Curriculum:

1. Early medieval Russia (IX-XII ct). Pluralism of tribes and duchies. Contacts with Byzantium and West Europe, Christianization and rise of cities.
2. Birth of kingdom in Vladimir. Its relations with Novgorod Republic and German Empire (XIIct).
3. Mongol Invasion and Incorporation of Russia into Eurasia. Dialogue between Sarai and Rus. Rise of principality of Moscow, showdown at Kulikovo field, and a new role of Russian church (XIII-XIV ct).
4. Abolition of Golden Horde, rise of the new Moscow Kingdom. Conquest of Volga, Ural, and Siberia by Muscovites (XV-XVI).
5. Rule and Misrule of Ivan IV. Time of troubles: First Revolution and Civil War in Russia. The new monarchy of Romanov (XVII ct).
6. Peter the Great and the Second Revolution in Russia. Birth of a Westernized Bureaucratic Empire (time of Catherine II).
7. Birth of Russian Science. Euler and Lomonosov.
8. The Illuminated XIXth century in Russia. Impact of Napoleonic wars. Speranski, Lobachevski, and the reform of Alexander II. Evading a new revolution in 1860-1880. Discoveries of Mendeleev, Przhevalski, Karamzin.
9. Russian economic outburst after 1880, unstable society: risk of revolution and plunging into World War I. Second time of Troubles in 1917-1921.
10. Russian Science in 1890-1940. Scientific schools of Lebedev, Ioffe, Lusin, Platonov.
11. Cultural Renaissance and political antagonism in 1920-1940. Kapitsa, Kolmogorov, Koltsov.
12. World War II and its impact on Russian Society. Decline and fall of Stalin Empire.
13. Second renaissance of Russian Culture and Science after 1956. Our Nobel laureates and scientific leaders: Landau, Arnold, Sakharov, etc.
14. Perestroika as a cultural phenomenon: new relations of Russian and European cultures all over the Globe.