REGIONAL STUDIES–RUSSIA, EASTERN EUROPE, AND
CENTRAL ASIA
(MASTER OF ARTS ONLY)
The First Two Years
Course Requirements
- 16 half courses, distributed as follows:
- 6 pre-approved regional half-courses distributed across at least two disciplines
- At least 4 half-courses must be in the social studies (including history)
- All 6 half-courses must be taken for graduate credit
- 2 half-courses devoted the the thesis (typically RSRA 298hf and RSRA 299hf)
- Up to 4 half-courses to fulfill the regional language proficiency requirement
- Approved electives to bring the total to 16 (typical choices might include: theory or methodology courses that do not directly address the region; additional language study; or professional school courses that relate to future career plans)
- All course selections are made in consultation with the REECA academic advisor
- Students must maintain at least a B average to remain in good standing
Russian Language Proficiency Requirement
All REECA students are required to demonstrate a high level of proficiency in Russian or (by petition) another regularly-taught Slavic language. There are three options for fulfilling this requirement in Russian:
1. Pass the Russian Language Qualifying Exam, which is normally offered once per year at the start of fall term. This three-hour exam requires accurate translation of excerpts on history, politics, and economics taken from the Russian press and scholarly journals. The use of a dictionary is permitted.
2. Complete, with a grade of A- or higher in each, Slavic 102r AND one fourth-year Russian language course (Slavic 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 120r).
3. Complete, with a grade of B or higher in each, at least one approved Russian language course during each term in residence, for a minimum of four. One of these courses must be Slavic 102r, which may be repeated for credit.
Credit toward the degree is not awarded for elementary or intermediate Russian (Slavic A, Aab, B, or Bab). Students who enter the program and place below Slavic 101 must make up for the missed credits, either by taking five courses during one or more terms, or by taking Harvard Summer School coursework for graduate credit. In addition, these students must take two Russian courses during one or more terms to ensure adequate progress in Russian.
Note: Students who completed their secondary education in a school where Russian was the language of instruction are considered to have fulfilled the Regional Language Proficiency Requirement in Russian.
Policy on Incompletes
Students are prohibited from having more than two outstanding Incompletes at any time.
Teaching
There are no provisions for students in the regional studies program to teach. However, on rare occasions second-year students have been able to arrange a teaching fellowship.
Advising
Academic advising in the Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia (REECA) program is done on a regular basis by the academic advisor. In addition, the director of graduate studies and individual faculty members are available for consultation.
At the beginning of their first term in the program, first-year students draft a plan of study, which they review with the academic advisor before making final course selections.
At the beginning of each subsequent term, all students meet with the academic advisor to review course selections and to discuss any necessary or desired modifications in their plan of study.
While the academic advisor is available to assist in identifying potential thesis supervisors, students are responsible for making arrangements with the supervisor, and for seeking advice and assistance from the academic advisor as necessary.
Master of Arts (AM) Thesis
The AM thesis is supervised by a member of the Harvard faculty and normally takes the form of a traditional academic work. It should demonstrate original research, and be based, to a significant extent, on sources in one or more languages of the region. The thesis should demonstrate the studentc familiarity with previous scholarship related to the topic.
Thesis Supervisor
As a rule, the thesis supervisor should be a member of the Standing Committee on the AM in Regional Studies or a faculty associate of the Davis Center. The student is responsible for making arrangements with the supervisor. The choice of a supervisor who is not a member of the Harvard faculty must be approved by the academic advisor.
Prospectus
Early in the second term of the first year, students complete a thesis prospectus. The prospectus is typically four pages in length and includes the proposed research question, hypotheses, goals, and methodology, and is signed by the thesis supervisor.
Course Credit and Grade
The thesis will be counted as the equivalent of two half-courses, listed in the catalog and on the transcript as RSRA 298hf and RSRA 299hf. RSRA 298hf is letter-graded on the basis of the prospectus, the research question, methodology, literature review, bibliography, and research presentations of thesis work in progress and research results.