of 60 credits from Group III and a maximum of 60 credits from Group IV. Options are normally taught on a yearly basis. The Options are usually each rated at 30 credits except for those options in Group II or where indicated. All curricula must be approved by the Head of Department.

Dissertation (15 credits)
Joint Honours students should undertake a dissertation as part of their degree. For Joint Honours students opting to do so in the Slavonic Studies Section, the dissertation topic will be based on one of the Honours options offered in their Junior Honours year. The students will attend the lectures and seminars for the option as normal, but instead of the standard assessment, will present a short dissertation in English of about 5,000 words. The topic of the dissertation will be agreed with the convener of the option at a meeting shortly after the beginning of the course. In addition to the normal contact hours for the option, it is expected that dissertation students will meet individually with the option convener on at least three occassions to discuss the progress of their research. The dissertation topic will require the student to do some independent research beyond the normal scope of the option course in question.

The Dissertation must be handed in by the end of Week 1 of Semester 2 of the Senior Honours year.

Assessment
In the case of one-year Options that are assessed by degree examination, students will sit that examination in the same year as the Option is taken, i.e. Options taken in Junior Honours are examined at the end of the Junior Honours year, and Options completed in the Senior Honours year are examined at the end of the Senior Honours year. All comparative Options are examined by course assessment only. Cultural, language and political and economic Options are usually assessed by degree examination and students normally sit that examination in the same year as the Option is taken. Full details on schemes of assessment is given in the documentation accompanying each individual Option.

Taught by various members of staff.