Faculty of Philology and Journalism

Philology

The Faculty of History and Philology was one of the first in the University. Irkutsk State University started to train philologists in 1918 within the philological department of the Faculty of History and Philology. 300 people (136 students and quite a lot of external students) matriculated at the Faculty that year. The departments of Comparative linguistics and Sanskrit, Russian philology and literature, Slavic philology were established. The philological department aimed at training teachers for schools, technical secondary schools, workers' faculties, as well as employees for publishing houses, libraries and museums. The curriculum of the Faculty was similar to the ones of capital universities. A lot of general linguistic, historical and socio-economic disciplines were studied. The University offered a good grounding; lecturers who would do credit to Moscow or Petrograd universities worked here.

 In 1926, the Buryat philological department was included in the Faculty. In 1930, the training of specialists in philology was discontinued and resumed in 1940 as part of the Faculty of History and Philology. In 1944, the Buryat philological department was opened again. In 1961, the department of journalism was established at the Faculty. A short time later, the extramural form of study was developed; it made getting higher education on-the-job possible.

 In 1967, on the basis of the Faculty of History and Philology of ISU, two faculties were established: historical and philological. The Faculty of Philology consisted of three departments: Russian Philology, Buryat Philology and Journalism. In 1989, the USSR State Committee on Higher Education permitted the Faculty to train specialists in a two-profile specialty: Buryat language and literature. Russian language and literature.

 In 1999, the Faculty of Philology changed its name to the Faculty of Philology and Journalism. 


The Faculty of Philology and Journalism is one of the oldest faculties of the University. Its staff consists of highly professional lecturers and scientists, including mainly doctors of sciences, professors, candidates of sciences and associate professors.

The Faculty consists of five Departments: Russian Language and General Linguistics, Russian and Foreign Literature, Contemporary Russian Literature, Buryat Philology, Journalism and Media Management.

There are intramural and extramural forms of study at the Faculty.

Bachelor's Degree Program

Currently, a two-level system of higher education has been introduced in Russia. The first stage of study is a Bachelor’s Degree (the standard period of study is 4 years). The Bachelor's Degree implies that a graduate has a basic higher education and has obtained practical training necessary to complete basic professional tasks in the framework of a chosen specialty.

45.03.01 Philology. Russian Philology (Russian language and literature).

45.03.01 Philology. Russian Philology (Russian language and Russian literature, Buryat language and Buryat literature).

Master's Degree Programme 

Graduates of any higher education institution in Russia and CIS countries, who have a Bachelor's or Specialist's Degree, can continue their education in a Master's Programme (the standard period of study is 2 years). The Master's Degree Programme trains high-level professionals with in-depth specialization who can solve complex problems that require creative and non-standard approaches. The main professional area of those who have the Master’s Degree is analytical, consulting and research work. The Master's Degree is a sign of a high professional qualification. This level of education is close to the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences.

What opportunities does the Master's Programme offer?

  1. to conduct research and scientific-pedagogical activities in a field chosen;
  2. to gain a competitive edge in getting employed.

45.04.01. Philology:

  • Russian literature;
  • Art Analytics: Literature And Theatre, Cinema, Painting;
  • Forensic Linguistics;
  • Buryat Language;
  • Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language;
  • Russian Philology for Foreigners.