In Tbilisi, Georgia an intensive and supportive environment for Russian language study is paired with home stay to provide you with an immersive language and cultural experience. Out-of-classroom experiences and special lectures and workshops introduce you to local Georgian identity, history, and current issues in contemporary Georgia. Tbilisi is a very affordable option for study abroad, due to the many inclusions in this program and the generally low cost of living.
Courses
All SRAS Russian as a Second Language programs aim to immerse you in the language with a combination of classroom hours, peer tutoring, and other out-of-classroom experiences.
RUSSIAN LANGUAGE COURSES
RUSS 101-102/201-202/301-302/401 Russian Language Study
Russian is a still a lingua franca for politics and business in much of the post-Soviet Space. 8 credits.
RUSS 290 Russian Language in Context
This course must be taken in conjunction with RUSS 101-102/201-202. It is a conversation course focused on daily speaking scenarios. 4 credits.
RUSS 307 Advanced Conversation and Stylistics
This course must be taken in conjunction with RUSS 301-302/401. 4 credits.
RUSS 303 Advanced Russian Grammar
This course must be taken in conjunction with RUSS 101-102/201-202 and RUSS 290*. Focus is on the more challenging Russian grammar aspects at the A1-A2 level. 4 credits.
RUSS 403 Advanced Studies in Russian Language Media
This course must be taken in conjunction with RUSS 301-302/401 and RUSS 307*. 4 credits.
* Except by special permission.
OTHER ELECTIVES
REES 390 Film Making in Georgia
Meet with a number of leading Georgian cinematographers, screen-writers, musicians, and film directors, try your hand at creating your own screenplay, creating your own short film, or honing your skills as a film critic in one of the most cinematic countries in the world: Georgia, with the Black Sea coast, the Caucasus mountains, polyphonic singing, and more. 4 credits.
LANG 101/102 Elementary Georgian
Georgian language is unlike any other. Whether you already study Russian or another language and just have an overall fascination with language and linguistics or you would like to boost your resume with an eye toward a career in the region or simply want to integrate even more into the local community, this is for you. If you are one of the few who is not a beginner in this language, we can arrange study at your level. 4 credits.
Contact us for course syllabi.
Travel and Cultural Program
The SRAS cultural program in Tbilisi is designed to give you a wide introduction to your city and to Georgia as a whole. We will have a rich program of activities in and around Tbilisi and travel to other regions of Georgia.Sites/activities in Tbilisi: cooking class, sulphur baths, city walking tour, market, National Museum, performances
Trips outside Tbilisi (several will be included): Kakheti, Kazbegi, Svaneti, Batumi, Barjomi/Vardzia, Armenia
Optional travel: Azerbaijan, Armenia (extended trip)
Housing and Location
--HousingIn Tbilisi you will stay with a host family and provided with two meals per day. Homestays in Tbilisi vary, sometimes housing you with a family and sometimes with a single, older person or couple. In all cases, however, your host(s) will be experienced and ready to include you in coversations and daily life. Home stays are a phenomenal way to boost your Russian language and immerse yourself in the local culture.
--Partner School
Novamova is a private language school founded in 2001. Novamova is a modern school using innovative and immersive teaching methods. The school actively combines intensive classroom training with hands-on, practical usage through conversation partners, various masterclasses, discussion groups, film and literature clubs, and more. Novamova has quickly developed a strong international reputation and partners directly with a number of well-known American universities and educational organizations. With schools in Kyiv and Tbilisi, NovaMova leads educational programming throughout Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova.
--Location
Tbilisi is the ancient capital of Georgia. Georgia was part of the world of the Ancient Greeks, it appears in Greek histories and myths, and the Georgians participated in the same classical humanities. Georgia was one of the world's first Christian kingdoms, having seen many of citizens converted by two of the original apostles, Simon and Andrew, in the first century. Although it has been ruled by Persians, Turks, and Slavs, the Georgians have always maintained a strong, independent orientation and a European identity. Tbilisi is a political, economic, and cultural hub, but is also still easy to navigate and the pace of life is slow enough that people still stop to have conversations with each other. Immerse yourself this summer in this green city rich with history, broad boulevards, and a diverse mix of people.
Click here to read a short history of Tbilisi up to the present day from GeoHistory.
Click here to read a short history of Georgia up to the present day from GeoHistory.
