Director of Undergraduate Studies: Prof. Tatiana Smoliarova, 1126 IAB; 854-8590; ts2288@columbia.edu

Language Coordinator: Prof. Frank J. Miller, 701 Hamilton; 854-8155; fjm6@columbia.edu

Departmental Office: 708 Hamilton; 854-3941

URL: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/slavic/

The Slavic peoples make up one of the world’s most numerous and politically significant families of nations. They fall into three major geocultural groupings: the East Slavs (Russians, Belorussians, Ukrainians); the West Slavs (Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Lusatians); and the South Slavs (Slovenes, Serbs, Croats, Macedonians, Bulgarians).

The Department of Slavic Languages offers instruction in Russian, Polish, Czech, Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian, and Ukrainian languages and literatures.

Study Abroad

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities that now exist to spend a semester or summer studying in Russia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, or the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Consult the coordinator of the relevant language program for information about programs and other resources.

Senior Thesis

A senior thesis is not required for any Slavic Department major. Students who wish to undertake a thesis project should confer with the director of undergraduate studies during the registration period in April of their junior year and register to take the Senior seminar (RUSS V3595) in the fall term of their senior year. Those who opt to expand the thesis into a two-semester project register for Supervised individual research with their thesis advisor (RUSS W3998) in the spring. (Senior seminar may be used to satisfy one elective requirement; the optional second semester of thesis work adds one course to the 15 required for the major.)

Grading

Courses in which a grade of D has been received do not count toward major or concentration requirements

Departmental Honors

Students who have a grade point average of at least 3.6 in courses taken for the major and who have submitted a senior thesis of outstanding quality will be considered for departmental honors. Normally, no more than 10 percent of the graduating majors may be awarded departmental honors in any given year.