Slavic Languages and Literatures
2710 Hall of Graduate Studies, 432.1300, slavic.department@yale.edu
M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.
Chair
Harvey Goldblatt
Director of Graduate Studies
Katerina Clark (451 College, Rm 203, 432.0712, katerina.clark@yale.edu)
Professors
Vladimir Alexandrov, Katerina Clark, Laura Engelstein (History), Harvey Goldblatt, Benjamin Harshav (Comparative Literature), Michael Holquist (Comparative Literature), Irina Paperno (Visiting), Riccardo Picchio (Emeritus), Tomas Venclova
Associate Professor
Hilary Fink
Assistant Professor
John MacKay (on leave)
Lecturer
Vladimir Golstein
Senior Lectors
Irina Dolgova, Rita Lipson
Lector
Nike Agman
Fields of Study
Fields include Russian literature, medieval Slavic literature and philology (by special arrangement), Polish literature (by special arrangement).
Special Admissions Requirement
An advanced-level command of the Russian language is required.
Special Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
All entering graduate students must pass departmental proficiency examinations in Russian. During their residence, students specializing in Russian literature take a minimum of sixteen term courses (including three courses in linguistics) and are expected to acquire a comprehensive knowledge in all periods of Russian literature, a familiarity with medieval Slavic literature, a thorough command of the Russian language, and a mastery of a field of concentration within Russian literature. The student's course work, with the approval of the director of graduate studies, may be selected from the offerings of the department and any other department of the University. In addition, the student will be responsible for developing a minor field of specialization in one of the following: (1) a Western literature; (2) another Slavic literature; (3) Slavic linguistics; (4) a topic in intellectual history. (A special curriculum may be arranged for students wishing to specialize in either medieval Slavic literature and philology or Polish literature; a minimum of sixteen term courses will be required for each.) A reading examination in either French or German, administered and evaluated by the department, must be passed by all graduate students by the beginning of the fifth term of study. The qualifying examinations, based on specific fields of concentration and on topics designed by the student in consultation with the faculty, should be passed by the end of the sixth term of study. A dissertation prospectus must be submitted no later than September 15 of the seventh term of study, and the prospectus defense must take place no later than December 1 of the same term. Upon completion of all predissertation requirements, including the prospectus and its defense, students are admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D.
The faculty considers teaching to be an important part of the professional preparation of graduate students. Students in Slavic normally teach in their third and fourth years.
Joint Ph.D. Program
The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures also offers, in conjunction with the Program in Film Studies, a joint Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures and Film Studies. For further details, see Film Studies. Applicants to the joint program must indicate on their application that they are applying both to Film Studies and to Slavic Languages and Literatures. All documentation within the application should include this information.
Master's Degrees
M.Phil. See Graduate School requirements. Alternatively, the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures offers, in conjunction with the Medieval Studies program, a joint M.Phil. degree. For further details, see Medieval Studies.
Master's Degree Program. The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures does not admit students for the terminal M.A. degree, nor does it award an M.A. en route to the Ph.D. degree. If, however, a student admitted for the Ph.D. leaves the program prior to completion of the doctoral degree, he or she may be eligible to receive a terminal master's degree. He or she must have completed at least fifteen term courses in Russian literature and linguistics, chosen in consultation with the director of graduate studies. A grade of Honors in at least two term courses and an average of High Pass in the remaining courses must be attained. A reading knowledge of French or German is required, and candidates must pass departmental proficiency examinations in Russian.
Master's Degree Program. Candidates for the terminal master's degree will be required to take selected courses in Russian literature and linguistics, in consultation with the director of graduate studies. The program will consist of eight term courses and an M.A. essay. A grade of Honors in at least two courses and an average of High Pass in the remaining courses must be attained. A reading knowledge of French or German is required. An M.A. degree in the department does not guarantee admission to the Ph.D. program.
Program materials are available upon request to the Chair, Slavic Languages and Literatures, Yale University, PO Box 208236, New Haven CT 06520-8236.
Courses
RUSS 601b, Old Russian Literature: Kievan Period. Harvey Goldblatt. W 10.30–12.20
An overview of literary activity in Kievan Rus' (eleventh to fourteenth century). Specific texts—such as Ilarion's Sermon on Law and Grace, the Legend of Boris and Gleb, the Igor' Tale, and the Zadonshchina—are selected to illustrate the development of the principal theoretical trends, literary types, and writing techniques.
RUSS 626a, Eighteenth-Century Russian Literature: Toward the Codification of a Modern Russian Literary System. Riccardo Picchio. T 10.30–12.20
The writings of authors such as Prokopovich, Trediakovsky, Lomonosov, Sumarokov, Derzhavin, and Karamzin are examined with a view toward exploring the formation and development of a new literary system in eighteenth-century Russia.
RUSS 674b, Sexuality, Love, Marriage, and Adultery: Historical and Literary Approaches. Laura Engelstein, Irina Paperno. Th 1.30–3.20
This team-taught course examines selected texts that deal with sexuality, love, marriage, and adultery using the methods of both historical and literary scholarship. Readings include works of literature, journalism, and religious and scientific commentary. Among major texts: Herzen's Byloe i dumy,Dostoevsky's Vechnyi muzh, Chernyshevsky's Chto delat'?, Tolstoy's Kreitserova sonata, Artsybashev's Sanin, selections from Rozanov. Reading knowledge of Russian is required. Discussions in English. Also HIST 955b.
RUSS 676a, Cvetaeva. Tomas Venclova. T 3.30–5.20
Discussion of Cvetaeva's life and art in context of her times. Close readings of her poems.
RUSS 691b, Reading Bulgakov. Vladimir Golstein. W 1.30–3.20
The analysis of Bulgakov's major texts. Special emphasis is on the way Bulgakov's writings reflect his negotiations with the literary tradition that he inherited, and with the cultural and political circumstances in which he found himself.
RUSS 693b, Turn-of-the-Century Russian Prose. Vladimir Alexandrov. Th 2.30–4.20
A seminar on selected works by Gorky, Kuprin, Andreev, Remizov, Bunin, Bely, and Sologub, with primary attention to the last three.
RUSS 833, Advanced Russian Conversation and Composition: Topics in Contemporary Russian Press and Media. Rita Lipson. MW 12.30–1.20
A course designed to equip students with advanced language skills necessary to comprehend complexities of contemporary Russian press and media. Accompanied by a grammar review. Fall and spring.
RUSS 834b, Aspects of Russian Grammar and Teaching Methodologies. Irina Dolgova. TTh 12.30–1.20
The course examines various aspects of Russian grammar and the use of different teaching methodologies. Special emphasis is placed on the connection between linguistic knowledge and its application for teaching Russian in an English-speaking classroom. Different types of language learners, diverse teaching strategies, and existing resources for teaching Russian are discussed.
RUSS 851a, Proseminar in Russian Literature. Vladimir Alexandrov. Th 2.30–4.20
Introduction to the graduate study of Russian literature. Topics include literary theory, methodology, introduction to the profession.
SLAV 754au, Old Church Slavic. Nike Agman. TTh 9–10.15
Rudiments of Old Church Slavic, the oldest Slavic literary language. Introduction to Glagolitic and Cyrillic as early writing systems. Study of grammar, both as attested in the Old Church Slavic literary canon and in its relationship to the modern Slavic languages, especially Russian. Close readings of selected Old Church Slavic texts from the tenth and early eleventh centuries.
SLAV 900, Directed Reading.
By arrangement with faculty.
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