Baltic russian institute

7.3.2. Forms and methods of the studies

BRI professional bachelor’s study programme’s “Cultural administration” main study forms are lectures, seminars, independent work, practical assignments and practices in the chosen cultural field.

The main study methods of the programme are analysis of the cultural phenomena and topicality, preparation of individual work (reports, essays, reviews), drafting and prezentation of individual and group projects, study trainings, case studies, conducting study researches.

BRI Faculty of culturology realises bilingual educational method: for 1st and 2nd course students 25% -30% of studies are read respectively in Russian groups – in Latvian, in Latvian groups – in Russian, but starting with the third course several courses (or their parts) are read both in Latvian and Russian, and also in English.

During the lectures the students get to know with the essence, theory, and spectrum of problems of a respective science. At the seminars they are given chances to discuss these questions applying independently studied materials and analyzing the processes of cultural development and work of cultural establishments in Latvia and Europe. Practical activities are important for the courses which programme includes practical skills’ mastering (Professional foreign language, Language culture, Practical software), as well as mastering of the professional specialization study course (Analysis of the works of art, Technology of drafting projects, Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning, Technology of advertising).
Lectures, seminars, and practical activities are considered to be very important elements of the studies and are chosen to guide and structure the mastering of a subject. Along this a very great concern is paid to the students’ independent work- not only is a tutor’s role to lecture, but mainly to organize, be a study literature consultant and expert. Importand study elements is literature analysis and essay writing, as well as preparation of reports, individual projects, and course papers. Study methods stimulate independent, analitical, and critical thinking and mastering of research skills. Practical activities take place also outside the institute in the establishments which correspond to the study disciplines (for instance “Analysis of the works of art”, the course studies take place at the modern art museum “Arsenal”, State Art Museum; “Basics of exhibitions and galleries functioning”- at Riga art galleries, “Technology of advertising”_ practical studies take place at Riga cinema center). During the study process public lectures and master classes are held where leading professionals in both professional art and management of cultural processes from Latvia and abroad take part. In such a way lectures and free discussions provide the students with the information about topical issues in the field of the future profession. During the last two years the following persons took part in the public lectures and master classes: Evita Kirilova, deputy director of the IUMSIL public integration department, Eduard Cehovals, Russian Drama theater director, Felix Deich, stage director, Michael Rogatchi- AAC international charity foundation director (Finland), Sergey Raflin (USA, radio station “Voice of America” commentator, member of the cinematography prize “Oscar”).

Within the programme the study course integration principle is being applied. For the first year students integration tasks are included into the “Language culture” and “Introduction into speciality” courses. For the course’s “Language culture” first semester test the essay topics connected to the course “Introduction into speciality” content were offered. The students’ works in this situation are to be evaluated from both disciplines perspective. One of the main tasks of the oral exam in the foreign language is the prezentation of the course paper, but the exam itself is held in the form of a conference. Integration taks which help to establish inter-disciplinary connections are applied also within the courses “Technology of drafting projects” and “Financing and management of cultural projects” (3^rd study year), “Theory and practice of mass communication” and “Intercultural communication theory and practice”. Modern communication technologies are actively introduced into the study process (students’ work in the internet forum within the course “Methods and technics of administrating projects”), as well as case situations are. In 2004/2005 the 4^th year students developed the concept of the project of the city festival “Old German Riga” within the courses “Technology of drafting projects” and “Methods and technics of administrating projects”. In the end of the semester the test was held in the form of practical conference where the students had defended mini projects developed in groups, which later on were included into the common project structure. Within the course “Bacics of sociology and cultural sociology” an opinion poll about the the causes of intolerance in Latvia was introduced. The research results were discussed at the course conference and prezented in the discussion dedicated to the problems of intolerance within the programme of the European Intolerance day. Within the course “Practice of organising festivities and mass events” the students presented the scripts (to conclude the festival Tatiana’s day and the contest of the children’s drawings), which were later realized.

Teaching methods

It should be concluded that different teaching methods are being applied. The tutors are free to choose the teaching methods.

Study programme’s practices

The integral part of the study programme “Cultural administration” is active practice which takes place in different organizations, and passive practice which is being implemented by the practicians-specialists within the study programme. Active practice consists of 5 parts (1., 2., 3., 4. practices).

In compliance with the Cabinet of Ministers rulings Nr.141 about the secind level professional higher education standard, the scope of the practice is 26 CP.

Several practice types are envisaged by the study programme:

• 
  Observation practice- 1 CP;
  
• 
  Gallery practice- 2 CP;
  
• 
  Mass events practice- 3 CP;
  
• 
  Project practice (combines practice at the place of work and pre-diploma practice)- 5 + 7 CP;
  
• 
  Post-diploma practice- 4 CP;
  
• 
  Scope of the practices- 4 CP.
  

Short practice description

Table 6

Nr.	Type of practice	Time of practice	Credit value	Length	Tasks
1.	First active practice: observation practice	2. semester	1 CP	1 week= 40 w.hr.	Analysis of the city’s artistic elements, getting to know the principles of organizing museum and exhibition expozitions
2.	Second active practice: gallery practice	3., 4. semester	2 CP	2 weeks= 80 w.hr.	Mastering the gallery curator’s skills, organizing art expozition< project work, conducting observations and interviews
3.	Third active practice: mass event practice	5., 6. semester	3 CP	3 weeks 1 week = 40 w.hr.	Mastering the skills of mass events projects development and realization
4.	Fourth active practice: project practice (combines practice at the place of work and pre-diploma practice)	7., 8. semester	5+7 CP	12 weeks 1 week = 40 w.hr.	Mastering the skills of projects development and realization in its different stages and gathering the material for the qualification paper
5.	Post-diploma practice	8 . semester	4CP	4 weeks 1 week = 40 w.hr.	Post-diploma practice (project practice) is a part of the active practice programme and is necessary to confirm the students’ readiness on the professional level and give objective evaluation of the students’ developed cultural project. Students who have successfully defended the bachelor’s paper are admitted to the post-diploma practice.