The chair “The Russian Language as Foreign” was founded in 1988. Nowadays the chair belongs to the Faculty of History and Philology of the Pedagogical Institute named V.G. Belinsky.

The head of the chair is Doctor of Philology, Prof. Vera Viktorovna Shmelkova.

E-mail: vshmelkova@rambler.ru

Address: Penza, Lermontova str., 37, building 11, floor 2, room 235

Schedule:  Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m – 5 p.m.

Telephone: (8412) 54-86-82

E-mail: penza.rki@rambler.ru

The chair "The Russian Language as Foreign" is one of the educational centers of theRussian language and culture for foreigners.

Since 1988, it has trained hundreds of philologists and specialists of the Russian language.

Teaching is led by highly qualified teachers (doctors and candidates of science,senior lecturers), with large experience of working with foreigners based on new teaching methods (including copyright) in the Russian language as foreign.

The chair of "The Russian Language as foreign" offers various learning programs for people interested in the Russian language and culture, both at the professional and amateur level.

The preparatory department

The preparatory departmentconsists of teaching based on five main disciplines: philology, medicine and biology, humanities, economics, technology. The training period is 7-10 months, teachers have developed 20 programs, 7 disciplines programs.

The Baccalaureate

Since 2013 the chair has been preparing foreign students according to Bachelor 035700.62 "Linguistics" (the profile "Theory and Practice of Intercultural Communication") (39 disciplines, 2 practical examinations).

International students successfully pass exams, several practice types, write and defend their qualification works in Russian.

The magistracy

Since 2013, the chair includes 45.04.01 Master of Philology (master's program "The Russian language as foreign") (39 disciplines, 2 practical examinations).

Teaching of disciplines in baccalaureate and magistracy is performed by professors V.V. Shmelkova and S.S. Pashkovskaya,lecturers T.I. Surkova, L.Y. Veretenkina and I.A. Krylova, senior lecturers T.V. Kolugko, E.A.Peskova. Teachers developed programs of  baccalaureate and magistracy, published méthodologico-educational manuals.

In 2014/15, the first philology masters graduated.

Postgraduate studies

The preparation of students is led byDoctor of Philology, docent  V.V. Shmelkova (10.02.01- the Russian language, currently 1 student); and Doctor of Pedagogy, docent S.S. Pashkovskaya (13.00.02 - Theory and methods of teaching and education "Russian as a foreign language"), currently 2 students and 1 candidate.

Teachers of the chair regularly organize internships for students in the form of exchange programs based on cooperation between Penza State University with Nakhichevan State University (Azerbaijan), with Padjadjaran University (Bandung, Indonesia), according to programs coordinated by both sides.

A very important part of  educational activity of the Chair is the organization of Russian intensive courses for foreigners. Teachers developed and regularly execute course of the Russian language as foreign:

1) summer courses of the Russian language (July, 2012 - students from Turkey, Germany and Italy; July, 2014 - students from Turkey and Egypt).

2) Individual training (during the school year).

3) courses to prepare for a test of the Russian language as foreign (test for pretenders tothe Russian citizenship and migrant workers).

The test center for foreigners (Director: Lecturer L.Y.Veretenkina) was founded in 2011 by the chair for foreign citizens fulfilling the documents to obtain Russian citizenship, the temporary residence permit as well as getting a work permit in Russia. Throughout the year, Russian courses are offered in order to prepare foreigners for the tests.