Mar 28, 2024  
Graduate Record 2014-2015 
    
Graduate Record 2014-2015 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Slavic Languages and Literatures


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Programs of Study


The department offers programs of study in Slavic Languages and Literatures at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels, and a program in Contemporary Russian Studies at the M.A. level. The Slavic Languages and Literatures degree primarily involves courses in literature and language; courses in language pedagogy are also available. Students pursuing Contemporary Russian Studies take courses in history, politics, language, literature, folklore, and sometimes other fields.

Degree Requirements


Master of Arts


Required of all candidates for the degree are 30 semester credits of course work at the 5000 level or above, the passing of a proficiency examination in Russian, and the passing of a comprehensive examination. Students choosing the Contemporary Russian Studies option write a thesis (on which their comprehensive examination will be based).  Students earning an M.A. degree at the University of Virginia who wish to proceed to the PhD program should take their degree in Slavic Languages and Literatures, not Contemporary Russian Studies.  Details about additional requirements can be found at http://www.virginia.edu/slavic/acad_progs/ma_info.html.

Doctor of Philosophy


Candidates must receive formal permission from the Department before undertaking a course of studies leading to the Ph.D. degree; those entering with an M.A. from another university must also take a qualifying examination during the first semester. In addition to the general University requirements for the Ph.D. degree, candidates must complete no fewer than 60 credits of graduate level courses (or 30 beyond the M.A.); pass a proficiency examination in Russian; demonstrate a reading knowledge of either French or German; demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second Slavic language; pass a written and oral comprehensive examination before undertaking the dissertation; and complete a dissertation. Students are expected to complete all pre-dissertation requirements, including coursework, language proficiency examinations, and qualifying examinations by the conclusion of their seventh term of study. Details about additional requirements are available at http://www.virginia.edu/slavic/acad_progs/phd_info.html.

PH.D. Requirements


  • 30 semester hours of course work completed for the M.A
  • 30 semester hours of additional course work at or above the 5000 level approved by the Graduate Director
  • 12 additional semester hours of course work at or above the 5000 level or non-topical research

The 30 semester hours of additional course work beyond the M.A. consist of:

  • Three hours of nineteenth-century Russian literature
  • Three hours of twentieth-century Russian literature
  • RUSS 7290 Medieval and Eighteenth-Century Russian Literature
  • 21 semester hours in literature, linguistics or folklore approved by the Graduate Director

Note the following important information about course work required for the Ph.D.:

  • Language courses (except RUSS 5010, RUSS 5030 and RUSS 5040) do not count toward the 30 semester hours of course work beyond the M.A
  • RUSS 5030 should be taken in the first fall semester of graduate study
  • Previous graduate work taken at other institutions (including the M.A.) is assessed on an individual basis and may count up to 30 semester hours
  • Students are encouraged to take at least one course outside the Department, e.g. literature, literary theory, linguistic theory, or cultural anthropology

Course Descriptions


Prerequisites are noted for courses in language and linguistics. Prerequisites may vary from semester to semester and are therefore made known during course enrollment. Graduate standing is ordinarily prerequisite for courses at the 5000 level and above.

Russian Language and Literature


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