Russian GCE A Level

Russian GCE A Level

Qualification: 2 year course

Course type: Level 3 (advanced)

Entry requirements:
4 x GCSE B grades. You should have achieved at least a grade B at GCSE level or Russian should be your first or second language.

Head of Department: John Ranson

Course assessment:
AS Russian tests all four language skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing) - there is no literature. It offers a natural transition from GCSE as most of the topics to be studied will already be familiar to you.

A2 Russian further develops all language skills. You will study aspects of Russian culture and society, including Russian literature and cinema. The final examination focuses particularly on speaking and writing skills.

What can this course offer me?
As European integration continues and the EU expands ever eastwards, can you really afford to sit on the sidelines? Foreign language skills are becoming an increasingly prized asset employment. In British industry, employees who speak foreign languages earn more than those who don't.

What will I learn?
AS Russian is a language-based qualification - there is no literature. All four language skills (listening, reading speaking and writing) are developed by studying topics, some of which, are already familiar from GCSE, while others are likely to be new to you.

In A2 Russian all four language skills are further developed during the study of more sophisticated topics to study aspects of Russian culture and society including Russian literature and cinema.

You will also be taught by a well-qualified native speaker in modern, well-equipped classrooms. The class is likely to be very small, which means a lot of individual attention, but also that you may be required to undertake a considerable amount of additional study outside the classroom. The Department organises contact with native speakers of Russian where possible.

What Makes a good Russian student?
You will need to be well-organised with very good study skills. You should also have a thorough knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary taught for GCSE and an interest in Russian culture and society.

Which other courses link well with this subject?
Any subject can be studied with Russian at AS/A2 level but a second foreign language is most often combined with it. Some students choose to study Russian as their fourth subject at AS level simply to broaden their curriculum, often with great success.

Future Opportunities
Russian language skills are very rare and highly-prized in the employment market. The vast majority of employers will accept students with a Russian degree onto their graduate training schemes.

Modern Language students work in a variety of careers including management, advertising, finance, journalism, publishing and the media, as well as in more obviously subject-related fields such as teaching, interpreting and translating.

Is there anything else I need to know?
You should be aware that these skills are very rare - and thus very highly-prized - in the employment market!