Germanic and Slavic Studies

In this program you can study Russian, German and Ukrainian. You’ll explore:

film
literature
culture
language and linguistics

Potential careers

What can you do with a Germanic and Slavic studies degree? Here are a few jobs that relate to the program:

cultural programs coordinator
museum curator
archivist
international business development officer
immigration officer
intelligence or foreign officer
human resources strategist
communications consultant
translator or interpreter
language educator or linguist
marketing director
journalist or media correspondent
public policy analyst
leisure and tourism coordinator
cinematographer
teacher or instructor
entrepreneur
tour leader
program manager
social media manager
territorial sales

Some of these roles may require post-graduate studies or training.

Find a career that fits you

Explore your career options at an appointment with a career educator.
Attend career development workshops as you search for work.
Enrol in the Your Career Starts Here course to generate career ideas and plan your next steps.

Experience & connections

Opportunities in the Germanic and Slavic studies program

With the Co-op Program you can alternate study with paid work.

Opportunities outside your program

With a work study position you can develop skills during your study term.
Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community while you build skills.

Networks you can connect to

Here are a few professional associations related to Germanic and Slavic studies:

Hands-on learning opportunities

These courses in the Germanic and Slavic studies program offer extensive hands-on learning.

Co-op

Co-op work terms
Alternate academic study with paid work terms to gain workplace experience

Course-based

GMST 484 - Holocaust Testimony and Archival Practice
Index and conceptualizing Holocaust narratives and testimony

Creative or design project

GMST 355 - German Expressionism (1910-1933)
Produce a creative project exploring German Expressionism

GMST 453 - After-Images of the Holocaust in Text and Film
Design and produce a scale version of a Holocaust memorial

SLST 111 - Beginning Ukrainian I
Perform a skit in Ukrainian

Creative or performance exhibit

GMST 488 - Performing German Drama
Produce, advertise and perform a drama in German for a community audience

Field experience

GMST 301 - Advanced German I
GMST 302 - Advanced German II
Observe and help teach classes at the Victoria German School

SLST 401 - Advanced Russian Practice
SLST 403 - Topics in Russian Culture, Literature, Film (in Russian)
Observe classes taught at the Russian Saturday School

Field school

GMST 489 - I-witness Field School
(international experience)
Spend three weeks in Europe studying Holocaust memorialization

Research project

GMST 453 - After-Images of the Holocaust in Text and Film
Design and produce a scale version of a Holocaust memorial

GMST 499 - Honours Thesis
Research, write and orally present a graduating honours essay

Work experience

Work experience work terms
Take part in a modified co-op program requiring one or two work experiences

Russian International Affairs Council Internships
Take part in a four-month internship in Moscow. For more information contact Natalia Evtikhevich at evtikhevich@mail.ru.

These courses are not always offered as described.

What you'll learn

Every student at UVic builds skills all employers look for. At UVic Co-op & Career we call these "competencies". This is what you’ll learn in the Germanic and Slavic studies program.

German language

read and write in German
speak in German
use appropriate German grammar, syntax, pronunciation and vocabulary
prepare and deliver presentations in German
translate from German into English and from English into German

Russian language

read and write in Russian
speak in Russian
use appropriate Russian grammar, syntax, pronunciation and vocabulary
prepare and deliver presentations in Russian
translate from Russian into English and from English into Russian

Literature in German

be familiar with literature in German from the medieval period to the present
understand the literary traditions in German
understand the literary canon
understand literary history and literary movements including naturalism, expressionism and impressionism
understand literary genres and styles

Literature in Russian

be familiar with literature in Russian from the medieval period to the present
understand the literary traditions in Russian
understand the literary canon
understand literary history and literary movements through the tsarist, soviet and post-communist periods
understand literary genres and styles

Literary interpretation

critically read works of literature and describe how literary texts generate meaning
understand major issues in literary criticism
read literature in relation to literary theory
use close reading skills and literary terminology, including metre, figurative language, speaker, persona, tone and voice
identify the critical questions to ask about a body of material

Historical, social and cultural perspective

identify the historical, social and cultural context in which a text is produced
understand how historical, cultural and social contexts impact literary texts
explore historical, social and cultural perspectives with intellectual curiosity
consider nationalism, imperialism and militarism and in the context of literature
consider politics, religion, ethnicity, race, gender and class in the context of literature

What's next?

To explore more visit the Germanic and Slavic studies site. For degree planning contact your adviser for help.