Areas of Study
Courses are offered in the following subject areas: Art History; Cognitive Studies; Complex Systems; Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence; Economics; Film and Video; History of Civilizations; International Relations, Political Science, and Human Rights; Literature; Music and Theater; Philosophy; and Sociology and Anthropology. Courses related to American Studies, French Studies, Gender Studies, Life Sciences, Religion Studies, and Russian, Soviet, and Post-Soviet Studies are also offered.
Russian as a Second Language
The Russian as a Second Language (RSL) program boosts the development of students’ speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. The program aims to facilitate students' adjustment to everyday life in Russia, and to the Smolny academic environment. Students who are attending Smolny for the fall semester are encouraged to enroll in our Summer Language Intensive (SLI). The SLI program is designed to provide the equivalent of one year of Russian language study, and it offers a comprehensive introduction to Smolny as an academic institution.
Cultural Program
The program begins during orientation with an introduction to the city. Excursions typically include walking tours, visits to museums, and a welcome dinner with Smolny classmates. The cultural program continues throughout the semester, with an average of one excursion every two weeks to a museum, opera, ballet, theater, or palace; social activities, including bowling and dinners; and several weekend excursions outside of St. Petersburg. All events are conducted in Russian, and Smolny classmates are invited along on excursions. In the past, students have visited the Hermitage, Russian State Museum, and Tsarskoye Selo, to name just a few.