Special Issue of RLJ, Volume 76, Issue 1 (June 2026)
“Career Readiness in Learning and Teaching Slavic Languages”
Victoria Hasko and Karen Evans-Romaine, editors
Proposals due March 31, 2025 (Monday) – rljeditor@gmail.com
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Purpose, Aims, and Foci of the Special Issue:
The 2023 Modern Language Association (MLA) report reveals that most collegiate modern language programs are experiencing declining enrollments nationwide (Lusin et al., 2023). This trend is creating a pressing need to articulate the relevance and value of language proficiency to language learners, parents, and campus administrators. At the same time, the report suggests that some language programs are thriving, and it attributes their vitality at least in part to the integration of career readiness into world language programming (ibid.). While a specific roadmap for such integration is lacking, the report highlights promising initiatives such as collaboration with career services, the inclusion of content courses tailored for specific professional purposes, and inclusion of language programs into interdisciplinary degrees and certificates. Recent learner surveys also suggest that students may be more committed to language programs that prepare them to apply their language knowledge effectively in diverse, real-world contexts, including professional internships, study abroad opportunities, and community partnerships (Morgan & Thompson, 2023; Murphy et al., 2022; also see JNCL-NCLIS, 2024).
Slavic language programs, including Russian, are not immune to the national decline in enrollments. For example, according to the Survey of Enrollments in Russian Language Classes conducted by Study, Research, and Custom Programs Abroad (SRAS), approximately two-thirds of the 167 Russian language programs in the U.S. reported negative enrollment growth in 2023, with more than one-third experiencing a significant decline of over 20 percent. In this context, presenting linguistic and cultural proficiency as critical career assets that provide a competitive edge can be challenging not only for students but also for faculty. This special issue on Career Readiness seeks to explore how Slavic language programs can address these challenges and position themselves as key academic units within their institutions by integrating career education into their curricula and programming. The volume invites contributions that investigate effective strategies for aligning the teaching of Russian and other Slavic languages with workforce needs, examine the development of interdisciplinary connections that require expertise in language and area studies, showcase successful career readiness implementation strategies, and address structural barriers to such efforts in collaboration with various partners on their home campuses, in their local communities, with study abroad providers, and with future employers. Interested authors are also encouraged to explore how to prepare students for internships and careers that will engage them with multilingual and multicultural communities around the world where Slavic languages are spoken.
Potential subtopics may include, but are not limited to:
- Conceptual and theoretical perspectives on “career readiness” in world language education, including theorization of the term itself;
- Best practices for embedding career readiness into world language curricula, and Slavic languages in particular;
- Case studies of successful collaborations with career services, other academic units, study abroad providers, or industry and community partners;
- Interdisciplinary connections between Slavic language studies and professional fields;
- Developing courses or programs in Russian/Slavic for specific purposes (e.g., business, STEM, diplomacy);
- The role of internships, community engagement, and experiential learning in language programs in ensuring career readiness of language learners;
- Overcoming structural barriers to integrating career readiness into language teaching;
- Student motivations for studying Slavic languages and their connection to career pathways;
- Student advising on career readiness and career pathways;
- Alumni engagement with regard to career pathways;
- Assessment of career readiness.
Submissions may take the form of:
- Theoretical essays exploring the broader implications of career readiness in Slavic language programs;
- Reflective case studies detailing program innovations and implementation challenges;
- Course and program proposals outlining new models for integrating career preparation into curricula.
This special issue aims to provide practical insights for educators, program administrators, and policymakers seeking to sustain the vitality of Slavic language programs in the U.S. by integrating linguistic proficiency with transferable skills, professional competencies, and real-world applications.
Languages of Publication: RLJ publishes articles written in English or Russian.
Submission Instructions: Those interested in contributing should submit the following to rljeditor@gmail.com as a single Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or .PDF file attachment by March 31, 2025:
