Slavic Languages and Literatures
This program offers you the opportunity to study a broad range of Slavic traditions, including Russian, Ukrainian, Czech, Polish, Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian. This wide breadth of study allows you to choose the path that most interests you.
Examples of recent student dissertations include “Miracle, Mystery, Authority: The Rise of Governmentality in Early Modern Russia,” “Unseemly Selves: Russian Realism and Early Psychiatry,” “Life Laid Bare: The Lives and Deaths of Animals in Soviet Cinema,” “The Reemergence of the Epic and Its Use in Mythmaking among Members of the Eastern European Yiddish Avant-Garde from 1914-27,” and “Ivan the Terrible’s Queer Legacy in Art.”
Graduates of the program have gone on to secure faculty positions at prestigious institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University, Indiana University, and Yale University. Others have gone into careers at organizations such as Harvard University Press and positions in libraries, museums, translation, and film direction.
If you are interested in a terminal master’s degree, please review information on the master’s degree in Regional Studies: Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia (REECA) offered by the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies.
Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies.
Areas of Study
Linguistics | Literature
Admissions Requirements
Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures.
Academic Background
Applicants with traditional and nontraditional preparation in the field are welcome to apply, as long as their foreign language, linguistic, and literary studies skills are strong. Formal training in literature or linguistics is highly desirable for admission.
Writing Sample
A writing sample is required as part of the application and should be a recent and extensive sample of the student’s written work in English and should be between 20 to 25 pages.
Languages
Applicants should show knowledge of Russian or other Slavic language of their choice equivalent to the Slavic courses Russian 113 and Russian 114 (fourth-year level Russian). We welcome knowledge of French or German, although this is not a prerequisite.
Personal Statement
Required
Standardized Tests
GRE General: Optional
Interviews
The department ordinarily interviews finalists for admission in late January and early February.
Campus Visits
We welcome potential candidates who wish to come to Cambridge for informational interviews during the spring or fall before submitting an application. Students admitted to the program are typically invited to visit campus in the spring. Contact the director of graduate studies for more information.
Theses and Dissertations
Theses & Dissertations for Slavic Languages and Literatures