St. Petersburg State University is accredited by the Russian Ministry of Education.
St. Petersburg State University
St. Petersburg State University (SPSU) is Russia's oldest university, founded in 1724 by Peter the Great. Today it is one of the country’s leading institutions of higher education with 20 faculties and 11 scientific institutes, with a teaching staff of 5000 professors, offering a complete range of courses to a culturally diverse population of more than 25,000 students from the former Soviet republics and 80 other countries every year.
Annually, more than one thousand international students take Russian language and culture courses at the Center of Russian Language and Culture at SPSU, which has been teaching Russian to International students since 1954. The Smolny campus is one of the pearls of 18th century Russian architecture designed by Rastrelli. Smolny served as headquarters to Lenin and his Bolsheviks during the October Revolution and was the seat of Soviet power until 1918. Within walking distance of the State Hermitage Museum and Nevsky Prospekt, on the banks of the river Neva, the central location encourages students to enjoy the history and culture of St. Petersburg.
Alumni of St. Petersburg State University include scientists Mendeleev and Popov; Stravinsky the musician; writers Turgenev, Blok and Gogol; Vladimir Ilich Lenin, founder of the USSR and current Russian president Vladimir Putin. The university boasts eight Nobel Prize winners.
Classroom Information
- All courses are taught in English by faculty from the Center of Russian Language and Culture at St. Petersburg State University exclusively for CEA students. A wide range of courses and study visits will introduce students to the language, culture and history of Russia.
- Periodic exams, homework assignments and final exams will be administered.
- Attendance in all classes is mandatory and monitored by each professor.
- Teaching styles in Russia are somewhat different from those found in the US or Canada. Be prepared to adapt to the different classroom structures and coursework expectations for your school.
- Class size ranges between 5 and 20 students for both language and culture courses. You will be in class exclusively with fellow CEA students.
Grading
All final course grades will be reported in the form of a "Letter Grade." The following letter grades will be used.
| Russian Letter Grade |
US Letter Equivalent |
US Verbal Equivalent |
|
Excellent
|
A
|
A
|
|
Above Average
|
B
|
B
|
|
Average
|
C
|
C
|
|
Below Average
|
D
|
D
|
|
Failure
|
F
|
F
|
Professors include evaluations of written tests and assignments, class participation and attendance, as part of their final grade compilation.
Students must adhere to the course schedule selected. Please note that this grading scale is recommended, but final credit and grade evaluation is ultimately determined by a student's home university.
