Russian at U of T

Russian is a Slavic language. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It has significant political, cultural, scientific, and business importance.
Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet. Students learning the Russian Cyrillic alphabet will find it easy to learn the writing systems of many other Slavic languages.
High proficiency in Russian opens doors to opportunities for academic and business research in numerous fields, including science, mathematics, linguistics, etc.
Many students become interested in Russian because of its great literary tradition. Russian is the language of Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov. It is also the language of great operas and songs by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and others.
New opportunities for employment using Russian are opening up outside of Russia. Opportunities for English speakers able to use Russian in Russia are also increasing.

Visit the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures website for more information.
Consult the A&S calendar for specific course offerings.

There are many possibilities for in-country study and work. The department can advise you on all different types of arrangements. We have had students work and study in places as varied as Petersburg, Moscow, Tver, Novosibirsk, and in cities in Central Asia.

Is it hard to learn the alphabet?
No! Most students learn the alphabet within the first week of the first year of study. Many of the letters are familiar to students through both the Latin and Greek alphabets.
I have heard that it is very difficult to learn cases. Is that true?
Mastering a case language does require memorization and work. However, teaching materials are designed for students who have English as a first language and there is a great deal of oral practice to help you master the case system. Once learned, you will be able to appreciate the stylistic flexibility of a case language.