Fall 2024: September 19 – October 17
Subject: HR (Human Rights)
Course Level: 300
Number of Credits: 1 U.S. / 2 ECTS
Max Enrollment: 22
Schedule: 5 weeks (September 19 – October 17), Thursday 17:00 – 20:00 CET (Berlin) | 11:00 – 13:00 EDT (New York)
Language of Instruction: Russian
Course Prerequisites: Russian B2 / Equivalent or higher

This course explores the disability rights movement, focusing on the distinct approaches taken by American activists, British activists and academics, and Swedish reformers. Students will be introduced to the movement’s evolution and key figures and study the pivotal events that shaped the disability rights movement in the US, UK, and Europe. By applying a comparative lens, the course will teach them how to understand the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and the strategies employed to advocate for their rights within different cultural, social, and political contexts. 

Guidelines for the Statement of Purpose:

Craft a reflective statement of purpose explaining your interest in the Smolny Beyond Borders online course. The file should be saved with your name and course title as the filename and uploaded accordingly. Your statement’s clarity and substance will significantly influence our selection. Convey your motivations and aspirations for this course succinctly but thoroughly. Kindly write your statement in the course’s Language of Instruction.

Application Portal Instructions:
1) Use the Latin alphabet for all entries on the portal, including your name. If the Language of Instruction is Russian, you may use Cyrillic only within the Statement of Purpose file, and the title of the file should still be in English.
2) Refrain from using email addresses associated with Russian or Belarusian educational institutions.
3) While completing the “Required Information” section, ensure you fill in the “Province” field for your address.
4) Provide an address outside Russia or Belarus in both the “Required Information” and “Geographic Location Confirmation” sections of the “Online Course Application”. This ensures we can send your transcript.
5) You must press the “Sign” button twice during the application.
6) If you hold a bachelor’s degree, select “4th+” in the “Academic Year (online)” section.
7) Applicants either unaffiliated or affiliated with educational institutions in Russia and Belarus should list ‘Smolny Beyond Borders’ as their educational institution.
8) In the student ID section, enter ‘SBB’.
9) Consider drafting your motivation letter ahead of time. Save it as a separate file with this format: LastName_FirstName_CourseTitle for a smoother application process.