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Department of Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian Studies
Contact Information:
Campus Location: 1722 University Hall (UH)
(312) 996-5218
prls.uic.edu
Administration:
Head, Michał Markowski
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Karen Underhill, kcu@uic.edu
The Department of Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian Studies (PRLS) offers language courses in Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. The undergraduate program develops language literacy skills and cultural competency in the regions of study.
Within the Bachelor of Arts with the Major in Central and Eastern European Studies, the department offers concentrations in Polish Studies, Russian Studies, and Central and Eastern European Studies. Minors in Polish Studies, Russian Studies, and Central and Eastern European Studies are also offered.
Students who choose a major or minor in the Department of Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian Studies build and solidify competence in their chosen foreign language—Polish, Russian, or Lithuanian—while deepening their knowledge of the cultures, literatures, history, and intellectual traditions of their chosen region. Department faculty work with all majors and minors to hone skills in critical thinking, academic and professional writing and speaking, and cultural sensitivity—highly sought in today’s global marketplace—while introducing them to new developments in literature, film, art and politics in their country or region of concentration, and within diaspora communities in the U.S. PRLS students pursuing careers in the health professions, law, education, social work, criminology, business, and international relations expand their professional options and deepen connections to the community with linguistic and cultural competency skills in Polish, Russian, or Lithuanian
Degree Programs
The Department of Polish, Russian, and Lithuanian Studies (PRLS) offers the degree of BA with a Major in Central and Eastern European Studies. Each student electing the major or double-major will select a concentration in either Polish, Russian, or Central and Eastern European Studies (CEES), and work with an advisor to design a course of study accordingly.
Minors
A minor is offered by PRLS in three separate fields of study:
- Minor in Polish Studies
- Minor in Russian Studies
- Minor in Central and Eastern European Studies
Certificates
Campus Certificates are offered in both Polish and Russian language. Certificates may be earned by students from all schools within UIC.
Distinction
Departmental Distinction requires a 3.50/4.00 GPA in all department lower-division courses and a 3.75/4.00 GPA in all department upper-division courses taken.
Degree Programs
- BA with a Major in Central and Eastern European Studies—Central and Eastern European Studies Concentration
- BA with a Major in Central and Eastern European Studies—Polish Studies Concentration
- BA with a Major in Central and Eastern European Studies—Russian Studies Concentration
Minors
Campus Certificates
Central and Eastern European Studies
Polish
Russian
Slavic and Baltic Languages and Literature
Central and Eastern European Studies
CEES 208. Central and Eastern European Cinema. 3 hours.
An overview of the main trends in the central and eastern European cinematic tradition and its role in the history of world cinema. Course Information: Same as MOVI 208. Taught in English. Weekly film screenings. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 160; or consent of the instructor. Creative Arts course.
CEES 220. Modern Polish-Jewish Culture and Literatures. 3 hours.
Polish-Jewish literature and non-fiction works in English translation from Polish, Yiddish and Hebrew are studied as expressions of a distinct Ashkenazi or East European Jewish culture that developed on historically Polish lands. Course Information: Same as POL 220 and JST 220. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 160 or ENGL 161. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
CEES 224. Introduction to Literary Analysis of Central Eastern European Texts. 3 hours.
Reading and interpreting seminal texts from different traditions of Central and Eastern European (CEE) literature in historical and cultural contexts. Course Information: Previously listed as SLAV 224. Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in ENGL 160; or Credit or concurrent registration in ENGL 161.
CEES 225. Introduction to Central and Eastern European Cultures. 3 hours.
Introduction to the rich, multinational, and polyglot cultures of Central and Eastern Europe through different media. Course Information: Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in ENGL 160; or Credit or concurrent registration in ENGL 161; or completion of the english composition requirement Credit or concurrent registration in ENGL 160; or Credit or concurrent registration in ENGL 161; or completion of the english composition requirement.
CEES 246. European Avant-Garde. 3 hours.
Major movements of the avant-garde, including Cubism, Futurism, Suprematism, Surrealism, and Constructivism. Cross -fertilization of ideas between cultures and media, including literature, film, architecture and visual arts. Course Information: Same as AH 246. Previously listed as RUSS 246. Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above; or consent of the instructor. Creative Arts course.
CEES 247. Central and Eastern European Science Fiction and Fantasy. 3 hours.
Genres of science fiction and fantasy includes literature by prominent writers from Central and Eastern Europe read in English translation, as well as films with English subtitles. Course Information: Taught in English.
CEES 320. Great Stories from Central and Eastern Europe. 3 hours.
Shorter works of fiction written by Nobel Laureates and other great writers from Central and Eastern Europe read in English translation. Course Information: Taught in English.
CEES 323. Modernism in Central and Eastern Europe. 3 hours.
Exploration of key Central and Eastern European contributions to literary modernism approached from a comparative perspective. Course Information: Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above.
CEES 400. A Survey of Central and Eastern Europe. 3 or 4 hours.
An interdisciplinary historical and cultural overview of Central and Eastern Europe. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
CEES 406. History of European Standard Languages. 3 or 4 hours.
The phenomenon of the "standard language" in Western and Eastern Europe. Course Information: Same as LCSL 406 and LING 406. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Taught in English. Previously listed as CEES 405. In cases where students speak languages other than English, they might receive tasks to research literature in that language (and on that language) and to present their research results. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; and consent of the instructor.
CEES 411. The City as Cultural Focus. 3 or 4 hours.
Interdisciplinary study of urban culture with focus on German-speaking countries. Course Information: Same as GER 411. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 1 time(s). Taught in English. No knowledge of German required. Students who intend to use GER 411 toward a degree offered by the Department of Germanic Studies will do assignments in German. Area: literature/culture. Prerequisite(s): For majors and minors in the Department of Germanic Studies only: GER 212 or the equivalent or consent of the instructor.
CEES 418. Topics in German History. 3 or 4 hours.
Specific topics are announced each term. Course Information: Same as HIST 418. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): 3 hours of European history, or consent of the instructor.
CEES 433. Topics in Eastern European History. 3 or 4 hours.
Specific topics are announced each term. Course Information: Same as HIST 433. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): 3 hours of European history or consent of the instructor.
CEES 435. Topics in Russian History. 3 or 4 hours.
Specific topics are announced each term. Course Information: Same as HIST 435. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): 3 hours of European history or consent of the instructor.
CEES 438. The Faust Legend. 3 or 4 hours.
Discusses Goethe's Faust within the context of European and non-European literatures. Traces the origins, significance, and interpretation of the Faust figure. Course Information: Same as GER 438. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Taught in English. Area: literature/culture.
CEES 439. Gender and Cultural Production. 3 or 4 hours.
Issues of gender representation and gender politics examined through the use of theoretical texts or through the study of women authors. Course Information: Same as GER 439 and GWS 439. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 1 time(s) if topics vary. Taught in English. Students who intend to use GER 439 toward a degree offered by the Department of Germanic Studies will do assignments in German. Area: literature/culture. Prerequisite(s): GER 212 or consent of the instructor.
CEES 460. Topics in Central and Eastern European Literature and Culture. 3 or 4 hours.
Study of a time period, movement, genre, or special topic. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Same as SLAV 460. May be repeated up to 2 time(s), with consent of the instructor, and if topics vary. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.
Polish
POL 101. Elementary Polish I. 4 hours.
Basic grammar and vocabulary. Introduction to the vibrant culture of Poland. Course Information: This class is taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): For students who have had no formal work in Polish.
POL 102. Elementary Polish II. 4 hours.
Continuation of POL 101. Basic grammar and vocabulary. Introduction to the vibrant culture of Poland. Course Information: This class is taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): POL 101; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
POL 103. Intermediate Polish I. 4 hours.
Course will expand your mastery of grammar and vocabulary and prepares you to discuss and write, in Polish, in a variety of styles. Course Information: Extensive computer use required. This class is taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): POL 102; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
POL 104. Intermediate Polish II. 4 hours.
Continuation of Polish 103. Course will expand your mastery of grammar and vocabulary and prepares you to discuss and write, in Polish, in a variety of styles. Course Information: This class is taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): POL 103; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
POL 115. Introduction to Polish Culture. 3 hours.
Main trends in Polish culture in the context of parallel developments in Western European civilization. Course Information: Taught in English. World Cultures course.
POL 120. The Polish Short Story in Translation. 3 hours.
Introduction to representative Polish short stories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; the elements of fiction; close reading of prose texts. Course Information: Taught in English. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
POL 130. Masterworks of Polish Literature in Translation. 3 hours.
The most important works of Poland's greatest writers in the areas of poetry, drama, and prose. Course Information: Taught in English. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
POL 140. Polish Drama in Translation. 3 hours.
Elementary aspects of Polish dramatic theory and close reading of representative scripts selected from various periods. Course Information: Same as THTR 140. Taught in English. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
POL 150. Introduction to Polish Cinema. 3 hours.
Introduction to the major themes and techniques of Polish film art; comparative survey of narrative film and literature. Course Information: Taught in English. Films screened with English subtitles. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
POL 201. Advanced Polish through Media and Film. 3 hours.
Development of advanced language skills: writing, reading, listening comprehension, and speaking. Exploration and analysis of Polish media sources (television, films, music), and links between topics and their medium of representation. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): POL 104; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
POL 202. Advanced Polish through Contemporary Culture. 3 hours.
Development of skills in spoken and written Polish, within the context of contemporary Polish culture, via a variety of sources, such as: news articles, comics, music.Course Information: Prerequisite(s): POL 104; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
POL 203. Advanced Polish through Short Stories. 3 hours.
Development of advanced language skills: writing, reading, listening comprehension, and speaking. Exploration and analysis of Polish cultural tropes within the context of short stories. Course Information: May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite(s): POL 104; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
POL 220. Modern Polish-Jewish Culture and Literatures. 3 hours.
Polish-Jewish literature and non-fiction works in English translation from Polish, Yiddish and Hebrew are studied as expressions of a distinct Ashkenazi or East European Jewish culture that developed on historically Polish lands. Course Information: Same as JST 220 and CEES 220. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 160 or ENGL 161. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
POL 234. The Making of Modern Poland. 3 hours.
Exploration of political, socioeconomic, and cultural developments since the first Polish state, the union with Lithuania, the struggle for independence, and Communist rule to the present. Course Information: Same as HIST 234. Prerequisite(s):ENGL 160 or completion of any 100-level history course. Individual and Society course, and Past course.
POL 242. Polish Poetry for Beginners. 3 hours.
Polish poetry from various literary epochs read as an introduction to Polish literature and explained against the basic historical, cultural, and transcultural contexts. Course Information: Taught in English.
POL 321. Introduction to Polish Literature. 3 hours.
Old Polish literature from medieval Latin and vernacular texts to masterpieces of the Polish Enlightenment. Course Information: Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or consent of the instructor.
POL 399. Independent Study. 1-3 hours.
Investigation of special problems under the general direction of a staff member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing, consent of the instructor and consent of the head of the department. Class Schedule Information: This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the degree and the major.
POL 460. Studies in Polish Literature. 3 or 4 hours.
Major literary Polish writers recognized in the world, translated extensively into English; their poetics, worldviews as compared with foreign writers; historical and philosophical background. Topics may vary. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 9 hours for undergraduates, or 12 hours for graduate students, if topics vary. Only 6 hours may be applied toward the undergraduate major in Polish. Taught in English. Polish majors will be required to complete some assignments in Polish. Prerequisite(s): Credit or concurrent registration in CEES 224 or Credit or concurrent registration in CEES 225; or consent of the instructor.
POL 499. Independent Study. 1-4 hours.
Investigation of special problems under the general direction of a staff member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Graduate students may register for more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Senior or graduate standing, consent of the instructor and consent of the head of the department. Class Schedule Information: This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the undergraduate degree and the major.
Russian
RUSS 101. Elementary Russian I. 4 hours.
Basics of Russian grammar and vocabulary. Reading and discussing the culture and modern life of Russia. Course Information: Taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): For students who have had no formal work in Russian.
RUSS 102. Elementary Russian II. 4 hours.
Continues RUSS 101. Course Information: This class is taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): RUSS 101; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
RUSS 103. Intermediate Russian I. 4 hours.
Futher study of Russian grammar and vocabulary. Reading and discussing the culture and modern life of Russia. Introduction to expository, persuasive and argumentative styles. Course Information: This class is taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): RUSS 102; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
RUSS 104. Intermediate Russian II. 4 hours.
Continuation of RUSS 103. Futher study of Russian grammar and vocabulary. Reading and discussing the culture and modern life of Russia. Introduction to expository, persuasive and argumentative styles Course Information: This class is taught in a blended format. Internet access is required. A high-speed connection is strongly recommended. Prerequisite(s): RUSS 103; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
RUSS 115. Russian Culture Before the Revolution. 3 hours.
The main trends of Russian thought and manners from the beginning to the Revolution: literature, philosophy, religion, art, architecture, intellectual life. Audio-visual emphasis. World Cultures course.
RUSS 116. Russian Culture: The Soviet Period. 3 hours.
The transformation of Russian culture after 1917: literature, art, architecture, philosophy, intellectual trends; emphasis on the ideology of Socialist Realism. Audio-visual emphasis. World Cultures course.
RUSS 120. The Russian Short Story in Translation. 3 hours.
Introduction to important Russian short stories of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; the elements of fiction; close analysis of literary texts. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
RUSS 130. Masterpieces of Russian Literature in Translation. 3 hours.
Introduction to Russian novellas and novels of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
RUSS 140. Understanding the Body: Health, Gender, and Disability in Russian Culture. 3 hours.
Introduction to the theoretical understanding and representation of the body through examples of Russian literature and arts. Course explores such topics as illness, health, reproduction, disability, gender, and power. Course Information: Taught in English. Extensive computer use required. No knowledge of Russian language or culture required. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
RUSS 150. Introduction to Russian Cinema. 3 hours.
Introduction to major themes, trends, and techniques of Russian/Soviet cinema. Explores film as an expression of social reality and political ideology. Comparisons drawn with American cinema. Course Information: Taught in English. Films screened with English subtitles. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
RUSS 201. Advanced Russian through Media and Film. 3 hours.
Development of advanced language skills through the study of Russian media and film from a variety of periods. In-depth analysis of past and present Russian cultural artifacts. Prerequisite(s): RUSS 104; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
RUSS 202. Advanced Russian through Contemporary Culture. 3 hours.
Development of skills in spoken and written Russian, within the context of contemporary Russian culture, via a variety of sources, such as: news articles, comics, music. Prerequisite(s): RUSS 104; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
RUSS 203. Advanced Russian through Short Stories. 3 hours.
Development of advanced language skills: writing, reading, listening comprehension, and speaking. Exploration and analysis of Russian cultural tropes within the context of short stories. Course Information: May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours. May be repeated if topics vary. Prerequisite(s): RUSS 104; or appropriate score on the department placement test.
RUSS 239. Twentieth-Century Russia in Film. 3 hours.
Survey of social, political and cultural development of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union through the use of film as a historical source. Course Information: Same as HIST 239. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 160 or completion of any 100-level history course. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture and one Discussion. Past course.
RUSS 241. Dostoyevsky. 3 hours.
Selected short stories and novels. Course Information: Taught in English. Creative Arts course.
RUSS 242. Tolstoy. 3 hours.
Discussion of selected short stories and plays. Course Information: Taught in English. Creative Arts course.
RUSS 244. Women in Russian Literature. 3 hours.
Major works by and about women in Russian literature: experiences of women and societal attitudes toward them. Course Information: Same as GWS 244. Taught in English. Creative Arts course, and World Cultures course.
RUSS 247. Literature and Fantasy in Russia. 3 hours.
Fantasy as a literary genre. Comparison of the artistic strategies employed by works of literature and film into which the fantastic intrudes in the form of alternate states of consciousness such as dream, inebriation, and madness. Course Information: Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above; or consent of the instructor. Creative Arts course.
RUSS 248. Russian Visual and Material Culture. 3 hours.
Non-textual manifestations of Russian culture such as painting, sculpture, architecture, design and decorative arts in a way that emphasizes how an object's compositional medium relates to its aesthetic and functional purposes. Course Information: Same as AH 248. Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Completion of ENGL 160; or any 100-level RUSS or AH course. Creative Arts course.
RUSS 321. Great Russian 19th-Century Novels and the European Tradition. 3 hours.
Reading and interpretation of various 19th-century novels, including, but not limited to, the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy. Emphasis on the socio-historic and intellectual context of these works. Course Information: Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.
RUSS 330. Art and Politics: Soviet and Post-Soviet Literature. 3 hours.
An examination of various Russian literary and aesthetic practices with a focus on how writers defined their art vis-à-vis its contribution to or autonomy from the ideological goals of the Soviet state. Course Information: Taught in English.
RUSS 399. Independent Study. 1-3 hours.
Investigation of special problems under the general direction of a staff member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing, consent of the instructor and the head of the department. Class Schedule Information: This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the degree and the major.
RUSS 410. Structure of Modern Russian. 3 or 4 hours.
Introduction to Russian morphology and phonology. Examination of the Russian language as a system with particular attention to verb conjugation and noun declension, with the goal of improving students’ practical language skills. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): RUSS 201; and credit or concurrent registration in RUSS 202; or consent of the instructor.
RUSS 440. Topics in Russian Culture and Cultural Studies. 3 or 4 hours.
Exploration of various topics in Russian culture through an interdisciplinary prism, addressing intersections between visual and verbal arts as well as high and popular culture. Content varies.Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours for undergraduate students or 8 hours for graduate students, if topics vary, and with consent of the instructor. Taught in English. All texts are available in English. Students pursuing a major or minor in Russian, or an MA or PhD in Slavic Studies, will be required to read primary texts in the target language. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.
RUSS 460. Topics in Russian Literature. 3 or 4 hours.
Study of a major author, movement, genre, or special topic. Content varies. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 2 time(s) if topics vary. Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor Junior, senior, or graduate standing. Or consent of the instructor.
RUSS 499. Independent Study. 1-4 hours.
Investigation of special problems under the general direction of a staff member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Graduate students may register for more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Senior or graduate standing, consent of the instructor and the head of the department. Class Schedule Information: This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the degree and the major.
Slavic and Baltic Languages and Literature
SLAV 460. Topics in Central and Eastern European Literature and Culture. 3 or 4 hours.
Study of a time period, movement, genre, or special topic. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Same as CEES 460. May be repeated up to 2 time(s), with consent of the instructor, and if topics vary. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; or consent of the instructor.
SLAV 499. Independent Study. 1-4 hours.
Investigation of special problems under the general direction of a staff member. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Graduate students may register for more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Senior or graduate standing, consent of the instructor and the head of the department. Class Schedule Information: This course counts toward the limited number of independent study hours accepted toward the degree and the major.