If you’re curious about what IB Russian A: Literature is all about, you’re in the right place. In this post, we’re breaking down the main parts of the course to give you a clear idea of what you’ll be learning.

IB Russian A: Literature

It is important to mention that IB Russian A: Literature follows the same Language A: Literature syllabus used across languages such as English, French, Spanish, Chinese, or another available language. This guide focuses on Russian A: Literature.

In the IB Russian A: Literature course, students examine how literature is produced and received, including the creativity of writers and readers, the influence of context and literary traditions, and the ways language creates meaning and effect.

Through close analysis of literary texts from different forms, times, and places, students develop their own interpretations while considering the perspectives of other readers and critics. The course also encourages students to consider how literature represents and constructs the world and social and cultural identities.

Literary Works

At Standard Level (SL), students must study at least 7 works, while Higher Level (HL) students must study at least 10 works across the three Areas of Exploration. The IB provides a Prescribed Reading List containing authors from a wide range of languages. Teachers select works from this resource while ensuring that the course meets the requirements for diversity across literary forms, periods, and places. Teachers can also choose some works freely from outside the list.

SL students must study at least 7 works, including:

• A minimum of 3 works originally written in the language being studied, by authors on the Prescribed Reading List
• A minimum of 2 translated works, written by authors on the Prescribed Reading List in a language different from the one being studied
• 2 freely chosen works, which can come from the Prescribed Reading List or elsewhere and may be translated
• A minimum of 2 works in each Area of Exploration
• At least 3 literary forms
• At least 3 periods
• At least 3 countries or regions
• At least 2 continents

HL students must study at least 10 works, including:

• A minimum of 4 works originally written in the language being studied, by authors on the Prescribed Reading List
• A minimum of 3 translated works, written by authors on the Prescribed Reading List in a language different from the one being studied
• 3 freely chosen works, which can come from the Prescribed Reading List or elsewhere and may be translated
• A minimum of 3 works in each Area of Exploration
• All 4 literary forms
• At least 3 periods
• At least 4 countries or regions
• At least 2 continents

What Counts as a “Work”?

The IB defines a work as a substantial literary text or grouping of shorter texts. For example, a work can be:

• One major literary text, such as a novel, autobiography, or biography
• Two or more shorter literary texts, such as novellas
• 5–10 short stories
• 5–8 essays
• 10–15 letters
• A substantial section or the whole of a long poem of at least 600 lines
• 15–20 shorter poems

When multiple texts are studied as one work, they must be by the same author and belong to the same subcategory within a literary form.

Literary Forms

The Prescribed Reading List contains four literary forms. At SL, students must study works from 3 of the 4 literary forms. At HL, students must study all 4 literary forms. The literary text types identified by the guide include:

• Graphic novels
• Novellas
• Novels
• Poems
• Short stories
• Plays
• Song lyrics

Some text types can potentially be considered literary or non-literary depending on the characteristics of the specific text. These include autobiographies, biographies, memoirs, diary entries, essays, letters, magazine articles, manifestos, opinion columns, parodies, pastiches, speeches, and travelogues.

Period and Place

The syllabus also requires students to explore literature across different periods and geographical contexts. The Prescribed Reading List organizes authors according to the century or centuries in which they lived. Across the course, students must study authors from at least 3 different periods.

For place, SL requires works by authors from at least 3 different countries or regions and at least 2 continents. At HL, students must study authors from at least 4 different countries or regions, while still covering at least 2 continents.

Author Restrictions

There are also some important restrictions when selecting works. The same author cannot be studied twice within a Russian A: Literature course. Students also cannot study an author who they are already studying as part of another Studies in Language and Literature course or a Language B course. Interestingly, students can write their Extended Essay on an author they studied in the course, provided that they choose a different work by that author.

We hope you found this post helpful! For more useful materials associated with the IB, check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.