The Department of Oriental Languages of the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation offers courses in the Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Korean languages.

   Among the department members are Doctors and Candidates of Science, professors and associate professors, key specialists in the languages, history and culture of oriental countries. Some of them are renowned orientalist scholars, such as Dr. Sc. (Philology), Professor T.D. Melikov; Dr. Sc. (Education), Professor K.N. Khitrik; Dr. Sc. (Philology), Professor D.K. Dorri; Professor N.A. Dyomina; Cand. Sc. (Philology), Professor MSLU V.G. Lebedev; Cand. Sc. (History), Associate Professor V.V. Kim. The Department cooperates with some of the leading researchers of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences including Dr. Sc. (Philology), Professor V.E. Shagal; Cand. Sc. (Philology), Associated Professor M.V.Nikolaeva and others.

   The Department offers theoretical and practical courses in accordance with the Faculty syllabuses. Among them are “Theoretical Phonetics”, “Introduction to Special Philology”, “Theoretical Grammar”, “Lexicology”, “Stylistics”, “The Theory of Translation from/into Oriental Languages”, “The History of Literature of the Oriental Countries”, and practical courses such as “A Practical Course in a Oriental Language” – the 1-th and the 2-nd years, “A Practical Course in Verbal Communication Culture” – from the 3-td to the 5-th years, “A Practical Course in Translation and Interpretation” – from the 3-td to the 5-th years.

   The Department does research in Oriental Linguistics, Literature Studies, and Culture Studies, develops effective methods of teaching oriental languages, organizes various workshops. The Department teaching and research staff take part in academic conferences in Russia and abroad. The Department publishes a collection of research papers “Vestnik MGLU. Oriental Languages”. The Department maintains close contacts with universities of China, Japan, Turkey, Korea, and a number of Arab countries, participates in teacher and student exchange programs and offers study placements. The lecturers and scholars of the Department are invited to work and lecture at the universities of the countries that have signed cooperation agreements with MSLU.

   The Department takes part in the events organized by MSLU Centre for Japanese Language and Culture and MSLU Centre for Turkish Language and Culture and MSLU Centre for Persian Language and Culture.
The Department develops textbooks and tutorial materials for students who study oriental languages. The Department has a collection of audio and video study materials.
Since 2002 the Department has been headed by Cand. Sc. (Philology), Associate Professor Lola Shakenovna Rakhimbekova.