Master of Arts
The degree program is designed for students who wish to continue to the Ph.D. in Slavic; however, the program’s concentration on Russian language, literature, and culture makes it possible for students to pursue an M.A. degree only. Other concentrations and individualized programs may be arranged in consultation with the Graduate Advisor and relevant faculty. View the Graduate Student Handbook.
Degree Requirements
1. Coursework
Completion of a minimum 32 hours of graduate course work as required by the Graduate College. At least 20 hours must be for courses in the department of Slavic Languages and Literatures.
Required courses must include:
- RUSS 501 – Russian for Graduate Students I
(in consultation with the graduate advisor may be replaced by another 500-level course) - RUSS 502 – Russian for Graduate Students II
(in consultation with the graduate advisor may be replaced by another 500-level course) - SLAV 576 – Methods in Slavic Grad Studies
- HIST 560 – Problems in Russian History or
HIST 551A – Problems in East European History or
REES 550 – Seminar in Russian and East European Studies or
LIS 530 – Slavic Bibliography - two 400- or 500- level literature or culture courses offered by the Slavic Department
2. M.A. Exams
Successful completion of the M.A. written examinations.
Students who plan to continue on to the Ph.D. are strongly encouraged to satisfy one of the two language requirements (a second Slavic-area language or a research language) at the M.A. level. These requirements can be fulfilled through coursework or a translation examination.
M.A. Committee
The M.A. Committee consists of two faculty members, chaired by the Graduate Advisor. All members of the department will submit questions. If necessary, the committee may call for an oral exam to further test the material covered by the written examination.
M.A. Written Examination
The series of written examinations for the M.A. degree, generally scheduled in the fourth semester, consists of three examinations of three to four hours each, designed to test the student’s ability to synthesize the knowledge gained through course work and independent reading. The three examinations include nineteenth-century Russian literature, twentieth-century Russian literature, and a third area of examination to be selected in consultation with the Graduate Advisor. This third area may focus on Russian literature pre-1800, critical theory, Russian cinema, a Slavic literature other than Russian, or linguistics; in some cases the third exam may cover another area chosen by the student in consultation with the Graduate Advisor. The Master’s reading list serves as a guide for preparation for the exams and may be individually amended in consultation with the Graduate Advisor. For concentrations other than Russian language, literature, and culture, early consultation and planning of a reading list and exam topics with the Graduate Advisor and relevant faculty is necessary.
The grading of examinations for the degree is on a pass/fail basis. In case of a failure of any part of the examination, the committee will determine whether the student shall be allowed to repeat a part of the exam, or if an oral examination is necessary.
M.A. Oral Examination
A Master’s oral examination may be scheduled if the written examination is not up to the standard expected by the Slavic department, and in lieu of a repeat of the written exam.