One Thousand Years of Russian Culture
2009 July 4-Week - Partner Institution

St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University

St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University (SPbSPU) is one of Russia's oldest and most prestigious universities, founded in 1899 as Saint-Petersburg Polytechnic Institute by an official decree of Tsar Nicholas II. Today it is rated among the top two technical universities in Russia.

SPbSPU is one of the country’s leading institutions of higher education and research, with 21 faculties, 115 departments, and a teaching staff of 2,700 professors. SPbSPU offers 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, including 2,500 international students, every year. In addition, over 2,000 scientists and engineers and approximately 3,000 students are involved in scientific research at SPbSPU. Famous alumni of St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University include the Nobel Prize winners Peter Kapiza, Nikolay Semenov, and Jores Alferov who is currently a professor of Physics at the university.

The Institute of International Educational Programs (IIEP), one of the largest departments of St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, has been teaching Russian to International students since 1990. IIEP coordinates the University's international projects and programs in the field of education, including short-term study programs for international students and several degree programs taught in English. The institute ranks highly among schools teaching Russian as a foreign language.

The IIEP campus is located in a safe residential area of the city in a spacious, 9-storey, modern building, with state-of-the-art facilities which include well-equipped lecture halls, classrooms and study rooms, computer labs, WiFi and high-speed LAN internet access, libraries, sports facilities, a resident nurse, secure residence hall and a restaurant. Students enjoy a full Russian university experience in an international environment, a 20-minute metro ride from the historical center of the city. The convenient location provides students with the opportunity to enjoy the history and culture of St. Petersburg such as the State Hermitage Museum and the bustling Nevsky Prospekt.

Classroom Information

• All courses are taught in English by faculty from The Institute of International Educational Programs (IIEP) of St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University and incorporate a wide range of co-curricular visits.
• 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 6 and 20 students for both language and culture courses. You will be in class exclusively with fellow CEA students.
• Final course grades will be based on evaluations of written tests and assignments, class participation, and attendance. Students must adhere to the course schedule selected.

Grading

All final course grades will be reported in the form of a "Number Grade." The following number grades and grade equivalencies will be used. Please note that this grading scale is recommended, but final credit and grade evaluation is ultimately determined by a student's home university.