1. Language: three years of college study (or equivalent) in languages of the region. Note that fulfillment of this requirement does not count toward the 40 credits.

Option 1: three years of one Slavic language (strongly advised for Slavic Field of Concentration)

Option 2: two years of one Slavic language and one year of another language of the region

2. Field of Concentration: 7 four-credit REESC-approved courses in a selected field of concentration. At least 4 courses in the student’s field of concentration must be upper division courses. Fields of Concentration include:

Slavic Languages, Literatures and Cultures: Includes courses in Russian and other Slavic and East European languages, literatures, linguistics, art, music, dance, anthropology, and other departments in the humanities.

Regional Studies: Includes courses in Russian and East European history, politics, business, economics, geography, environment, anthropology, library sciences, religion, philosophy, journalism, sociology, and other departments in the social sciences.

Note: Self-designed fields of concentration are permitted with the pre-approval of the REESC Executive Committee. Students wishing to design fields of concentration outside the primary two listed above must meet with their advisor and petition the Executive Committee for approval of a self-designed field as early as possible (Petitions will not be accepted later than 3 quarters prior to graduation). Students may also petition the relevant Associate Director to consider courses from departments outside of those listed above for field of concentration/elective credit.

3. Research requirement: Students are required to write a research paper in conjunction with one of their upper division courses (or as a separate reading course) in their field of concentration. In order to meet this requirement, the paper topic must be approved by the student’s REESC advisor and the paper submitted to the REESC Office prior to graduation.

4. Electives: 3 four-credit REESC-approved courses outside the student’s field of concentration. At least 2 electives must be upper division courses.

B. Limitations on Transfer Credits: At least 20 credits of upper division, graded REESC-approved courses must be completed in residence at the University of Oregon. No more than 2 four-credit courses taken abroad may be counted toward fulfillment of the Field of Concentration/Elective requirements. Approval by the relevant Associate Director is required in order to count any courses taken abroad toward the major.

C. Language Course Credit: Only language courses taken beyond the fulfillment of the language requirement outlined in point A.1 may be counted toward the student’s field of concentration or elective requirements.

D. Generic Courses: No more than a total of 12 credits of independent reading, research, or thesis may be applied toward the 40 credits for the major.

E. Requirements for a Double Major: Courses taken in fulfillment of requirements for a second major may NOT be counted toward the 40 credit requirement of the REESC major. To apply for a double major in REESC, you must complete a declaration form and supply the REESC Office with certain records before being approved.

F. Graduating with Honors: To graduate with honors in Russian and East European Studies, a student with an overall GPA of 3.5 by the end of the junior year should first meet with their advisor, then submit a thesis proposal to the REESC Executive Committee for approval. If approved, the student must register for a minimum of 4 credits of thesis under the supervision of a REESC faculty member. The thesis must be completed at least one term prior to the term of graduation and may count toward fulfillment of the research requirement (A.3). See Honors Thesis handout for more details.

II. REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR: A minor in Russian and East European Studies requires 28 graded credits (passed with a grade of C- or better). The language and research requirements are identical to those listed for the major; 5 four-credit REESC-approved courses are required in the student’s Field of Concentration and 2 four-credit REESC-approved Electives are required outside the student’s Field of Concentration. At least 16 graded credits must be taken in residence at the University of Oregon and no more than 2 four-credit courses taken abroad may be applied toward fulfillment of the Field of Concentration/Elective requirements. No more than 8 credits of independent reading or research may be applied toward the 28 credits for the minor. Courses taken toward fulfillment of a non-REESC major may NOT be counted toward the 28 credits.

III. CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS: The REESC Certificate may be earned in conjunction with any major offered at UO. Requirements for the undergraduate REESC Certificate are identical to the minor requirements described above (Item II), with one exception. In contrast to the undergraduate REESC minor, courses taken toward fulfillment of a student’s major may also be counted toward the fulfillment of the certificate requirements. IT IS THE CERTIFICATE CANDIDATES RESPONSIBILITY TO APPLY FOR THE CERTIFICATE AT THE SAME TIME AND PLACE (REGISTRAR'S OFFICE) THAT THE STUDENT APPLIES FOR THE DEGREE.

IV. DECLARING AND ADVISING: Majors, minors, and certificate students are encouraged to declare their intention as early as possible (usually during their second year of study). At the time of declaring the major or minor/certificate, students should also select a REESC advisor within their field of concentration and meet with that advisor to plan a tentative program. The declaration form and tentative program should both be submitted to the REESC Office at the earliest convenience, no later than May 15. Students are expected to meet with their advisor on a regular basis and submit an updated program plan every year.

V. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Graduate program application materials are available in the Center office. Email a request for materials. Deadline for submission of application for admission in the next academic year (fall term) is the first day of February. Applications from those not seeking graduate fellowship support will be accepted for consideration throughout the academic year, contingent on availability of space in the program.

Graduate students are expected to meet with their advisor on a regular basis and submit an updated program plan every spring term. Candidates and their advisors will consult appropriate degree planning sheets (the Slavic Option or the Regional Option) to design programs with the following features:

Forty-nine (49) graded graduate-level credits with a grade of B- or better are required (not counting language requirement credits). Ordinarily the REESC MA is a two-year (six-quarter) program, though it can be completed in a year and a half (18 months) with summer-quarter work.

Incoming candidates for the Center's M.A. degree must meet with an advisor and take an advisory placement examination in their primary Slavic language (usually Russian) on the Friday before the beginning of their first academic term.

A: four years of Russian or another Slavic language, or
B: three years of one Slavic language and one year of another language of the region

Candidates whose option is Slavic Languages, Literatures and Culture are required to select "A" above, and are strongly advised to take at least one year of a second Slavic language. Before receipt of the M.A. degree, these candidates must pass a reading examination in French or German, administered by the Center. Any REESC M.A. candidate who plans to continue graduate study beyond the M.A. is strongly advised to select "A" above.

Candidates whose option is Regional Studies may select either "A" or "B" above, but are strongly advised to take at least one year of either a second Slavic language, German, or other language of the region.

2. Field of Concentration: 6 graduate-level courses in a selected field of concentration (24 credits). Candidates will consult with their graduate advisors and get their approval of courses within the field of concentration.

Note: Self-designed fields of concentration are permitted with the pre-approval of the REESC Executive Committee. Students wishing to design fields of concentration outside the primary two listed above must meet with their advisor and petition the Executive Committee for approval of a self-designed field as early as possible (Petitions will not be accepted later than 3 quarters prior to graduation). Students may also petition the Center's Executive Committee to consider courses from departments outside of those listed above for field of concentration/elective credit.

In the academic term prior to the submission of thesis (point 3 below), candidates will take a written comprehensive exam on their field of concentration.

3. Research and Thesis: Candidates are required to research and write a thesis (9 credits of 503 THESIS). The thesis will be presented for defense before the candidate's committee. The defense of the thesis might include discussion of the comprehensive exam (point 2 above).

4. Electives: 4 REESC-approved graduate-level elective courses (16 credits). The Field of Concentration (point 2 above) and the particular academic needs of the degree candidate define the range of elective choice.

Transfer of credit earned at another institution of higher learning

Graduate credit earned while a graduate student in another accredited graduate school may be transferred to the graduate degree or certificate in Russian and East European studies under the following conditions:

Transfer of credit earned as an undergraduate at UO

Baccalaureate Transfer Credit. Undergraduates who have passed graduate-level courses during their senior year at the University of Oregon--beyond all bachelor's degree requirements--may apply up to 9 credits toward the graduate degree or certificate in Russian and East European studies (within the 15-credit maximum for transfer credit).

Credits in RUSS 503 Thesis, RUSS 601 Research, RUSS 605 Reading and Conference, RUSS 608 Colloquium, and RUSS 609 Practicum do not qualify.

Work in courses graded B- or better, and pass/no pass (P/N) courses accompanied by the instructor's statement that the work was of graduate quality, can count toward the requirements of the graduate degree or certificate in Russian and East European studies, with REESC approval. A Transfer of Baccalaureate Credit form, available at the Graduate School, must be filed within two terms of acceptance into the REESC graduate degree or certificate program and within two years of earning the bachelor's degree.

Candidates for graduate degrees (M.A. or Ph.D.) in any program at the University of Oregon (except REESC itself) are eligible to work for a REESC graduate certificate. Email a request for materials.

IT IS THE CERTIFICATE CANDIDATES RESPONSIBILITY TO APPLY FOR THE CERTIFICATE AT THE SAME TIME AND PLACE (REGISTRAR'S OFFICE) THAT THE STUDENT APPLIES FOR THE DEGREE.