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Academics Overview
The Bard-AUCA study abroad program offers intellectually adventurous students a unique opportunity to study side by side, in English, with peers from 25 different countries at the region's most prestigious university.
Visit AUCA Academics

Russian Language Track

Russian Language Track

Bard Abroad is excited to announce the Russian Language Track through the AUCA-Bard Study Abroad Program in Kyrgyzstan. This track is open to students with at least two years of college-level Russian. 

Although more than 30 years have passed since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Bishkek remains largely a Russian-speaking city, with Russian used as the common language between the many groups of people that call Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia home. Students will have the opportunity to use Russian in and out of the classroom, in home-stays, with student peers, and in daily life. With a rich history and culture of its own, a shared-Soviet experience and common customs and cultural traditions which transcend borders, Kyrgyzstan is a fascinating place to study Russian outside of the European context and experience post-Soviet society.

Apply here!

Russian Language Track

Program Highlights
  • One-week Russian Intensive - the program begins with a one-week intensive Russian course to introduce students to daily life in Bishkek, acquainting them with the city and local customs.
  • Russian Language Courses - students will take between 9 and 11 credits of Russian language each semester. Courses are designed to build proficiency and help students work towards mastery of Russian, taking advantage of Bishkek's Russian-language environment. Students also have weekly meetings with an AUCA student Russian language tutor.
  • Russian-speaking Home-Stays - students will have the option of staying with Russian-speaking families or living in a dormitory with AUCA peers, providing the opportunity to speak Russian daily outside of class and interact with the language and culture in a real-world context.
  • Enrollment in 2-3 academic courses from among the variety of courses taught at AUCA, which include many courses in Russian, Central Asian and Post-Soviet area studies. Most academic courses are taught in English, but students are welcome to enroll in courses taught in Russian, which include studio art, theater and physical education offerings. 
    • Recent courses taught at AUCA include:
      • Hybridity and Identity in Central Asia 
      • Novels of the Russian Golden Age
      • Literature and Art from the Soviet Union
      • Moral Imagination through Literature
      • Literature in Imperial and Soviet Central Asia
      • Empire, Identity, Modernity: Ethnic Classifications in Imperial and Soviet Central Asia
      • Central Asian Politics
      • Political Regimes/Democracy in post-communist countries and East Asia
      • Foreign Policy of Post-Soviet States
      • Internal History of the USSR 
      • Political History of the USSR 
      • Politics and Development in Post-Soviet Central Asia 
      • Russia and Central Asia
      • Russian Foreign Policy 
      • Russian Politics 
      • Government & Politics of USSR & CIS
      • Identity Politics in the Post-Soviet Space
      • Politics of Russia and CIS
      • Language Policies in Central Asian Republics: Soviet and post-Soviet Periods 
  • A cultural program, which will explore the culture, history, customs, cuisine and natural beauty of Kyrgyzstan and its diverse population. The cultural program includes bi-weekly organized events with outings to the specific theaters. 
  • Participation in student clubs, extracurricular activities and civic engagement projects with Russian-speaking peers from across Central Asia.
  • Volunteering and internship opportunities at various organizations in Bishkek

Academics at AUCA

A semester or year at AUCA offers unparalleled opportunities: the chance to study alongside students from all over the world in academically rigorous classes; explore this historically and culturally fascinating region through excursions, homestays, and independent travel; and choose from among eight languages to study, including Kyrgyz and Russian, the two languages spoken in Bishkek.

Apply here!

Areas of Study

Areas of Study

  • General Education
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Anthropology
  • Applied Mathematics and Informatics
  • Economics
  • European Studies
  • International and Comparative Politics
  • Journalism and Mass Communications
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Environmental Sustainability and Climate Science
  • Business Administration
  • International and Business Law
  • Software Engineering
  • Television, Cinema and Media Arts

Language Studies

Language study is encouraged but not required. Russian, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and Tajik, all identified as strategically important languages by the U.S. State Department, are the most commonly spoken languages in Central Asia. While Kyrgyz and Russian are the official languages of Kyrgyzstan, the country is host to substantial Uzbek and Tajik populations. Students of Russian will find the language widely spoken both at the university and throughout the city, providing ample opportunity for linguistic immersion. AUCA also offers courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Spanish, and Turkish.

AUCA Internship Opportunities

With over 100 NGOs operating in Bishkek, there are many opportunities for students to volunteer or intern with an organization working in an area related to their field of study or other interests. Many students choose to take advantage of these opportunities to gain practical skills, engage with civic life, and develop insight into Kyrgyzstan’s social, economic, political, and cultural institutions. Some of our internship host include:  

  • Tian Shan Policy Center (TSPC)
  • SOS Children’s Village
  • Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts

Cultural Program

Cultural Program

Bard Abroad in Bishkek includes a cultural program designed to complement participants’ coursework. Excursions both inside and outside the city expose students to a wide variety of Central Asian experiences. Listed below are sample events from previous semesters.  

Cultural Program


Ala Archa National Park
The Ala Archa National Park covers about 200 square kilometers, and includes the highest peak of the Kyrgyz Ala-tau range of the Tian Shan mountains. Students spend a day hiking trails in the park on a guided excursion. (Day hike)
 
Lake Issyk-Kul and Tamga Village
Students can swim in Lake Issyk-Kul, located in the Rian Shan mountains in Eastern Kyrgyzstan. Issyk-Kul is the 10th-argest lake, the second-largest saline lake, and the second-largest mountain lake in the world—truly a sight to behold! (Weekend trip)
 
Horseback Riding
The Ala-taus also include great horseback riding trails. Students participate in a guided daylong horseback riding trek. (Day trip)
 
Burana Tower
The Burana Tower, located in the Chuy Valley in northern Kyrgyzstan, is one of the few structures remaining from the ancient city of Balasagun. Students explore the surrounding area at ground level and then from the top of the tower. (Day trip)
 
Camping in Karakol-Altyn Arashan Valley
Students can take a weekend trip to Karakol, the fourth-largest city in Kyrgyzstan, and the surrounding Altyn Arashan Valley. The guided camping excursion gives students an opportunity to take in the valley’s picturesque environment and natural hot springs. (Weekend trip)
 
Karakol Skiing
In addition to hiking up the mountains, students also get to ski down them! (Weekend trip)

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