{"id":1849,"date":"2025-09-26T17:51:42","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T22:51:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/russian\/?page_id=1849"},"modified":"2025-09-27T10:36:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T15:36:09","slug":"senior-thesis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/russian\/senior-thesis\/","title":{"rendered":"Senior Project"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Russian Area Studies majors in the Russian Language and Area Studies department at St. Olaf are required to complete a senior project during their junior or senior year. Russian Language and Russian Studies majors are strongly encouraged to do so as well. These students will work on their projects independently and meet with a faculty advisor throughout their junior or senior year.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

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Topic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Projects may be devoted to any topic in the general area of Russian language, literature, culture, and history. Interdisciplinary topics are strongly encouraged, provided they have a clear connection to Russian language and\/or area studies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students should choose a subject that is both challenging and reasonable. This is why we have included three steps in the proposal process. The more carefully the subject and format are defined, the easier it will be to organize research and writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Language<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The project will be prepared in English, but some research should be done in Russian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Presentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Students will prepare a brief presentation of their project for the Russian Language and Area Studies department and broader St. Olaf community. The student and faculty advisor will agree on the format of the presentation. Presentations could take the form of a performance, installation, reading, or even a formal defense involving the participation of other members of the faculty. The total presentation time should be no less than 10 minutes, but not exceed 20 minutes per student.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Learning Objectives and Benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In evaluating the senior projects, faculty members will refer to the intended learning objectives laid out in the description of the Russian Studies major<\/a>. These projects provide a means of verifying the extent to which these objectives have been met in the case of each student. The project should demonstrate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n