Russian Language and Area Studies Program
One of the longest-running and most respected Russian language and cultural immersion programs, the Advanced Russian Language & Area Studies Program (RLASP) in Yerevan combines intensive classroom instruction with a wide range of extracurricular activities, including volunteer opportunities and community service, regional field studies, conversation partners, and discussion groups with local students.
Hosted by faculty from Yerevan State University, the program provides approximately 20 hours per week of in-class instruction in Russian grammar, phonetics, conversation, and cultural studies for a semester, summer or academic year. Participants also complete coursework in the history and culture of Armenia and may elect to enroll in Armenian language study.
RLASP serves both U.S. graduate and undergraduate students as well as working professionals. Program features include homestays, weekly excursions, travel to other regions outside the host city, conversation partners, and a wide range of opportunities to volunteer or pursue hobbies and personal interests in a Russian-language context. Participants receive academic credit for the program through Bryn Mawr College. Credited coursework may include such subjects as literature, history, political science, and contemporary society. All courses are taught in Russian by expert faculty with experience teaching foreign students.