Department Website
Program Description
The department offers an interdisciplinary MA in Russian and Slavic studies, a program that allows students to take Russia-related courses in departments across NYU. In addition to the departmental curriculum’s particular strengths in literature, history, and film, the course of study can encompass a wide variety of specializations, from anthropology and politics to music, linguistics, and performance studies. With its focus on interdisciplinarity and comparative methodologies, the program can serve as excellent preparation for graduate study at the PhD level. It also provides a thorough grounding in the Russia field for terminal MA students who choose to pursue a career in this area.
Students applying to the MA program must hold a BA degree and have a thorough knowledge of the Russian language. Usually students have an undergraduate degree in Russian, but majors in other subjects may be accepted if the applicant’s knowledge of Russian is sufficient for graduate study.
Admissions
All applicants to the Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) are required to submit the general application requirements, which include:
See Russian and Slavic Studies for admission requirements and instructions specific to this program.
Program Requirements
The program requires the completion of 32 credits and a Master's thesis.
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| RUSSN-GA 2121 | Graduate Proseminar | 4 |
| RUSSN-GA 2137 | Grad Research Seminar and Practicum | 4 |
| 24 |
| Total Credits | 32 |
Additional Program Requirements
Language Requirement
Students must attain the level of advanced in all language skills (speaking, oral comprehension, reading, and writing), to be demonstrated by either passing an examination or earning the equivalent of an A grade in auditing the department’s third-year Russian course.
Master's Thesis
Students must complete a Master's thesis.
International Relations Concentration
The program offers a concentration in International Relations, completed with 34 credits.
Concentration Requirements
Additional Program Requirements
Language Requirement
Students are required to fulfill the same requirements with regard to the language requirement as others in the Russian and Slavic Studies.
Master's Thesis
Students will write a jointly supervised MA thesis (one advisor from International Relations and one affiliated with the Department of Russian and Slavic Studies), an original piece of scholarly work of approximately 40-50 pages.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will have:
- A general understanding of Russian history and culture, to be gained through completion of required and approved courses.
- Proficiency in Russian language at the advanced level, as demonstrated either by passing the departmental language exam or earning an A- or A in a 3rd-year college Russian course.
- Proficiency in sourcing and utilizing scholarly materials in both English and Russian, effectively formulating a thesis, analyzing arguments, and developing original arguments that acknowledge and engage with the work of other scholars, while also communicating ideas clearly and persuasively.
Policies
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
Graduate School of Arts and Science Policies
Academic Policies for the Graduate School of Arts and Science can be found on the Academic Policies page.