Taper Hall of Humanities 408
(213) 740-2735
FAX: (213) 740-8550
Email: slavic@usc.edu
www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/sll/

Chair: Marcus Levitt, Ph.D.

Professors: John Bowlt, Ph.D.*; Sharon Carnicke, Ph.D. (Cinema-Television); Sarah Pratt, Ph.D. (Dean of Academic Programs); Alexander Zholkovsky, Ph.D.*

Associate Professors: Marcus Levitt, Ph.D.; Thomas Seifrid, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors: Roumyana Pancheva, Ph.D.; Kirill Postoutenko, Ph.D.*; Jenifer Presto, Ph.D.*

Adjunct Instructor: Daniel L. Bayer, M.A.

Language Director: Tatiana Akishina, Ph.D.

Emeritus Professor: Anthony M. Mlikotin, Ph.D.

*Recipient of university-wide or college teaching award.

The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures offers a major in Russian at the undergraduate level and minors in Russian and Russian Area Studies. The major combines thorough preparation in the Russian language with the study of Russian literature, art and culture. Particular emphasis is placed on developments in contemporary Russia.

Students are required to study four semesters of Russian language as a prerequisite to the major. The major itself requires an additional three semesters of language study, three semesters of an advanced seminar on Russian culture (with varying content), and two elective courses, either in Russian literature and culture (in translation or Russian, depending on course scheduling) or in Russian area studies.

The Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures offers, under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School, the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy in Slavic Languages and Literatures.

Undergraduate Degrees

*For majors with a concentration in Russian language, literature and culture, these electives will be from Slavic Department courses on Russian literature and culture. For majors with a concentration in Russian studies, one or both electives may be taken, with prior departmental approval, from other related fields.

Three semesters of Russian language (SLL 120, 150 and 220), or its equivalent.

The core course, SLL 330 Russian Thought and Civilization; one course outside the Slavic department, from among the following: HIST 320, 324, 328, 415, 416, 424; IR 345, 483; POSC 464; and two electives, to be chosen from among: any upper division SLL course in Russian literature, art or culture; HIST 320, 324, 328, 415, 416, 424; IR 345, 483; POSC 464.

Note: the course taken to fulfill the requirement outside the Slavic department cannot also count as an elective.

An undergraduate major in Slavic languages and literatures or equivalent is a prerequisite for graduate work. Undergraduate major requirements must include four language and four literature courses at the upper division level.

These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to the Requirements for Graduation and the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.

Transfer credit to be applied toward the master’s degree must have been earned no earlier than seven years prior to the date of application (or 10 years for a Ph.D.).

A student must complete 30 units in Russian, three units of which may be taken in a related department. Students who lack undergraduate preparation in any given area may be required to take appropriate courses at the 400 level before enrolling in 500-level courses. Command of spoken and written Russian must be demonstrated; a proficiency examination must be taken at the beginning of the first semester of study and again before the completion of the degree to demonstrate sufficient progress. Written and oral examinations or a thesis are required on completion of course work. The thesis is an honors option. The departmental Graduate Committee will consider thesis requests on the basis of a student’s performance in graduate courses, units completed, and individual background in Russian literature. The thesis may be taken in lieu of four units of course work.

Two courses in 19th century Russian literature, and two courses in 20th century Russian literature (one course in Russian art or culture may be substituted for one course in either 19th or 20th century literature).

One elective may be selected from relevant courses in any department with approval of the graduate advisor.

The course of study leading to the Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures requires 30 units of course work beyond the M.A. Requirements include: demonstrated proficiency in spoken and written Russian; reading knowledge of French and German (In exceptional cases a second Slavic language may substitute for either French or German. Instruction in Slavic languages other than Russian is not scheduled on a regular basis); comprehensive examinations in primary and secondary fields of concentration; dissertation. Required courses are: SLL 510 or 512, 548, 584, 585; and two courses selected from SLL 650, 660, and 665.

See Linguistics.

The Certificate in Foreign Language Teaching provides certification in the theory and practice of second or foreign language teaching for student language teachers concurrently enrolled in graduate degree programs in foreign languages or related graduate programs at USC; for graduates of such programs who are teaching languages; for external candidates concurrently enrolled in similar programs at accredited colleges or universities; or for graduates of such programs who are teaching languages. The certificate is meant to supplement graduate study in the literature or linguistics of foreign languages. It is also meant to supplement classroom teaching. Refer to the Refer to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese for course work requirements.