Overview
Foreign Area Officer
Dear Prospective FAO:
Thank you for your interest in Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies (REES) at the University of Kansas. KU is nationally recognized as one of the leading institutions for the study of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe: it is one of only 17 universities in the country that has a Comprehensive National Resource Center for study of this world area funded by the U.S. Department of Education Title VI program. The interdisciplinary MA program in Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies at KU is one of the longest established in the nation.
The Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies at KU has been training Foreign Area Officers for 30 years. Since 1990, over 60 FAOs (both 48Es and 48Cs focusing on Eastern Europe) have completed the MA in Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies. FAOs make an important contribution to our program. We are proud to have them in our student body and we work to provide them with a quality program tailored to their needs and schedules. Our graduates, current students, and people involved with the Foreign Area Officer program consistently rate the REES program at KU as one of the most "FAO friendly."
KU's program is also a favorite of the Army because of its low cost. According to Kansas state law, active military personnel pay resident tuition rates. Even with recent tuition increases, KU remains well below the ceiling for low-cost programs. A full-time student must take at least 9 credits (3 courses) per semester and 6 credits (2 courses) in the summer. Most students complete the program in 18 months or two years. Some students have completed the degree in one calendar year.
Current and former FAOs say that KU is an attractive choice for graduate study not only because of the quality of the academic program, but also because of the quality of life in Lawrence. With a population of 80,000, Lawrence has the charm of a small Midwestern city. The city boasts about its quality schools, a range of housing options, a wide variety of activities and organizations for families and children, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Moreover, Lawrence, as a college town, has a number of outstanding cultural and athletic events. Lawrence is only 25 miles from Kansas City, and 40 miles from Ft. Leavenworth.
The best endorsements of the REES program at KU and Lawrence come from FAOs who received their training at the University of Kansas. The following current and former KU students have agreed to field any questions you might have about the REES program or life in Lawrence:
Randy Masten MAJ (48C)
REES MA, 2003; LTC instructing at Command & General Staff College
randy.masten@us.army.mil
Shawn McManamy, Major, United States Army REES MA, 2009; after April 2010, he will serve in the US Embassy, Moscow.
shawn.mcmanamy@us.army.mil
Raymond Hackler, Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army REES MA, 2006; Psychological Operations & Eurasian Foreign Area Officer Raymond.hackler@us.army.mil
AER Information
AERs: If you are completing your program and graduating this year, please remember to submit the following material to Dr. Edith Clowes before you leave campus permanently:
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Your AER (DA Form 1059-1); make certain that all the information on the top is filled in and accurate;
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Two (2) official copies of your complete KU transcript, showing award of degree. When you submit your request for transcripts at Registrar's Office, be certain to ask that it be sent to Dr. Mariya Omelicheva at the CREES Office, but that it not be sent until after Award of Degree has been posted;
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The dates and results of your APFT and height/weight data;
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A list of "buttons" that you want pushed in the AER narrative: what do you consider your greatest achievements at KU to have been? Categories might include: academic performance, achievements, extracurricular activities, leadership, and whatever else you wish to have mentioned. This is not the time to be modest.
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