Russian studies programs teach people about the culture and history of Russia. Students learn about Russian politics, lifestyles, and traditions. They study the periods before and after the ruling czars. They learn about life in medieval and Soviet times. In addition, they study ways to apply their knowledge to trade or teaching.

When you enter a metro or subway station, what do you expect to see? Perhaps dim lights, dingy stairs, garbage cans, and of course, trains and people. You go there hoping to find your train on time, not amazing architecture. Yet if you were to go to any one of Moscow's Metro stations, you would find what is called the "Underground Palace." Built with natural stones, including some semi-precious varieties, each station is quite beautiful. They boast chandeliers, marble, bronze, and landscape paintings. When you wait for your train (as over eight million Russian citizens do every day), you wait in style.

Learning fun trivia about Russia and Russian culture is just one aspect of a Russian studies program. More importantly, you tap into a wealth of information about Russia's rich culture and history. There's something to learn for every interest you might have.

Do politics and international relations excite you? Given the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Russia is the site of a complex political scene that is literally changing before our very eyes. In a time and setting like that, you can learn about economics, government, and history all at the same time.

Do you love the arts? With the Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world, and artists such as Chagall and Kandinsky, Russia is a wonderful culture to study for art and art history. Writers such as Dostoevsky and Tolstoy and musicians such as Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev make Russia a wonderful culture to study for literature and music as well.

Moreover, because of the broad range of subjects within Russian studies, a background in this program prepares you for many different kinds of jobs. Possible career fields include journalism, business, research, or aerospace engineering.

Many colleges and universities offer a bachelor's, a master's, or a doctoral degree in Russian studies. In some undergraduate programs, you major in Slavic or Eastern European studies and then concentrate in Russian studies.

A bachelor's degree typically takes about four years of full-time study after high school. After a bachelor's degree, a master's degree usually takes about one to two additional years. A doctoral degree generally takes between three and five years after a master's.

Students who major in Russian studies may be able to choose concentrations such as:

• Customs and Culture
• Dance and Music
• Economics
• Folklore and Myth
• History
• Languages
• Literature
• Politics
• Religion