Slavic & Eurasian Studies Major

The Slavic and Eurasian Studies (SES) major is designed to explore Slavic and Eurasian cultures – their interrelated histories and contemporary interactions – so that you are prepared upon graduation to engage knowledgeably and productively in professional careers or to pursue graduate study. This major also allows you to draw on the faculty strengths of the Slavic Department at UNC-Chapel Hill as well as the Middle Eastern/Islamic Studies programs at both universities, including the Duke Islamic Studies Center.

Requirements

10 Courses, 8 of which must be at the 200 level or above.

  • 4 content elective courses on Slavic and Eurasian Studies topics with no more than two of these on an exclusively Slavic topic.
    • Appropriate electives may include new courses, special topics courses or independent study with at least 50 percent course content in Slavic and Eurasian studies. Consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) in the Slavic and Eurasian Studies Department.
  • 4 language courses above the elementary level for Polish and Turkish (through 302S) OR above the intermediate level for Russian.
    • We offer Romanian on a regular basis, and Georgian on a semi-regular basis. These languages can be counted as fulfilling the language requirement with prior DUS approval.
  • Capstone seminar SES 423S - City Stops Between Europe and Asia: From Prague to Kabul, taken in the junior or senior year.
    • This course includes a significant research component.

Recommended

Students are encouraged to study abroad in a country that is related to the geographical area covered by the major. Our department is directly involved in several semester and summer programs, providing you with a lot of flexibility in when and where to study. Courses taken abroad in a Duke-administered or Duke-approved program can fulfill the FL requirement for graduation.