Major & Minor Requirements

Program of Study

The Slavic Department at the University of Chicago has a long-standing reputation as one of the major research programs in the field. Faculty offer classes in languages including Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Czech, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian, as well as in a wide variety of cultural and literary studies of the region. The Slavic Department’s Russian and East European Studies (REES) BA degree program is designed to provide students with skills and facility in the languages and cultures of the region. It prepares students for graduate work in fields including Slavic Studies, Comparative Literature, History, and Anthropology, among others; those planning a career in government, industry or the nonprofit sector; and those whose primary aim is to master Russian and East European cultures in the original languages. Students interested in the program are encouraged to consult with the director of undergraduate studies. The contact information for the current director of undergraduate studies may be obtained by consulting the departmental website at slavic.uchicago.edu.

Double majors with REES (Russian and East European Studies) and other fields of study are supported. Students who are majoring in other fields of study may also complete a minor in REES.

General Education

Depending on the language(s) of concentration, it is recommended that students majoring in REES satisfy the general education requirement in civilization studies with HIST 13900-14000-14100. Russia and Eurasia: Empires, Societies, Cultures I-II-III or HIST 13001-13002-13003. History of European Civilization I-II-III.

Gateway Courses

Students who are considering majoring or minoring in REES can explore the field through a Gateway Course. Each quarter, one of the Slavic Department’s courses is designated a “Gateway” to Russian and East European Studies. Gateway Courses introduce cultural studies of the region in comparative and/or diachronic form. They are taught in translation. They include the Russian Novel, Re-Branding the Balkan City, Returning the Gaze, States of Surveillance, and others marked [GATEWAY] in the course catalog. These courses fulfill the Department’s learning objectives for undergraduate education in the field: understanding key differences between internal and external perspectives on the region; demonstrating generative knowledge/perspective on cultures of the region; questioning accepted precepts for understanding the region.

Program Requirements

Major Program in Russian and East European Studies (REES)

The BA in REES requires twelve (12) courses, which fall into four categories: courses in the major language of study, a Gateway course, a REES Proseminar and elective courses. In this way students have the flexibility to construct a course of study that accords with their interests.

1. Six language courses at the 20000 level or beyond. This requirement may be satisfied in whole or in part by examination credit based on a University placement exam. Students who fulfill the language requirement with fewer than three quarters of study must substitute elective courses offered in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures. In exceptional circumstances students may petition to substitute three courses in a concentrated area of study for three quarters of study in the major language.

2. One Gateway Course. Each quarter, one of the Slavic Department’s courses is designated a “gateway” to Russian and East European Studies. Students matriculating at the University of Chicago in 2026 should plan to take one such course before graduation. Gateway Courses introduce cultural studies of the region in comparative and/or diachronic form. They are taught in translation. They include the Russian Novel, Re-Branding the Balkan City, States of Surveillance, and other courses marked [GATEWAY] in the course catalog. These courses address the Department’s learning objectives: Understand key differences between internal and external perspectives on the region; Demonstrate generative knowledge /perspective on cultures of our region; Question accepted precepts for understanding the region.

3. One REES Proseminar. The proseminar, offered annually, is required of all REES Majors matriculating at the University of Chicago in 2026, may be taken at any time, and is open by request to those who have not declared the major. Tailored to Majors’ interests, the REES Proseminar introduces students to major debates and problems in the field through a theme (e.g., Empire and Nation; or, The Short Story). It also hones their research, writing and presentation skills and exposes them to professional opportunities related to their college studies. The Proseminar addresses the following learning objectives: analyzing texts, events, and materials from our region in the original language with an understanding of their cultural and historical contexts; demonstrating generative knowledge /perspective on cultures of our region; questioning accepted precepts for understanding the region.

4. Four elective courses in REES or in languages offered by Slavic Languages and Literatures. This requirement is designed to allow students to tailor their program to their intended goals and career track. A maximum of one Reading and Research course (REES 29700 Reading/Research: Russian and Eastern European Studies) may be counted as an elective course. Students matriculating at the University of Chicago in 2026 are required to take four (4) such courses. Students who matriculated before 2026 should take six (6) REES electives total because the Gateway or Proseminar course are optional for them.

Courses in the major may not be double-counted with general education requirements (except for foreign language requirements). A minimum of seven courses in the major must be completed for quality grades at the University of Chicago.

Summary of Requirements for the Major in Russian and East European Studies 

* Credit may be granted by examination. Up to three quarters worth of placement credit can be counted toward the major. When more than half of the language requirement (the equivalent of four to six quarters of study) is met by examination, electives in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures must be substituted for the additional quarters of language credit granted (i.e., if a student places out of four quarters of language study, one elective course must be substituted into the major. If five quarters of credit are granted, two electives must be substituted, etc.). Introductory courses in another Slavic or East European language can be used as electives.

Minor Program in Russian and East European Studies

The Minor in Russian and East European Studies requires seven courses, including at least three language courses at the 20000 level or beyond. The first-year level of the major language of study cannot be counted toward the minor. The minor also requires at least two REES subject courses, one of which must be a Gateway-Designated Course for students who matriculated at the University of Chicago in 2026.

Courses in the minor (1) may not be double counted with the student’s major(s) or with other minors and (2) may not be counted toward general education requirements (except foreign language requirements). Courses in the minor must be taken for quality grades, and more than half of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers. numbers.

Summary of Requirements for the Minor in Russian and East European Studies

* Credit may be granted by examination. Up to three quarters worth of placement credit can be counted toward the major. When more than half of the language requirement (the equivalent of four to six quarters of study) is met by examination, electives in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures must be substituted for the additional quarters of language credit granted (i.e., if a student places out of four quarters of language study, one elective course must be substituted into the major. If five quarters of credit are granted, two electives must be substituted, etc.). Introductory courses in another Slavic or East European language can be used as electives.

Grading

Students who are majoring or minoring in Russian and East European Studies must receive a quality grade in all courses taken to meet requirements in the major or minor. Nonmajors and nonminors have the option of taking courses on a P/F basis at the discretion of the instructor (except for language courses, which must be taken for quality grades). For the major a minimum of seven courses must bear University of Chicago course numbers and be completed for quality grades.

Honors

To be eligible for honors in Russian and East European Studies, students must maintain an overall College GPA of 3.25 or higher and of 3.5 or higher in the major and write a REES BA Paper. Students must indicate their intention to pursue honors to the director of undergraduate studies during the first quarter of their fourth year, and choose a BA Paper advisor from among members of the Slavic Department faculty. Students must then submit the BA paper to their advisor no later than Monday of sixth week in Spring Quarter of their fourth year. The REES Proseminar can facilitate honors students’ work on their theses.

If the completed BA Paper is judged by the supervisor and a second faculty member to be a distinguished example of original research or criticism, the student is recommended to the College for graduation with honors in Russian and East European Studies. The final decision regarding the granting of any degree with honors rests with the Collegiate divisional master.

Advising

Students wishing to declare the major or minor should meet with the director of undergraduate studies. Further information on the undergraduate program is available in the departmental office (Foster 406, 773.702.8033, slavic-department@uchicago.edu, slavic.uchicago.edu). Questions about placement, competency, and proficiency examinations in Slavic languages should be directed to the Slavic language coordinator, Erik Houle.

Study Abroad

Study abroad opportunities are offered in subjects and geographic areas of interest to students who are majoring in Russian and East European Studies, including those described below. For more information, students should consult with the study abroad advisers or visit study-abroad.uchicago.edu.

The Career Advancement office assists students in arranging internships and other professional opportunities. It also conducts a variety of career “treks” to cities such as Warsaw and Prague. Students are encouraged to schedule an advising appointment with Career Advancement to find out what opportunities are available for their foreign language skills and cultural expertise.

Russia and Eurasia Civilization in Paris: A three-part sequence of courses is taught by University of Chicago faculty at the Center in Paris. The program includes an extended excursion to a Central or East European city. This program satisfies the general education requirement in civilization studies.

Funding for independent study in Czechia and other countries in the region is available via small grants administered by the department. Please inquire with the director of undergraduate studies.