Graduate Programs

The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. The Master of Arts degree requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours in Russian language and literature. The program includes 30 hours of courses in Slavic languages and literatures with a thesis/ nonthesis option.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is offered with two concentrations: Russian literature, and Slavic linguistics. Under special circumstances, students may arrange to concentrate in other languages with the permission of the departmental Graduate Studies Committee. Generally, permission is given in cases where there is appropriate capacity among the Graduate Faculty of the Department to mentor and examine the student. Prerequisites for entrance into the doctoral program are a master's degree or its equivalent in Slavic languages and literatures and successful completion of the Ph.D. qualifying examination, generally taken by the student at the end of his or her first semester in the program. Beyond fulfillment of all specific requirements in the area of concentration, the student must fulfill the foreign language requirement in a Western European language, successfully complete comprehensive examinations, and write an acceptable dissertation.

Requirements for the Ph.D. with concentration in literature require the MA degree and passing a qualifying examination. Further requirement include a detailed knowledge of the history and development of one Slavic literature; oral and written competence in the student's major Slavic language plus an orientation in its structure and history; reading competence in at least one additional Slavic language and a general knowledge of the history of its literature; and 10 to 12 graduate semester credit hours in a minor subject, taken from either outside or within the Department.

Requirements for the Ph.D. with concentration in linguistics are detailed knowledge of the structure and history of two Slavic languages, each from a different branch (east [Russian], west [Czech or Polish], south [BCS or Slovene]),* one of which shall be considered the student's major language, plus reading competence in a third Slavic language; oral and written competence in the student's major Slavic language, and knowledge of the linguistic issues of the student's major Slavic language and his or her second Slavic language. Candidates must complete a minor subject consisting of 10 to 12 graduate semester credit hours, taken from either outside or within the Department. A working knowledge of general linguistics and comparative Slavic linguistics is required.

*NB: Although Turkish and Ukrainian language instruction is offered, these languages are not part of the Slavic Department graduate curriculum and may not be chosen as languages of specialization or as second Slavic languages.