Russian/East European Studies

[molodoychelovek]

UMich just sent decisions out. Check your email, everybody! Good luck!!!

Edited February 23, 2012 by molodoychelovek

[pelevinfan]

what lies ahead -

Yeah, I'm definitely considering OSU but everything's going to depend on money, naturally. My interests are Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (I applied to each of my programs and for FLAS as a beginner in BCS), Russian, memory studies, and literature of the (post)Soviet/Yugoslav era.

Wow, Enzian, we have a lot of overlapping interests. I'm also a BCS beginner person who does Russian , and I am also interested in Post-Soviet/Yugoslav lit. I mostly do sci-fi and fantasy, though. Good thing we don't have a lot of overlapping schools! :-)

[Enzian]

UMich just sent decisions out. Check your email, everybody! Good luck!!!

I'm in! Good luck, y'all.

Wow, Enzian, we have a lot of overlapping interests. I'm also a BCS beginner person who does Russian , and I am also interested in Post-Soviet/Yugoslav lit. I mostly do sci-fi and fantasy, though. Good thing we don't have a lot of overlapping schools! :-)

That's wild! Honestly, I'm also kind of a beginner at all of this. I did my undergrad in an English department and only have Russian language/lit experience via three years of Peace Corps service in Central Asia (a region I'm happy to ignore for the time being). It also looks like we're going for different programs: I'm just a Regional Studies MA guy (excepting my [comp] lit apps) while it looks like you're going full PhD, right? So, hurray for not being in competition at all and best of luck to you and your kick ass research interests! :-)

[Enzian]

Enzian:

Very cool! My primary interest is in Russian-English bilingualism, specifically code-switching; I'm also a native Russian speaker. I wonder when we will be hearing more information from the Slavic Department at OSU. One thing I've been able to gather is that the program may be quite small, as I only saw about two M.A. students on the list of graduate students on their web site.

Code-switching is fascinating. As someone who wants to begin study of BCS and use that as my primary language, OSU's program may not end up being the best choice for me but we'll see. Good luck with the rest of your applications!

[pelevinfan]

I'm in! Good luck, y'all.

That's wild! Honestly, I'm also kind of a beginner at all of this. I did my undergrad in an English department and only have Russian language/lit experience via three years of Peace Corps service in Central Asia (a region I'm happy to ignore for the time being). It also looks like we're going for different programs: I'm just a Regional Studies MA guy (excepting my [comp] lit apps) while it looks like you're going full PhD, right? So, hurray for not being in competition at all and best of luck to you and your kick ass research interests! :-)

Agreed, and same to you! Any idea which way you're leaning?

[pelevinfan]

Anddd I'm out at Columbia. Makes it even easier to say that my final decision is Yale!

[Enzian]

Anddd I'm out at Columbia. Makes it even easier to say that my final decision is Yale!

Hey, congrats! As for me, I've gotta wait for funding decisions to come back before I decide. UNC is pretty appealing, though.

[zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Congrats so far everyone! I also got into UMich and just got into HARVARD I am DYING from shock and happiness. I literally cannot believe this

[pelevinfan]

Congrats so far everyone! I also got into UMich and just got into HARVARD I am DYING from shock and happiness. I literally cannot believe this

Wow, congrats clurtheblur! That's seriously impressive :-)

Thanks, Enzian! I feel you with the funding bit - I wasn't sure about my decision until the stipend information came in the mail. UNC is a great program though, so I hope it works out!

[StephanieM]

Hey guys... I'm hoping to apply for an MA in Russian Studies, but I've yet to find one that isn't focuses on Russian literature or culture. I want to focus on Russian politics, economics and language. Any ideas?

[zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Stephanie M, I Pmed you, but basically there are a lot of MA programs in Russian, East European and Eurasian studies. Many big state research schools have them as well as the highly ranked schools (i.e. Ivys and other prestigious schools like NYU or Georgetown). They all have different specialities but most of the programs are interdisciplinary, so if you want to focus on say politics then maybe look at a school that is also well known for politics. You should look into FLAS funding as many of these programs require you to learn a leanguage, so you can get paid to go to school.

In other news, I was waitlisted at Georgetown. It's kind of weird because the e-mail subject line says "Admission to the MA program at GU CERES" but I am on the "priority" wait list. [The director just responded to an email I sent, she said they had an acceptance rate of 28% which makes it the most competitive year of the last 9 years] So I have officially heard back from all of my schools (7)... now it is just time to wait to hear about funding!

I hope everyone else is holding up okay! Is anyone going to the region over the summer or made decisions on language programs? I have been accepeted to SWSEEL and still need to apply to UPitt's SLI, which due by March 16

Edited March 1, 2012 by clurtheblur12

[nataliedread]

Hello fellow Rus/(East)Euro/asian folks. I was going through the results board from the past couple years for the programs to which I've applied (mostly for 1st year Balkan Studies [bosnian/Croatian/Serbian], though my language background is Russian) and I've so far deduced these approximate notification times:

Michigan & UNC: 1 March

Indiana: Feb/March

Ohio State: Feb?

Kansas: March?

Columbia: April

I'm just wondering if anyone else has more concrete information. I like to know when to throw my neuroses into overdrive.

Best of luck to you all! Get those FLAS apps in!

Hey, I saw that you got into Kansas CREES. I'm in my first year here doing the MA/JD program. Ask me any questions you like especially because I am also doing Balkan Studies. I can also probably answer some limited questions about the OSU program, because I did my undergrad there and I still have close connections to the students in that program.

[nataliedread]

what lies ahead -

Yeah, I'm definitely considering OSU but everything's going to depend on money, naturally. My interests are Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (I applied to each of my programs and for FLAS as a beginner in BCS), Russian, memory studies, and literature of the (post)Soviet/Yugoslav era.

Also, you should seriously consider a summer language program. Pitt's SLI is what I did. It is absolutely the best program I have ever done for language study. The deadline for the Pitt programs with a study abroad component is March 15. Otherwise the Pitt-only programs will still be accepting for a while. They are really good about trying to get grad students as much money as possible and as long as you have accepted to a grad program you are eligible as a grad student.

[nataliedread]

Enzian:

Very cool! My primary interest is in Russian-English bilingualism, specifically code-switching; I'm also a native Russian speaker. I wonder when we will be hearing more information from the Slavic Department at OSU. One thing I've been able to gather is that the program may be quite small, as I only saw about two M.A. students on the list of graduate students on their web site.

I was in the Slavic and Linguistics department at OSU for my undergrad. Message me if you have any questions. I'm still really close with my professors there. The reason the program is small is that most of the grad students are only accepted as PhD students. It's really one of the best Slavic Linguistics programs that you will be able to find. They have so many resources because they are such a large school and I'm assuming you would be heavily involved with the linguistics department, which is also one of the best.

[nataliedread]

Also to everyone who applied to OSU or Kansas...I didn't get any of the FLAS funding decisions until really late. OSU for example only accepts people as alternates and then once they have a better idea of who will be enrolling and you know how many fellowships will be available then they give you the official acceptance.

I enrolled in the CREES program at KU before even hearing from OSU and then found out from my advisor that I had a full fellowship. Even so, I'm happy that I arrived at KU. If you are interested in anything to do with BCS and linguistics we have Marc Greenberg and Stephen Dickey, who are simply the best. Dr. Dickey has done a lot of computational type stuff and has translated numerous volumes of Balkan lit. On the other hand, OSU has some pretty big names that you should know. Jessie Labov, Andrea Sims, and Brian Joseph for the S. Slavic and linguistics interested people.

[Enzian]

nataliedread, this is just the coolest ever. Thank you so much for making yourself available for questions. I'm going to PM you for a few but when you say that you didn't get FLAS decisions until really late....how late is really late?

Also, it looks like a few of us on here applied for summer programs this year -- do you remember approximately when you were notified of acceptance into Pitt's SLI program? And were you able to do the 4 weeks in Montenegro? Someone had mentioned to me that summer study abroad is tricky to get covered by FLAS if you're at the beginner level.

[samanthalubb]

Hi everyone! So glad to find a place specially for REES!

As a Chinese undergraduate in Russian Studies who has one year exchange experience in Moscow, I applied to MA of several Universitys in the USA without much info about this major. It seems that you all know much better than I do! If only I had found the Gradcafe earlier! Perhaps it would be easier to choose univ and finish the application.

I am here to make friends, get to know maybe my future classmates, asking for advices and also do whatever I can to help. Does anyone have ideas about the U-Mich and OSU? It says that FLAS is only for native Americans. Are there any funding oppertunities for international applicants?

[FSOJN]

Did anyone else apply to the Yale MA in Russian and European Studies? (I'm admittedly going the Western/Central Europe route, so I don't quite fit in with this thread.) I'm hoping we'll hear back soon.

[nataliedread]

nataliedread, this is just the coolest ever. Thank you so much for making yourself available for questions. I'm going to PM you for a few but when you say that you didn't get FLAS decisions until really late....how late is really late?

Also, it looks like a few of us on here applied for summer programs this year -- do you remember approximately when you were notified of acceptance into Pitt's SLI program? And were you able to do the 4 weeks in Montenegro? Someone had mentioned to me that summer study abroad is tricky to get covered by FLAS if you're at the beginner level.

I didn't receive my OSU FLAS decision ever actually, because I accepted to Kansas before they told me, so it was close to the notification deadline for Kansas. I only know that they were going to offer me the FLAS because someone emailed me and said that they were sending them out the following week and that I was on the list of accepted.

FLAS decisions for KU went out today. I know three people who go them and will definitely take them, so that leaves a few more slots that will probably be offered to incoming or other students and it depends on their acceptance whether they will offer them to the alternates.

The deadline for PITT isn't until March 15th, so you might have to wait a few weeks, but they notify quickly. I did the 4 weeks in Montenegro. My KU summer FLAS covered 5000 plus the 2500 stipend and a small airfare stipend and then PITT waived the rest of the tuition and fees that FLAS couldn't cover. 2500 isn't very much if you have to buy the pricey plane ticket, rent an apartment in Pittsburgh, and travel around MNE though. I'm pretty sure that If you are at the beginner level, you should be covered through funds from ACLS for BCS. That will go towards all the fees for the PITT portion, but I don't think it covers fees from the study abroad portion. Email Chris or Ljiljiana, they're really helpful and nice.

[pelevinfan]

so, who posted the Yale MA acceptance? Sounds like you're pretty sure you'll be attending - if you see this, feel free to PM me! Sounds like we'll probably have a few classes together :-)

[Enzian]

nataliedread, thanks again for giving us some inside info. Any advice or thoughts for those of us (I think there are two?) who are alternates for FLAS funding at KU?

Does anyone have ideas about the U-Mich and OSU? It says that FLAS is only for native Americans. Are there any funding oppertunities for international applicants?

That's a good question and one that I'm not educated enough to answer well (I know FLAS is open to all citizens, though, not just native citizens). I don't think it would hurt to e-mail a program director or administrator and inquire about alternatives to FLAS. Unfortunately, I think application deadlines for most internal funding options will have passed already but maybe they can suggest some external sources. You may also be able to get funding in the second semester that you wouldn't be able to in the first -- a student instructor position at Michigan, for example, is (at least as I understand it) open to everyone except incoming students. So, if it's financially feasible for you, you might be able to go into debt for the first semester and hope for better during the second? I hope that's more helpful than it sounds to me as I sit here writing it but it probably isn't. Good luck!

so, who posted the Yale MA acceptance? Sounds like you're pretty sure you'll be attending - if you see this, feel free to PM me! Sounds like we'll probably have a few classes together :-)

Yeah, congrats to the Yale acceptance! I'm assuming it's jrnels, what with that fancy updated signature.

[FSOJN]

nataliedread, thanks again for giving us some inside info. Any advice or thoughts for those of us (I think there are two?) who are alternates for FLAS funding at KU?

That's a good question and one that I'm not educated enough to answer well (I know FLAS is open to all citizens, though, not just native citizens). I don't think it would hurt to e-mail a program director or administrator and inquire about alternatives to FLAS. Unfortunately, I think application deadlines for most internal funding options will have passed already but maybe they can suggest some external sources. You may also be able to get funding in the second semester that you wouldn't be able to in the first -- a student instructor position at Michigan, for example, is (at least as I understand it) open to everyone except incoming students. So, if it's financially feasible for you, you might be able to go into debt for the first semester and hope for better during the second? I hope that's more helpful than it sounds to me as I sit here writing it but it probably isn't. Good luck!

Yeah, congrats to the Yale acceptance! I'm assuming it's jrnels, what with that fancy updated signature.

It was me. The decision has very much impacted my ability to function at work for the rest of the day...

[Zahar Berkut]

Congrats on the latest wave of acceptances!

I'm just curious, jrnels, about the funding breakdown you've got in your signature. Are you listing both tuition and stipend? I'm never quite sure what to tell friends about FLAS/scholarship funding levels at certain schools. Not to put you on the spot, that is!

[FSOJN]

Congrats on the latest wave of acceptances!

I'm just curious, jrnels, about the funding breakdown you've got in your signature. Are you listing both tuition and stipend? I'm never quite sure what to tell friends about FLAS/scholarship funding levels at certain schools. Not to put you on the spot, that is!

Yeah I included both. $18K for tuition, $15K for stipend. Just today has been a good day hahaha.

[Zahar Berkut]

Yeah I included both. $18K for tuition, $15K for stipend. Just today has been a good day hahaha.

Nice!

But wait, does that mean they're not comping the rest of your tuition? I've heard of some programs failing to do that, and according to my program director, that would be against the FLAS rules (can't confirm that independently right now).