• Master of Arts Degree
• Ph.D. Degree

Master of Arts Degree

Foreign Language Requirement

Demonstrated proficiency in two foreign languages is required for the M.A. degree: (1) Students must pass a departmental Russian language proficiency examination which tests ability to translate from Russian to English and vice versa. This examination may be retaken each quarter until a pass grade is achieved, within the time limits for completion of the M.A. degree, and must be passed before the M.A. comprehensive examination; (2) Students must demonstrate an ability to read scholarly literature in either French or German by one of the following methods: (a) passing the departmental reading examination, or (b) completing course 5 at UCLA in one of the languages with a grade of B or better (equivalent university-level coursework in French or German taken within two years of admission may satisfy this requirement at the discretion of the graduate adviser). Either the French or the German requirement should be satisfied no later than the sixth quarter. The Russian, French, and German examinations are offered at the beginning of each quarter.

Course Requirements

A minimum of 40 units is required of students in literature and 36 for students linguistics.

Slavic 201 and Russian 220A are required of all M.A. students.

Literature students must also take Slavic 200A, Russian 211A, 211B, 212A, 212B, 213A, 213B ,and one graduate-level elective in the Department.

Linguistics students must also take Slavic 200B, Slavic 202; Russian 204, and 220B; and Linguistics 200A, 200B and 200C

The remaining 4 course units are an elective and may be drawn from any departmental offering in Russian literature: Russian 219 (Movements and Genres); Russian C-240 (Russian Folklore); Russian 270 (Russian Poetics), etc. Courses in the 500 series may not be applied towards the MA course requirements.

Courses in the 500 series may not be applied toward the M.A. course requirements.

Students with M.A. degrees from other institutions must pass the M.A. comprehensive examination in order to be admitted to the doctoral program. Students whose degree is in Slavic Languages and Literatures and who are continuing in the same area of specialization (literature or linguistics) should take the examination within three quarters following matriculation. Courses should be selected to fill in lacunae as determined by the requirements of the M.A. program of this department. All lacunae must be filled before admission to the doctoral examinations.

Students with M.A. degrees in disciplines other than that of their planned specialization, or students who do not have a M.A. degree but who have taken graduate-level courses equivalent to those required at UCLA for a MA degree, must complete the required number of course units. Course substitutions may be made with the permission of the graduate adviser. Independent study courses (500-level) may not be used as substitutes.

Comprehensive Examination Plan

Applications for advancement to candidacy must be made no later than the second week of the quarter in which the M.A. examinations are to be taken and are accepted only if students have passed the Russian Language Proficiency Examination. M.A. examinations are offered at the end of each quarter. Under exeptional circumstances, and with the permission of the student’s graduate adviser, the exam may be taken at the beginning of the Fall quarter. After students have declared their intention to take the examination in a given quarter, a committee consisting of three members is appointed by the chair.

The MA examination in Russian literature consists of three two-hour written examinations, spaced one day apart over the course of a week, and a two-hour oral examination in the following week.. The first written examination is devoted to medieval and eighteenth-century Russian literature, the second to nineteenth-century Russian literature, and the third to twentieth-century Russian literature; the oral examination consists of questions on the written examinations and on other required material.

The MA examination in Russian linguistics consists of: one three-hour written examination, taken at one sitting, and a two-hour oral examination in the following week. The oral examination consists of questions on the written examinations and on other required material.

The student's combined performance in the written and oral examinations is graded high pass, pass, or fail. A grade of high pass or pass is necessary to receive the M.A. degree; the grade of high pass is necessary to enter the Ph.D. program. Examinations may be repeated once; there is a six-month limit on retaking examinations graded pass and a one-year limit on examinations graded fail.