Average GRE Scores for Slavic Studies Masters Program

Slavic Linguistics are normally fulfilled during the first two years of study. All students are required to demonstrate graduate-level knowledge of the language of the major field. If a student’s major linguistic area is a Slavic language other than Russian, one of the four required courses for the major must be on Russian language. Graduate students will study at least one language in addition to their major language. Many students choose to pursue a second Slavic language (Ukrainian, Polish, Czech, or BCS). It makes sense to begin this study in the first year, perhaps followed up by a summer program abroad after the first and/or second year of study.

The Barnard-Columbia Slavic Department offers instruction in six Slavic languages and literature (Russian, Bulgarian, Czech, Polish, Serbian/ Croatian/ Bosnian, and Ukrainian), with particularly extensive offerings in Russian. The department prides itself on giving students a strong foundation in language study, which serves as invaluable preparation for future graduate work in literature, history, economics, or political science, as well as for careers in government, business, journalism, or international law.

We expect students who enter with an M.A. in Slavic Languages and Literatures from another institution to have preparation comparable to that provided by the M.A. program at Berkeley. Those with an M.A. from another institution, depending on preparation, may be asked to eliminate discrepancies and or to take a screening (permission-to-proceed) examination. The format of the screening examination is similar to that of the M.A. examinations.

It is also important to note that we do not consider applicants who already hold a doctoral degree in any subject, whether obtained at a US institution or abroad.

We select our graduate students on the basis of their record of academic achievement in the past, and their promise of future success in scholarship and teaching. We do not require the GRE.

These are the individuals who will supervise your graduate education and research it is important to find a good intellectual fit before undertaking any graduate program.

Each section of the graduate application has specific and detailed instructions to help you successfully navigate. In general though, the complete application will include:.

Scanned Transcripts of all schools attended. If your academic records do not include official evidence of the award of your degree, you must also submit additional documents that verify the degree conferral.

TOEFL exam registration number or IELTS Official evidence of English language proficiency is required of applicants from countries where the official language is not English (you might be exempt from this requirement if you have a basic degree from a recognized institution in a country where the official language is English, or have completed at least one year of full-time academic course work at a regionally accredited institution within the United States). Take your necessary exams well in advance! If we receive exam scores any later than early January, they will be of no use.

Statement of Purpose should be a scholarly piece that demonstrates knowledge, motivation and preparation in your chosen field, academic seriousness and sophistication, and future career goals.

Personal History should discuss how why you have decided upon an academic career. This may include but is not limited to relevant diversity, family background, first generation college education, economic or personal obstacles you have overcome, volunteerism, leadership potential, etc.

The Writing Sample should consist of a scholarly paper on a topic related to Slavic literatures, cultures or linguistics, which demonstrates clear evidence of your research skills, your knowledge of a relevant Slavic language as well as the surrounding field. You may submit a term paper, a senior thesis, or an essay written independently. You may submit up to two short samples if they demonstrate different facets of your knowledge base or your analytical abilities. Your sample should not exceed 30 pages in total.

You are not required to complete the whole application in one sitting. Answers are saved and you may return to edit or finish sections until you actually submit the application. Once the application is submitted, you are not allowed to go back and make further edits.

The application system features a status update page for applicants. You may check this page to see if your official exam scores have been received and letters of recommendation submitted.

Timeline: Applicant files are reviewed for completion, sorted and summarized after the December deadline by the graduate assistant. Decisions regarding admissions will be announced later in February through mid-March.

Students may also write directly to those with whom they are most interested in working.

The Slavic Languages and Literatures offers two MA degrees, one with a concentration in Russian language and literature and one with a concentration in Contemporary Russian Studies (CRS). It offers the PhD in Slavic languages and literatures with a specialization in Russian literature and culture. Language and literature students take classes primarily in the Slavic department. CRS students combine courses in Slavic with courses in History, Politics, Sociology, and other disciplines. (There is no PhD in CRS, either at Virginia or elsewhere in the US.).

The MA in Slavic Languages and Literatures is primarily earned as an en-route MA toward the PhD. Applicants who wish to continue on to the PhD should apply directly to the PhD program. Applicants who are unsure pursuing the PhD may apply at the MA level. Please note that funding packages will first be awarded to students accepted to the PhD program and those accepted at the MA level may be expected to pay their own tuition.

4 + 1 Master of Arts in Slavic Languages and Literatures.

The MA track in Contemporary Russian Studies is a two-year, terminal program. Students cannot continue on to the PhD from this track.

No terminal MA is funded by the department, Students will be expected to pay their own tuition. On very rare occasions, Assistant and or grader positions may become available to MA students.

Those wishing to earn a PhD should apply directly to the PhD program, regardless of whether they are pre or post-MA. Students accepted into the PhD program will receive funding from the department, through the awarding of fellowships and teaching assignments.

The aim of graduate training in the Department is to provide students with knowledge, understanding and critical analytical and methodological skills pertinent to the cultures of Russia and Eastern Europe. Programs are designed to prepare students for teaching and research, public service, and other careers in fields such as business and journalism. Graduates of the doctoral program now serve or have served on the faculties of such institutions as the University of Arizona, Yale, Bucknell, Bates College, the University of Kentucky, William and Mary, Virginia Tech, and Brigham Young University.

The graduate program offers a wide range of courses on Slavic languages, literatures and cultures. Particular strengths of the Department are Russian Language, nineteenth and twentieth-century Russian literature, Polish language and literature, linguistics and Slavic culture. Some courses cover relatively broad topics, major periods and movements others are specialized courses on themes, authors or genres.

Language learning is central to the mission of the graduate program. Students are expected to bring strong Russian language skills to study at the graduate level. One goal of the graduate program is to build professional-level fluency to the native or near-native level. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to study abroad to enhance language learning.

All students in the PhD program have the opportunity to teach during their graduate study, learning pedagogical skills both through coursework and through teaching apprenticeship. Graduate students typically teach Russian language and lead discussion sections for courses on literature and culture. The Center for Teaching Excellence at UVa offers workshops and individualized training for graduate student teachers.

Graduate students learn current research methodologies and pursue independent research projects in their coursework, the MA thesis (CRS), and the PhD dissertation. Graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply for internal and external grants to support their research projects.

Students in the graduate program benefit from many resources in the UVa and Charlottesville communities. among others, are very strong. The University Library has an excellent Slavic collection and outstanding research support facilities. The Russian House is a Russian-language residential facility that hosts academic and social events connected with the Department. Both the Slavic Department and the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies offer lectures, conferences, and colloquia for the broader community, which graduate students are expected to attend.

The curriculum offers breadth and depth in a variety of areas of Slavic philology, literature, and culture, and is known for offering a balanced approach to training in teaching, writing, and research.

Graduate students are expected to produce publishable articles during their graduate careers, and are provided the guidance and feedback to do so.

The department places high expectations on graduate students to achieve and maintain professional-level proficiency in the Russian language in all four modalities: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Appropriate competency must be demonstrated before receiving a teaching assistantship and before passing from M.A. to Ph.D. candidacy.

Graduate students in the program receive exceptional training in teaching both language and literature. The program graduate teaching assistants regularly win prestigious campus awards for their excellence in the classroom.

Please note that the Slavic department does not typically award a terminal M.A. degree.

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students are able to complete a program with minimal disruptions to careers and other commitments.

Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

20 credits must be graduate-level coursework.

Passing at least three out of five Russian language proficiency examinations in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and grammar. Passing level for the first four exams: Advanced Low on ACTFL scale passing score for grammar test: 80%.

Students who do not pass the Gateway exercise may not continue for Ph.D.

For Russian language proficiency requirements see Assessments and Examinations.

Students are not allowed to count graduate coursework from other institutions to fulfill degree requirements.

If a semester GPA of 3.25 is not attained during the subsequent semester of full time enrollment the student may be dismissed from the program.

Slavic Studies follows the Graduate School Time Limits policy.

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:.

Take advantage of the Graduate School professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.

Develop broad knowledge of Russian literary history, the major writers and movements, from the origins to the present day. Demonstrate this knowledge in relation to periods and movements, courses in which are offered during their time in the program. These include: Old Russian Literature 18th-Century Russian Literature Romanticism (ca. 1790s to 1840s) Realism (ca. 1840s to 1890s) Modernism (ca. 1890s to 1920s) Soviet, Emigre, and Post-Soviet Periods (ca. 1930s to the present).

(Language proficiency) Demonstrate Advanced Russian language proficiency on the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) scale across three modalities (speaking, listening, reading, or writing). Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the structure of contemporary Russian.

Recognize and apply principles of ethical and professional conduct in the context of Slavic studies.