Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (MA)

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The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) one-year interdisciplinary Master of Arts (MA) degree program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies provides students with a strong grounding in historical and contemporary processes of change in the Russian Federation, East Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The program structure provides intellectual cohesion through core requirements while allowing students the flexibility to pursue their particular academic interests with electives and the capstone project, drawing on Stanford’s excellence in teaching and research and rich library and archival resources. The CREEES MA program prepares students for a range of professional and academic careers, typically serving students who:

• Intend to apply to a PhD program involving Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies and who need to enhance their academic skills and credentials
• Intend to pursue careers and/or advanced degrees in such fields as journalism, education, business, government, law, or medicine, and who wish to establish competence in Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies
• Mid-career professionals and/or students interested in gaining competence or continuing their interest in Russian, East European, and Eurasian studies

Admissions Information

Master of Arts Admission

Applicants apply electronically; see the Office of Graduate Admissions website for a link to the electronic application and general information regarding graduate admission. In addition, prospective applicants may consult with the CREEES associate director regarding the application process.

To qualify for admission to the program, the following apply:

• Applicants must have earned a BA or BS degree or the equivalent by the program’s start.
• Applicants should have at least three years of college-level language study in Russian, East European, or Central Asian languages. Candidates with fewer years of area language study will be considered.A complete application consists of:
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
• A one-page statement of purpose explaining how the program would advance the applicant’s academic or career goals.
• A writing sample of no more than 20 pages in English on an academic topic in Russian, East European, or Eurasian studies.
• A list of college-level courses relevant to Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, including language courses, with self-reported final grades.
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required.
• Applicants whose native language is not English and who do not qualify for a waiver submitted via the graduate application will be required to submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Internet-based Test (iBT) scores by request to the Educational Testing Service (ETS) using the Stanford University ETS institutional code (4704). Note: Stanford does not accept TOEFL Essential scores or any other English proficiency test.

The successful applicant generally demonstrates the following strengths: outstanding grades in previous academic work, strong analytical writing skills, requisite foreign language study, significant coursework in Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies in multiple disciplines, study or work experience in the region, strong letters of recommendation from faculty members in the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies field (one letter should be from a language instructor), and a persuasive statement of purpose explaining how the program would advance the applicant’s academic and career goals.

The deadline for submitting applications for admission and financial aid is January 9, 2024. Admission is usually granted for the following autumn quarter; requests for deferral are considered in exceptional circumstances. Fellowship offers cannot be deferred.

Coterminal Master of Arts Program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies

To qualify for a coterminal MA degree in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, besides completing university requirements for the BA degree, a student must:

• Submit the Coterminal Online Application for admission to the program by the CREEES MA admission deadline.
• Include in the application a proposal outlining the schedule of courses the student plans to complete toward the MA degree by quarter. The student should seek the advice of the CREEES associate director in drafting this schedule.The application also should include:
• a current Stanford transcript
• a one-page statement of purpose
• three letters of recommendation from Stanford faculty (one may be from a language instructor)
• a writing sample of 20 pages or less in English on an academic topic in Russian, East European, or Eurasian Studies
• Applicants must have a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (B)
• Complete 15 full-time quarters or the equivalent, or three quarters in full-time residence after completing 180 units, and complete, in addition to the 180 units required for the bachelor’s degree, a minimum of 48 units for the master’s degree.

The deadline for submitting applications for admission and the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship is January 9, 2024. Admission is usually granted for the following spring quarter.

University Coterminal Master of Arts Admissions Requirements

Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this Bulletin. Coterminal Master’s Program describes university requirements for the coterminal master’s degree. Graduate Degrees describes university requirements for the master’s degree.

After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request a transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy the requirements for the master’s degree. Transferring courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case-by-case basis.

In this master’s program, courses taken three quarters before the first graduate quarter or later are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career. No courses taken before the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.

Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.

The university requires that the graduate advisor be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The university also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.

Joint Degree Program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (MA) and the School of Law (JD)

The joint degree program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies and Law allows students to pursue the MA degree in REEES concurrently with the Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) degree, with many courses that may apply to both degrees. It is designed to train students interested in a career in teaching, research, or law practice related to REEES legal affairs. Students must apply separately to the REEES MA program and the Stanford School of Law and be accepted by both. Completing this combined course of study requires approximately four academic years, depending on the student’s background and level of language training. For more information, see the Joint Degree Programs section of this Bulletin and the Stanford Law School website. Students who both programs have accepted should consult with the departments to determine which courses can be double-counted.