Russian Department DePauw University
mail P.O. Box 37
Greencastle, IN
46135-0037
Work(800) 447-2495FAX:fax (765) 658-4042
Russian studies
RUSSIAN AND EAST-EUROPEANS STUDIES : AFTER DEPAUW
Travel Abroad Business Graduate School
Russian Studies can be a stepping stone to many promising careers in business and academia. Hundreds of American and European companies currently do business with Russia, have affiliates in Russia, or are exploring future expansions into Russian markets. As someone who speaks Russian, knows the culture and history of the region, or who understands the politics and economics of Russia and the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union, you can become a valuable resource in a company, think tank, not-for-profit organization, or university.
Some people spend a year or two in Russia or Eastern Europe after graduation. This helps them to improve their language skills and get to know the culture. The first step to doing this is to spend a semester studying in the region, during your third or fourth year at DePauw. Look into possible internships before and after your semester abroad, with the aim of applying to jobs or internships in your country of interest after graduation. Click here for information on Study Abroad at DePauw. Or click here for specific programs in Russia or Eastern Europe that you might consider while you are a student at DePauw.
MBAs are fast becoming de facto International MBAs, because big business is now almost always global.
If you land a job right after graduation (or after earning an MBA) in a company that does business with Russia or Eastern Europe, you may find yourself making many short trips. In this case, your knowledge of the culture and an acquaintance with the language will be of the utmost importance. The better you know the language, the more you will understand the culture, and the more your foreign peers will respect and understand you. You will have an edge in everything from day-to-day management to contract negotiations.
The REESWeb maintained by the University of Pittsburgh has numerous links to business related sites for Russian and Eastern Europe.
Unless you go directly into business or decide to live abroad to develop your language skills, chances are you will want to pursue a graduate degree after DePauw. Many graduate programs in such fields as Political Science, Economics, History, Sociology, and Anthropology may follow directly from your studies at DePauw. Several universities also offer an M.A. in Russian and East European Area Studies. If you know you want to work on subjects connected to Russia or Eastern Europe but haven't yet settled on an area of specialization, this is a good way to remain academically active and give yourself time to consider more possibilities.
The REESWeb maintained by the University of Pittsburgh has numerous links to universities offering degrees in all aspects of Russian studies. See Academic
