The Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics offers a diverse and exciting M.A. curriculum in Russian language and historical linguistics, and Russian and Slavic literature and culture.
Our recent graduates have gone on to careers in the US State Department, the Department of Defense, and the Defense Language Institute. Others have entered doctoral programs in Education, English, Linguistics, Slavic and Spanish at Florida State University, Harvard University, Rutgers University and University of Toronto. Our strong emphasis on linguistic and cultural proficiency prepares students for work in the federal or foreign service or non-governmental organizations. Career workshops with government personnel inform students of a wide range of professional opportunities.
Our students receive comprehensive research and pedagogical training. Pedagogical training emphasizes experience in the classroom as well as expertise in theory and methodology for Russian language instruction. After attending a two-week summer training program, graduate instructors enroll in a departmental seminar in language pedagogy and second language acquisition. A teaching practicum focused on Russian language pedagogy and professional issues is offered every semester.
Students may also take courses with modern languages and linguistics faculty in other language programs to develop expertise in comparative literary and cultural studies, sociolinguistics and second language acquisition.
Contact Dr. Lisa Ryoko Wakamiya, Slavic Graduate Program Advisor, to learn more.
Two types of master’s degree programs are available, the thesis-type and the course-type. The thesis-type program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours including at least six hours of thesis credit. At least 18 of these hours must be taken on a letter-grade basis. In the course-type program a minimum of 32 semester hours is required. At least 21 of these hours must be taken on a letter-grade basis.
M.A. Comprehensive Examination
For the course-type program, the Comprehensive Examination consists of both written and oral portions and will be on five courses with Russian, Slavic, or FOL/FOW course numbers taken in the M.A. program at Florida State University. Questions will be specific in nature and will elicit substantial narrative responses. The exams will be written in two periods of four hours each (normally on consecutive days). An oral examination, approximately one week after the written portion, is required when the student has failed one or more sections of the written examination.
M.A. Thesis
Students who choose the thesis-type program must constitute an M.A. supervisory committee made up of the student's major Professor, one minor professor (if any), and two other faculty members. The student must submit a thesis to the supervisory committee that reveals independent investigation and knowledge of the methods of scholarship within the major field.