Russian, East European,
and Central Asian Studies
(REECAS)
The M.A. Degree Program for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies provides interdisciplinary area studies training. The curriculum is designed to promote a broad understanding of the cultural, political, economic, social, and historical factors that have shaped the development of societies in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; mastery in Russian, East European, or Central Asian languages at a level necessary for doing advanced research on and professional work in the region; knowledge of methodological and analytical approaches of different disciplines that will contribute to a better understanding of the region; and knowledge of the methodological approaches in the student's chosen discipline to prepare the students for advanced research.
For more information regarding this program, contact: Jennifer Tishler Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia 210 Ingraham Hall 1155 Observatory Dr. Madison, WI 53706 Phone: 608-262-3379 Fax: 608-890-0267 assocdir@creeca.wisc.edu |
Program Admissions | top
Students entering the Master's Program must have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and provide evidence of academic achievement and intellectual ability, including a minimum total grade point average of 3.0 on a four-point scale and a 3.4 in related area courses, letters of recommendation, and sufficiently high scores on the Graduate Record Examination. No rigid prior course of study is required for application. Applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee, who will judge students' readiness for the program. The M.A. advisor will work closely with the committee to ensure that the students' courses of study are appropriate, given different levels of preparedness. There is no minimum admission requirement for language, but students will be strongly advised to complete two years of area language study before entering the program. Although a typical student will already have pursued language and regional studies before applying, it will be possible for students to enter the program with no regional language or area studies experience
Degree Requirements | top
The M.A. program is designed to be completed in two years, but motivated students who enter with language skills have the option of completing the course of study within 3 semesters. Students will work closely with the M.A. advisor to ensure that their course of study is both coherent and sufficiently interdisciplinary. Students will also work with the faculty advisor in their department of concentration
Credits Requirements | top
In addition to language classes each term, students will be requited to complete a minimum of 27 non-language credits from the course list to be distributed as follows:
- Four courses in the student's department of concentration (12 credits).
- Four courses from at least three other departments (12 credits).
- Independent Research and Master's Thesis (3 credits). In consultation with the M.A. advisor, students may also take an additional graduate seminar in lieu of the Master's Thesis.
Courses must be above the 300-level and may be drawn form any of the accepted disciplines of Russian, East European, and Central Asian studies. It is understood that M.A. students taking courses numbered 300-699 may be required to do additional graduate-level work for these classes, as is true for Ph.D. students. The choice of a student's concentration will be limited by the faculty and number of classes offered by individual departments. Currently, Anthropology, Folklore, Geography, History, Political Science, Slavic Languages and Literature, and Sociology offer four or more courses. In consultation with the M.A. advisor, students will be expected to structure a cohesive curriculu
Seminar Requirements | top
At least two of the M.A. student's eight courses (6 out of 27 credits) must be graduate seminars (above the 700-level), and at least one seminar must be in the student's primary department. Students may opt to take a third graduate seminar in lieu of the Master's Thesis
Language Requirements | top
Language learning is an integral part of the program, and students will be required to enroll in language courses each term. Students already proficient in their main language will be expected to choose another Slavic or Central Asian language for the duration of their program. For degree completion, students must have a minimum of three years of Russian, or two years of the other regional languages. Currently, the university offers regular instruction in Czech, Finnish, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish, and Uzbek. Bulgarian, Kazakh, Old Church Slavonic, Romanian, and Kazan Tatar are taught from time to time
Master's Thesis and Major Discipline Research Requirements | top
Each student will be required to choose a department of concentration (anthropology, folklore, geography, history, language and literature, political science, sociology). Students will be encouraged to complete one faculty-supervised independent research course (3 credits) in this department of concentration producing a 40-50 page master's thesis. This master's thesis will demonstrate the students ability to engage in original research in his or her chosen field, including the ability to use original language material. Students have the option of completing this research requirement by finishing a third graduate seminar
Departments and Faculty | top
The departments offering courses pertaining to Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia are: Agriculture, Anthropology, Central Asian Studies, Communication Arts, Economics, Folklore, Geography, History, Jewish Studies, Law, Political Science, Slavic and East European Literature, and Sociology. The M.A. program is structured to provide the optimum career preparation for students interested in pursuing careers focused on the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The M.A. advisors and faculty will provide career advising and students will have access to the resources and contacts of the center
Application Procedures | top
To apply for the CREECA M.A. Program you will need to apply to both the Graduate School at the University of Wisconsin and the Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia.
The application deadline for this program is January 1, 2007.
BE SURE TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE APPLICATION FORM VERY CAREFULLY.
1. Complete the Graduate School Online Application.
3. Electronically submit three letters of recommendation. These are applied for and handled through the Graduate School Online Application. This will give CREECA access to your letters of recommendation. See here for further information.
4. Send $45 (international money order or check drawn on a U.S. bank) to:
Office of Graduate Admissions
228 Bascom Mall, 500 Lincoln Drive
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53706
Applications will not be processed without the application fee.
*International students should view the International Sudent Expenses and Financial Information page at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/financialinfo.html. International applicants are requested to not send financial documents to Graduate Admissions until requested by the Graduate School. This information will be requested upon a positive admission recommendation from CREECA.
The Graduate School Admission requirements may be found at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/requirements.html.
The Graduate School Checklist can be found at http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/checklist.html
All applicants also need to send the following materials to the Graduate Program Coordinator, Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia at the following address:
M.A. Application
Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia
210 Ingraham Hall
1155 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
1. A copy of the CREECA Application (updated for 2008-09).
This application is available as a fillable form, in Portable Document Format (PDF). Before attempting to read this file, you will need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed (download Acrobat Reader). The free Adobe Acrobat reader will allow you to view and print PDF files, but will not allow you to save them. Please fill out the application using Adobe Acrobat Reader and print two copies: send one to the CREECA office and keep the second for your own records.
2. Copies of official Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions in which you were enrolled.
3. A statement of purpose describing prior academic and work-related experience, career aspirations, reasons for applying for the M.A. Program in REECAS, and description of how the M.A. Program would influence your future career.
4. Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). An admitted applicant whose TOEFL (paper-based) test score is below 580; TOEFL computer-based test (CBT) score below 237;TOEFL internet based (iBT) test score below 92; IELTS score below 7;or MELAB below 82 must take an English assessment test upon arrival. You must then register for any recommended English as a Second Language (ESL) course(s) in the first semester you are enrolled. Visit the TOEFL Web site http://www.toefl.org to sample exam questions, to get free test preparation materials, and to find where the test will be given in your area. For further information or to request materials please contact Jennifer Tishler by email or by telephone at (608)-262-3379.
To review the Graduate School's application requirements visit their website.
THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 1, 2008. ALL PARTS OF THE CREECA APPLICATION MUST BE POSTMARKED BY THIS DATE.
Contact Jennifer Tishler, Graduate Program Advisor and Associate Director:
Jennifer Tishler
Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia
210 Ingraham Hall
1155 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-262-3379
Fax: 608-890-0267
assocdir@creeca.wisc.edu
