Undergraduate Russian Studies

[Lunificent]

My DD is quite interested in Russian History and literature but not great at learning languages. She’d like to do a degree in something like History and Russian Studies.
Does anyone know of a university course in Russian Studies either without the language component or with less of a language component than other courses?

Not strictly 'History and Russian Studies', but might this one be of any interest?
www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/ug-handbook-politics-sociology

There are some courses like this. There used to be one called Russian Civilisation at Leeds, but I just looked and I can't find it now. There is this one at Nottingham: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/course/History-and-East-European-Cultural-Studies-BA

And UCL is probably a good place to look as the pp suggested as they have a large Russian and Slavonic Studies department. She will probably be able to do a history degree specialising in Russian history there. (Although I imagine if she does choose to specialise in Russian history she'll need to learn Russian anyway.)

www.ucl.ac.uk/ssees/study-us/undergraduate-programmes/history-politics-and-economics-ba

Thank you both so much. These are the types of courses she would be interested in.

When you see "studies" with a language, you don't generally get to not do the language. The language elements tend to be obligatory with various options available with them. So for example, you would study Russian, and then have a choice as to whether you did literature modules, or learn about Russian geography, that sort of thing, in addition to the language element. All the more so with joint honours. I think she should look at where there are experts on Russian history teaching at undergraduate level, and do a degree in history, or history and politics where she can do her dissertation on something Russian. I don't think that at undergraduate level, she would reach a point in her Russian where it would be so good that she would be able to use it in a really practical way to further her studies.

It might help to reframe the language learning as a tool. Millions of people globally who aren't 'good at languages' emigrate or work in sectors like tourism or finance and are effectively forced to learn English, and I doubt anyone would encourage a Russian teenager to study British or American literature and history without even being able to read English. Starting the language now would provide the foundation for advanced study or research later, even if 'only' an undergraduate dissertation.

Thanks for useful info @2et2font5.
@xdwyos. She is going to start doing Russian on Duolingo so it wouldn’t be entirely new to her if she chooses a course involving the language.
She hasn’t done any modern foreign languages for GCSE as she has Selective Mutism and social anxiety so didn’t feel she’d be able to do the spoken components. Hopefully, as she gets older she’ll feel able to challenge herself so she doesn’t miss out on things she enjoys.

If she's interested and motivated then don't let the speaking part of learning Russian put you off! The university should make allowances for her selective mutism and speaking is usually a small part of assessment. On the other hand, reading knowledge of Russian will open so many doors in terms of access to source material and future opportunities. Speaking can come later, I work with several languages and it is a myth that speaking is the main goal (though it is nice) as reading and listening comprehension go a long way. P.S. computer keyboard overlay stickers with the Russian alphabet on will speed up online learning if she doesn't have them yet