Cinema & Digital Media (and German)
UC Davis's Department of Cinema and Digital Media offers both a major and, in Film Studies, a minor with a wide range of courses that overlap and are cross-listed with the Department of German, including "GER/FMS 045: Vampire and Other Horrors in Film and Media,” "GER142/FMS 152: New German Cinema,” "GER/FMS 176A: Weimar Cinema” as well as a new course on film and media under fascism. The department also offers an annual, cross-listed summer course on film festivals that is based in central Europe. Such overlap and cross-listing makes sense given Germany’s many contributions to world cinema and the visual arts in general, and these courses attract students from across the humanities, arts, and social sciences.
Comparative Literature (and German)
Undergraduate courses in Comparative Literature are normally comparative in scope, including literature from at least two languages, and taught in English. In addition to taking courses in Comparative Literature, undergraduates typically complete three years of study in the foreign language of their choice. A number of students in Comparative Literature select German as their primary foreign language, and German is one of the literary traditions featured in Comparative Literature courses. Hence many students elect to double major in German and Comparative Literature or to major in one and minor in the other.
History (and Russian)
UCD’s Department of History offers a major and a minor, both of which pair extremely well with a Russian degree. A combined focus on History and Russian gives students a powerful foundation for understanding how Russia and the broader Slavic world have shaped global developments. Students gain the linguistic skills needed to engage directly with primary sources—archival documents, memoirs, political writings, and cultural texts—while also developing the analytical tools of historical inquiry.
This pairing is especially valuable for students interested in the histories of empire, revolution, war, migration, and cultural exchange. Russian proficiency allows deeper study of topics such as the Soviet Union, the Cold War, Eurasian borderlands, and contemporary post‑Soviet transformations. The following History courses are accepted towards fulfillment of the Russian major: HIS138A, B and C (Russian and Soviet history sequence), and HIS 102F (Proseminar in Russian History).
International Relations (and Russian)
The International Relations and Russian combination prepares students to engage with one of the world’s most strategically significant regions. Russian remains a critical language for diplomacy, security studies, international law, global energy policy, and transnational cooperation. Within the UC Davis International Relations major, students who select the Russian and East/Central Europe regional specialization fulfill part of their upper‑division requirement by taking courses focused on the politics, history, and societies of the Russian‑speaking world. To meet the major’s modern language requirement, students complete 24–30 units of Russian language coursework, typically advancing through the first‑ and second‑year Russian sequences to achieve the working proficiency expected of IR majors.
This interdisciplinary pathway is ideal for students interested in foreign service, international NGOs, intelligence analysis, global business, and graduate programs in international affairs. Russian complements IR coursework by providing direct access to perspectives from Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, and the Caucasus—regions central to contemporary global challenges.
Jewish Studies (and German or Russian)
The undergraduate Program in Jewish Studies at UC Davis offers a minor with a wide range of courses in different disciplines, including several in German such as "GER 116: Readings in Jewish Writing & Thought in German Culture"; "GER 117: After the Catastrophe: Jews & Jewish Life in Post-1945 Germany"; "GER 141: The Holocaust & its Literary Representation"; and "GER 127: Major Writers in German" (when focused on a major German-Jewish writer like Franz Kafka or Heinrich Heine, for example). The minor in Jewish Studies is of interest to humanities and social sciences students, including those in German, Russian, History, Religious Studies, and Sociology.
Political Science (and Russian)
Pairing Political Science and Russian equips students to analyze political systems, institutions, and ideologies through both theoretical frameworks and region‑specific expertise. Russian language study opens the door to understanding political discourse, public opinion, and policy debates across the post‑Soviet world. Students explore themes such as authoritarianism, democratization, nationalism, political communication, and international conflict with the added depth that comes from engaging with Russian‑language materials.
This combination is well suited for students pursuing careers in public policy, government, law, journalism, and political consulting. It also provides strong preparation for graduate study in political science, public administration, and regional studies. Russian proficiency enhances students’ ability to conduct research, interpret data, and participate in informed analysis of Eurasian political dynamics. POL 144B: Russian Politics/Policy is accepted towards fulfillment of the Russian major.