Student Exchange Programme. SEP
Student Exchange Programme (SEP)
GENERAL:
Student Exchange programme (SEP) is available for students from SPbU partner universities who intend to spend 1 or 2 semesters in SPbU.
SEP at SPbU is open for both undergraduate and graduate students, and also for postgraduate students who would like to attend lectures and seminars.
SEP participants choose only one host faculty at SPbU (in our case it’s the School of journalism and mass communications) to attend lectures, seminars and practical training from the curricula provided for the current exchange period.
Average workload for SEP students is 30 ECTS which equals about 20 academic hours per week (1 academic hour or AH = 45 minutes, duration of a class at SPSU is 2 AH = 90 minutes). It means that SEP students should select up to 10 classes per week at the host faculty.
SEP students can also take a free Russian language course (5 ECTS, 8 academic hours per week) during the whole exchange period. Classes are organized usually 2 times per week in groups (10-12 people) depending on students' current language skills. If chosen, Russian language course is included into the workload for SEP students.
SEP students have an opportunity to study at a full-time Russian language programme at the faculty of Philology (30 ECTS, 20 academic hours per week). The course covers the main aspects of the Russian language (Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing, Grammar) and can include other courses, e.g. Russian literature or Media at upper levels.
SEP student can choose one of the following options:
20 AH per week (10 classes) at the host faculty, no free Russian language course (or additional language courses for an extra fee);
12 AH per week (6 classes) at the host faculty + 8 AH per week of free Russian language course
At the end of exchange period SEP students get a Transcript of Records listing all the completed courses with their workload and grades.
COURSES:
Please, note, that our School have courses in English only during autumn semesters. The list can be changed, but for now it consists of:
Introduction to Journalism: Topics, Issues and Law - 6 ECTS
This combined course introduces students to the interlinked entertainment, strategic communication, journalism aspects, the broad theoretical, historical, and critical perspectives that mass communication scholars use to understand and analyze the media processes.
Introduction to Communication and Media Studies - 5 ECTS
An introduction to the roles and functions of print, film, electronic and digital media in multicultural world. International comparisons highlight differences and commonalities in the social and cultural position of media in different societies. An introduction to the vast changes in the technology, practice, and business of mass communication that have accompanied the diffusion of digital devices, the development of Internet, and the rapid extension of education, commerce, politics, and social life to the online realm. An introduction to how the mass media are organized and how they function in modern society, their technological bases, economic and political foundations, social implications.
Russian Media-landscape - 3 ECTS
This course analyzes the state of the Russian media and information sphere today. It focuses on television, which is the main source of information for Russians. The state strictly controls the content of this medium, though the rise of the internet and active protest movements is forcing the government to change its policies regarding broadcast content.
Media Lab - 4 ECTS
Introduction to writing for media - newspaper, magazines, electronic and Internet - as well as producing content for multi-media distribution in a converged media environment. Emphasis on how different media require different writing styles and content. Prerequisites including major restrictions: Basic introduction to news photography and photojournalism field. Includes camera use - composition, aperture, shutter speed, and lens selection - and processing for print or electronic media using Photo Shop. Emphasis on technical aspects of digital news photography and storytelling with photographs. Emphasis on reporting - gathering/verifying facts for news stories through observation, interviewing, attending press conferences and using public records, electronic databases and the libraries.
The list of major autumn/spring courses in Russian is here.
DURATION:
1 semester (minimum 4 months);
1 academic year (2 consecutive semesters, maximum 10 months starting from September only).
Autumn semester (September 01 - January 31)
Spring semester (February 01 - June 30)
Full Academic year (September 01 - June 30)
APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Applicants from Partner Universities should complete their application packages (see below) and submit it to their Home International Office or Students Exchange Coordinator. We consider a SEP application only if it is delivered to us via e-mail (r.giniyatullov@spbu.ru) as scanned files (pdf is preferable format)
After sending us any applications, please always check that documents are delivered! At the present time we DO NOT require original application documents to be sent by post.
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Autumn semester - May 01
Spring semester - October 01
Full Academic year - May 01
REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS:
Before submitting a SEP Application we advise to use this check-list to make sure that application package is complete.
1. Nomination letter - signed and stamped by Applicant's Home University Exchange Coordinator
2. Student Exchange Programme Application Form
4. Copy of travelling passport - page with photo; the copy should be full, clear and readable
Applicant's passport should be valid minimum 1,5 years after the beginning of planned exchange period! Otherwise Applicant will be unable to get Russian visa.
5. General health certificate in English or Russian
This should be a certificate proving that the Applicant is in a well state of health (absence of infectious and pulmonary diseases, no contra-indications for studying abroad), signed and stamped by your local doctor. HIV test is also required, but the student can bring it to Russia instead of sending it with other application documents. Please, note that lung x-ray results are obligatory for the dormitory. The certificate must be either performed in English or Russian language. In case the certificate isn't prepared by the time of arrival to the dormitory, the student must do the lung x-ray within 3 working days after arrival to SPbU in any hospital in Saint-Petersburg (the test costs about 300-400 RUR).
We advise to make HIV test 1 or 2 months before coming to SPbU, because it's usually necessary for the visa application to Russia, but is valid only for 3 months.
EXCHANGE COORDINATOR:
Rustam Giniyatullov, r.giniyatullov@spbu.ru
Russia, 199004, Saint-Petersburg, 1 Linya V.O., 26
School of journalism and mass communications,
room 318
