Cultural Immersion in Post-Soviet Georgia: All RUS Courses

Program Summary

This one-credit embedded course in Georgia provides a one-week immersion in Georgian culture combined with lectures on the long history of Georgian-Russian love-hate relations. Georgia is famous for its ancient culture, beautiful nature, exquisite cuisine, and unparalleled hospitality. The course is open to all students enrolled in an eligible Russian class (listed below) regardless of the level of language proficiency. It can also be combined with area study courses. Students of Russian will receive training in Russian by the faculty leaders.

The program includes a tour of the Georgian capital Tbilisi and its surroundings, as well as visits to several museums and monasteries, and interaction with local students. The program is organized and supported by the School of Russian and Asian Studies, a leader in innovative programming in the post-Soviet space for over 20 years. The students will receive one credit at the level of the residential course in which they are enrolled.

Embedded Course Information

Eligible participants must be enrolled in a Russian class (RUS 002, RUS 100, RUS 142Y, RUS 143, RUS 200, RUS 400, RUS 403, RUS 496, and RUS 83) at University Park or Altoona campuses for the Spring 2020 semester. Participants will also be enrolled in the one-credit course associated with this embedded program that corresponds with the level of their residential Russian course in Spring 2020 (ex. RUS 199, 299 or 499).

Prerequisites: Varies by RUS course

This additional credit may or may not add to a student’s cost of tuition depending on their part-time vs. full-time student status. Please visit the Penn State Tuition website for additional information about tuition costs. Tuition costs are NOT included in the embedded program fee.

Faculty Leaders

Professor Irina Mikaelian (ixm12@psu.edu)

Estimated Program Costs

• Embedded Program Fee: $1,461
• Airfare: Approx. $700-1,000
• Transportation to Domestic Airport: Approx. $250-150 depending on the number of participants
• In-Country Costs: Minimum $150 for meals in-country, plus additional money for souvenirs

*NOTE: The Embedded Program Fee will be billed to participants’ PSU Bursar Accounts in late December/early January and the payment will be due January 22, 2020.

The Embedded Program Fee for this program includes: accommodations; transportation in-country related to academic activities; all breakfasts and one additional meal per day; fees related to academic activities/walking tours/speakers

The Embedded Program Fee for this program does NOT include: airfare, domestic transportation to/from the airport, meals, spending money (souvenirs, etc.), gratuities, or tuition

Application Deadline and Process: Commit by November 20, 2019

Eligible participants must be enrolled in a Russian class (RUS 002, RUS 100, RUS 142Y, RUS 143, RUS 200, RUS 400, RUS 403, RUS 496, and RUS 83) at University Park or Altoona campuses for the Spring 2020 semester.

Submit your interest in the program by completing this interest form: Interest Form: Cultural Immersion in Post-Soviet Georgia, All Russian Courses

Interested students should also enroll in one of the Russian courses listed above for the Spring 2020 semester.

Commit to the program by thoroughly reading and submitting the commitment form by November 20, 2019: Official Embedded Program Commitment Form: Cultural Immersion in Post-Soviet Georgia, Spring 2020

Students may contact the faculty leaders with questions: Professor Irina Mikaelian, ixm12@psu.edu