On Orthodoxy in Russian. Online course for Learners of Russian as a Foreign Language

  • General

    • On Orthodoxy in Russian is a course for students of Russian who want to better understand Russian culture through the Orthodox religion.

      Orthodoxy is at the heart of Russian culture and is key to its history, literature, art, architecture, music and even everyday colloquial speech. 

      By studying Orthodoxy you can improve your spoken language skills. More than 60% of Russians are Orthodox Christians, but even non-believers use vocabulary, idioms, grammatical models and structures that reflect the Orthodox mentality. 

      Knowledge of the Orthodox vocabulary and particular way of speaking is especially beneficial to students wishing to visit Russian churches and monasteries and communicate with Orthodox people in Russian.

      • 8 months of classes (144 hours)
      • 25 topics dedicated to Orthodoxy and Russian culture
      • Over 400 new words and expressions
      • New communication models and speech patterns

    • Registration: the course starts as the group is formed 
      Course duration: 2 semesters 
      Tuition fee: 43,100 rubles for the course (21,550 rubles per semester) 
      Final document: After you successfully complete the course, you will be awarded a Certificate of course completion.

    • Apply Here
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    • Who is the On Orthodoxy in Russian course designed for?

      The course introduces you to the world of Russian religious culture and how it is mirrored in language.

      Do you want to better understand Russian literature, music, painting, and history? The course will open new doors to understanding Pushkin and Lermontov, introduce you to the world of Russian icons and saints, and take you on virtual tours around ancient churches and monasteries.

      Do you want to prepare for your trip to Russia? The course will provide communication skills in an Orthodox environment: during church, monastery, and museum visits, and when talking to Orthodox believers and priests.

      Do you want to improve your spoken Russian? The course will help you expand your vocabulary and improve your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

      After completing the course, you will be able to:

      • Understand spoken and written texts on theological topics of different genres 
      • Maintain a conversation with a believer and an Orthodox priest 
      • Participate in discussions on important theological topics.

    • The course is divided into two semesters. All classes are held in the Saint Tikhon's Orthodox University of Humanities e-learning system. Listening and communication skills are practised in practical assignments, webinars, individual consultations with your tutor, and in forums. To successfully complete the course, you need at least 2 hours for online classes and about 2.5 hours for independent work with the course assignments per week.

    • To be admitted to the course, the student must speak Russian at a level not lower than B1. No language proficiency certificate is needed, however, before enrolling in the course, you are advised to take our grammar and vocabulary test to assess your proficiency level in Russian.

    • What do you study in the On Orthodoxy in Russian course?

      The language component of the course has been developed from scratch and is totally unique.

      Lexico-grammatical and socio-cultural materials are organized into separate topics. When studying each topic, students learn new words, fixed expressions, phraseology and grammatical constructions, and how they are used in daily life. During the course you are provided with speech samples and manners of speech, making it possible for you to communicate within the Orthodox discourse.

      The course focuses on etymology, revealing the profound connection between Orthodoxy and the Russian language.

      The course includes diverse reading, listening, speaking and writing assignments; course attendees take grammar and vocabulary tests and engage in communicative exercises such as discussing texts, videos or other topics, describing scenarios, and case studies.

      Course Topics:

      Section 1. Public worship. Church

      Section 2. Icons

      Section 3. Liturgical time

      Section 1. Orthodox holidays

      Section 2. Clerics and clergymen

      Section 3. Teaching of the Orthodox Church on the Sacraments

      The course ends with grammar and vocabulary tests and a discussion on the topics studied.

    • Tutors of the On Orthodoxy in Russian course:

      • Elena Makeeva, Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language in Professional Education, Institute of Philology, Moscow State Pedagogical University
      • Natalya Nikolaeva, Candidate of Cultural Studies, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language in Professional Education, Institute of Philology, Moscow State Pedagogical University
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