Russian Flagship Center at the University of Wisconsin - Madison

[Karen Evans-romaine]

Dear SEELANGS colleagues:

We are pleased to announce a new undergraduate Russian Flagship Center at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. The new program is directed by Karen Evans-Romaine, with Dr. Dianna Murphy (associate director) and Dr. Anna Tumarkin (assistant director).

The UW-Madison Russian Flagship offers a challenging Russian language and culture curriculum that aims to enable highly motivated undergraduate students of all majors to achieve a Superior level of proficiency in Russian on the ACTFL scale (ILR 3). We welcome applications from undergraduates from all majors and at all levels of proficiency in Russian who wish to attain professional-level competence in Russian. 

Russian Flagship students commit to a rigorous program of study. Requirements include completing the equivalent of first- to fourth-year Russian language and the following courses: 
•	two-semester Russian culture course in Russian; 
•	senior capstone course; 
•	three credits of advanced-level seminar work in Russian, with research papers in Russian in the student’s major discipline; 
•	either two Russian area studies courses with a one-credit Russian-language component or two courses in the student’s major with a one-credit Russian-language component;
•	individual and small group tutorials. 

The curriculum is designed to provide students with maximum flexibility in meeting these requirements, with accelerated course options during the academic year and over the summer in both the United States and in Russia. A Russian Flagship advisor works closely with each student to design an individualized study plan tailored to the student’s disciplinary interests.

In addition to meeting core course requirements, Russian Flagship students commit to participating in co- and extra-curricular activities such as the Russian language floor in UW-Madison’s International Learning Community, weekly Russian language tables, workshops, lectures, films, and social activities. 
Flagship students who complete the required curriculum will be eligible to apply for the academic year Russian Overseas Flagship Program at St. Petersburg University, administered by American Councils for International Education.

Financial aid is available for Flagship students on the Russian Overseas Flagship Program, and for intensive summer study in the United States and abroad.

Students can begin the pre-Flagship track at any point, from first-year Russian to a more advanced level. Heritage speakers, that is, students who grew up in Russian-speaking families but have been educated primarily in English, are also encouraged to apply. 

Applications for the Flagship program are accepted each year by 15 October and 1 March. Applications 
will be available starting 1 June 2010. A website for the program will be up soon.

For further information, please contact Professor Karen Evans-Romaine, UW-Madison Russian Flagship Center Director (evansromaine at wisc.edu, 608-262-3499).

Interested non-UW students should contact Dr. Dianna Murphy, UW-Madison Russian Flagship Center Associate Director (diannamurphy at wisc.edu, 608-262-1575).

The UW-Madison Russian Flagship Center is a program of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature and the Language Institute, with the Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia and the Doctoral Program in Second Language Acquisition. The Language Flagship Program is an initiative of the National Security Education Program. 

For further information about NSEP Flagship programs in Russian and other critical languages throughout the US, see www.thelanguageflagship.org. 

********************

Karen Evans-Romaine
Associate Professor
Department of Slavic Languages & Literature
University of Wisconsin - Madison
1432 Van Hise Hall, 1220 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706
phone: (608) 262-3499 (direct), (608) 262-3498 (dept office)
fax: (608) 265-2814
email: evansromaine at wisc.edu

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