The M.A. Program in Slavic and Eurasian Studies provides training in the languages, literatures, and cultures of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, equipping students with interdisciplinary perspectives from history, art, political science, and economics. The program emphasizes both strong language preparation and the development of critical research and analytical skills that can be applied across a wide range of disciplines and career paths.
In this program, you will engage with canonical and contemporary literary and cultural works, analyzing them through frameworks of memory and identity, world systems and empire, exile and belonging, among others. Department faculty have expertise in Russian literature and culture, intellectual history, autobiographical writing and life narratives, Islam and modernity, trauma and memory studies, peasant studies, gender and feminist studies, second language acquisition and multilingualism, semiotics, and cognition.
While Russian language and culture form the core of the program, students are encouraged to explore broader Eastern European and Eurasian contexts. We welcome students with backgrounds in all Slavic and Eurasian languages and cultures. The department's cooperative relationship with other departments at Duke University and with relevant programs and departments UNC–Chapel Hill allows our students to choose electives across several disciplines, build broad regional expertise, and prepare for a diverse set of careers. We have especially strong partnerships with the departments of Art History, Cultural Anthropology, Economics, History, Linguistics, and Literature, as well as the Sanford School of Public Policy. Thanks to these connections, our students regularly tailor their coursework to their interests, engaging with broader conversations in the humanities and social sciences.
As demonstrated by the track record of our past graduates, sharpening your analytical skills through rigorous reading, thoughtful critique, and interdisciplinary dialogue in this program will open career opportunities in multiple fields, from government and military to NGOs and journalism, while providing an excellent foundation for further graduate study in related Ph.D. programs.
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Requirements
- 10 courses (30 graduate units) of which 8 (24 graduate units) must be graded courses and 2 (6 graduate units) must be M.A. thesis hours
- Russian-language proficiency at the B2 CEFR level or higher OR equivalent proficiency in another Slavic or Eurasian language to be approved by the DGS.
- At least 6 courses on Eastern European and Eurasian cultures chosen in consultation with the DGS.
- A 2-semester sequence of a Russian or other Slavic or Eurasian language course.
- M.A. Thesis
- Final Examination