# Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication in Tourism and Excursion Activities

**Source**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate/foreign-languages-and-intercultural-communication-tourism-and
**Parent**: https://english.spbu.ru/admission/programms/graduate

45.04.02 
*In English and Russian*

Level of education Master

Type of instruction Full-time

Duration 2 years

With the additional qualifications ‘Teacher of Additional Education’/ Translator/Interpreter in the Field of Professional and Intercultural Communication’/ and ‘Foreign Language Teacher’

Programme description

- The master’s programme ‘Foreign Languages and Intercultural Communication in Tourism and Excursion Activities’ is aimed at training experts in intercultural communication in tourism and excursion activities – primarily guide interpreters with a wide range of competences. With the changes in tourist traffic, there is a need to develop and promote new tours and products. In this context, it is necessary to train experts who: know excursion content and the methodology of giving tours; and possess interdisciplinary skills at the intersection of linguistics, intercultural communication, cultural studies, the history of the city, regional studies, and art history
- The programme implies the fullest possible use of all the resources offered at St. Petersburg State University. Graduates of the programme who have an extensive knowledge of two foreign languages and universal and professional competences will become much-in-demand experts in the tourism sector and in translation/interpreting, and foreign language teaching

Main academic courses

- English in Tourism
- Consecutive Interpreting
- History of Arts (in English)
- History of Architectural Styles (in Russian and English)
- Theory and Practice of Intercultural Communication
- Tourism Economics and Fundamentals of Legal Regulation of the Tourism Industry
- Second Foreign Language (Optional: Spanish/ Italian/ Chinese/ German/Arabic)
- History of St Petersburg and Leningrad region (in English)
- Country Studies of the USA and Great Britain (in English)
- Objects of Cultural Heritage of St Petersburg and Suburbs (in English).
- Basics of Museology
- Methods of Organisation of Guided Tours
- Translation
- Public Speaking
- Basics of Area Studies of Russia (in Russian and English)

Main areas of research

- Practical conflict management in tourism
- Prospects for development of international tourism activities in Russian regions
- Developing new guided tours and the possibility to market them at the international level
- Strategic tourism destination brand management
- Excursion work with children
- International practices of event tourism development
- Experience tourism and the potential for its development in Russian regions
- Regional studies
- History and Culture of St Petersburg

Our advantages

- The programme focuses on training a new generation of experts in intercultural communication in the tourism sector, including highly qualified guide interpreters and specialists in the organisation of tourism activities. It is the first higher education programme designed for both linguists and specialists in other fields — such as art historians, museum scholars, historians, cultural studies experts, and civil servants — who are interested in studying English in depth, master translation and interpreting skills, and acquire a sought-after profession in tourism
- The programme offers a unique synthesis of disciplines, combining the study of art and architectural history, the history of the city, and cultural heritage sites (all in English) with a thorough command of excursion content and practical classes designed to develop and enhance communication skills. The programme is unique in that it provides the opportunity to study a second foreign language (Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese, or Arabic) alongside a specialised course in public speaking
- To be a modern specialist, it is not enough to have a good knowledge of the history of one’s homeland; one must also be well acquainted with the events and cultural realities of the target language countries.  For this reason, the curriculum includes a course on British and American Studies
- One of the programme’s key objectives is to develop and consolidate master’s students’ consecutive interpreting skills, which form an essential part of professional training. Practising guide interpreters will reveal the secrets of professional excellence, and teach students how to design new excursion routes tailored to audience needs
- Particular attention is given to the economics of tourism, including pricing and channels for promoting tourism products
- Most academic courses of the programme are taught in English
- Upon successful completion of the first year of study and after obtaining a museum licence, master’s students will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in practice by working in the tourism sector
- The programme also makes partial use of e-learning and distance-learning technologies

Teaching staff

- Svetlana Rubtsova, Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor, translator and interpreter from English and Dutch; authorised translator for the Nederlands Literaire Productie- en Vertalingenfonds Foundation; author of textbooks and programmes; author of more than 70 scholarly papers; Member of the Union of Translators of Russia; Member of the European Legal English Teachers’ Association (EULETA); Member of the International English for Specific Purposes Teachers’ Association (IESPTA); Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the journal ‘Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Language and Literature’
- Liudmila Chernobrovkina, Assistant Professor in the Department of English Philology and Cultural Linguistics (since 1991); previously worked as a staff interpreter at Intourist (excursions, simultaneous and consecutive interpreting); guide interpreter and author of five textbooks on conversational English.  She has completed an internship in the United States under the Special American Business Internship Training (SABIT) programme
- Nina Mogileva, licensed English-language guide interpreter in St Petersburg with over 30 years of experience; actively trains future foreign language teachers and guide interpreters in the city and region; teaches art history courses on the history of the city and its suburbs, architectural styles, and the lives and works of artists
- Tatiana Dobrova, Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages in Economics and Law; author of more than 30 publications expert in intercultural communication and intercultural professional discourse
- Maria Morozova, Candidate of Philology, Associate Professor in the Department of English in Biology, Medicine and Psychology; author of more than 20 publications. Her research focuses on translation studies, professionally-oriented translation and interpreting, and lexicology

Career opportunities

Organisations for training practice

- Alla Tours Tour Operator
- St Petersburg Tourist Information Bureau

Professions

- Specialist in support of tourism activities
- Guide-interpreter
- Guide
- Specialist in historical, cultural and educational tourism
- Developer of individual tours
- Organiser of international events in the field of culture and art
- Specialist in incoming tourism (manager of a travel agency)
- Employee of the international department of a museum
- Lecturer
- Translator

Graduates are ready to work in travel agencies, companies specialising in the organisation of events, in international departments of museums, as well as in government agencies responsible for tourism. Graduates are ready to organise and implement cultural, educational, research, methodological, organisational and management activities in the field of tourism.

[This webpage may contain outdated information. The programme descriptions and admission requirements for the 2026/2027 academic year are currently being updated. For the latest information on 2026/2027 admission, please visit the Admissions Office website.](https://abiturient.spbu.ru/en/)

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