Russian and Slavic Studies (2022 - 2024)

Major

The prerequisite for declaring the major is proficiency in Russian or Czech at or above the Intermediate II level. Students with proficiency in Czech at or above the Intermediate II level must also have proficiency in Russian at or above the Elementary II level. Students who are not Russian heritage speakers and have proficiency above Intermediate II must take at least one Advanced Russian or Advanced Czech course. Heritage speakers with proficiency above Intermediate II must consult with the director of undergraduate studies when declaring the major.

The major in Russian and Slavic studies comprises nine 4-point courses (36 points) completed with a C or better, as follows:

• At least five courses (20 points) must be chosen from the department’s offerings on culture, literature, or language above the level of Intermediate Russian or Czech II or Russian Grammar and Composition II.
• Of the remaining four courses (16 points), some or all may be satisfied (with departmental permission) with courses pertaining to Russian and Slavic studies in other departments and programs.

No course toward the major may be double-counted toward a major in any other department.

The College Core Curriculum’s Cultures and Contexts course on Russia (when offered) can count toward the major with permission from the director of undergraduate studies. Other Core courses taught by faculty in the Department of Russian and Slavic Studies may be accepted, under certain conditions, toward the undergraduate major or minor. Consult the director of undergraduate studies.

Majors can take up to two graduate courses offered by the department with permission from both the director of undergraduate studies and the course instructor.

All Russian majors are strongly encouraged to spend a semester or summer in Russia.

Students with an overall GPA of 3.65 or above and a departmental GPA of 3.65 or above are urged to participate in the departmental honors program. (See “honors program” below.)

Minor

The prerequisite for declaring the minor in Russian and Slavic studies is proficiency in Russian or Czech above the Elementary II level. The minor comprises four 4-point courses (16 points) completed with a C or better; Russian Grammar and Composition I and II, and Elementary and Intermediate Russian I and II, do not count toward the minor.

At least 8 points out of the required 16 must be earned by taking courses offered by the Department of Russian and Slavic Studies on culture, literature, or language above the level of Intermediate Russian II or Russian Grammar and Composition II. Up to two courses on topics pertaining to Russian and Slavic studies can be taken in other departments and programs, with departmental permission.

The College Core Curriculum’s Cultures and Contexts course on Russia (when offered) can count toward the Russian and Slavic studies minor with permission from the director of undergraduate studies. Independent study is not open to minors.

The completed minor cannot exempt students from the Core’s Expressive Culture requirement if it contains one or more language courses; it must be composed entirely of content-based courses to satisfy this Core requirement.

Major and Minor Policies Applying to Transfer Students

Major: To obtain a major in Russian and Slavic studies from NYU, a transfer student must take at least five courses (20 points) in language, literature, or culture in the NYU Department of Russian and Slavic Studies. After consultation with the department, transfer credits in these areas may be used to satisfy some or all of the remaining four courses (16 points) needed to complete this nine-course (36-point) major.

Minor: To obtain a minor in Russian and Slavic studies from NYU, a transfer student must take at least two courses (8 points) in language, literature, or culture in the NYU Department of Russian and Slavic Studies. After consultation with the department, transfer credits in these areas may be used to satisfy some or all of the remaining two courses (8 points) needed to complete this four-course (16-point) minor.

Registration: After transfer credits have been approved by NYU admissions, students should bring their transcripts to the director of undergraduate studies to arrange a program of study.

Independent Study and Internships

Credit for Independent Study (RUSSN-UA 997, 998) is available for Russian and Slavic studies majors only, up to a maximum of 8 points. Credit for Internships (RUSSN-UA 980) is also available for majors only, up to a maximum of 4 points. Consult the director of undergraduate studies for additional requirements.

Undergraduate Registration for Graduate Courses

Only Russian and Slavic studies majors will be admitted to graduate courses in the department. A maximum of two graduate courses (8 points)—not taken in the same semester—may be counted toward the major.

Honors Program

Students wishing to pursue honors in the major must maintain at least a 3.65 average in all Russian and Slavic studies courses and a 3.65 average overall. Applications for admission to the program should be made to the chair of the department prior to the second semester of the junior year. An honors student must either write a 5,000-word thesis or take four additional courses (16 points) related to the major and selected in consultation with the adviser. A departmental honors committee determines, based on the student’s academic work, whether or not to recommend him or her for an honors degree.

Combined B.A./M.A. Program

The Department of Russian and Slavic Studies offers a five-year track leading to both a B.A. and an M.A. For more information, please contact the director of graduate studies.