In the Slavic Studies Certificate, students have the opportunity to pair a strong language study of Russian, Polish, Czech, or Ukrainian with a contextual, integrative regional view to complement their studies in political science, international studies, business, history, or many other areas. Students gain a critically informed appreciation and understanding of the complex, interwoven nature of the region's historical trajectories, politics, literature, and culture, with the flexibility to choose to focus on the area or culture of their special interest or take a comparative approach to the region as a whole.
How to Get in
Students may declare the certificate by contacting the academic advisor.
Students declared in the Russian or Polish majors are not eligible to declare the Slavic Studies certificate. Students declared in the Certificate in Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies at the Undergraduate Level are not eligible to declare the Slavic Studies certificate.
Requirements
The Slavic Studies Certificate consists of 19 credits from the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Languages: | ||
| Complete one sequence: | 6 | |
| Third Semester Russian and Fourth Semester Russian | ||
| Intensive Second Year Russian and Intensive Second Year Russian | ||
| Third Semester Polish and Fourth Semester Polish | ||
| Third Semester Czech and Fourth Semester Czech | ||
| Third Year Russian I and Third Year Russian II | ||
| Third Year Polish I and Third Year Polish II | ||
| Fourth Year Polish I and Fourth Year Polish II | ||
| Fourth Year Russian I and Fourth Year Russian II | ||
| Fourth Year Russian I and Advanced Readings in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| Survey Courses - complete one: | 4 | |
| Russia: An Interdisciplinary Survey | ||
| Eastern Europe: An Interdisciplinary Survey | ||
| Comparative Studies Courses - complete one: | 3 | |
| Slavic Science Fiction through Literature and Film | ||
| Literature and Revolution | ||
| Performance and Power | ||
| Slavic and East European Folklore | ||
| Additional coursework from any Survey or Comparative Studies course listed above, or: | 6 | |
| History and Ethics on Film: Polish Cinema | ||
| Love and Death: Introduction to Polish Literature & Culture | ||
| Literatures and Cultures of Eastern Europe | ||
| Contemporary Russia: History, Politics, and Culture | ||
| Topics in Slavic Literatures | ||
| Elementary Special Topics in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| Study Abroad in Poland | ||
| Polish Culture and Area Studies on Study Abroad | ||
| Russian Area Studies on Study Abroad | ||
| Topics in Russian: Study Abroad | ||
| Russian Language and Culture I | ||
| Russian Language and Culture II | ||
| Intermediate Special Topics in Slavic Languages and Literatures | ||
| Living at the End of Times: Contemporary Polish Literature and Culture | ||
| Intermediate Special Topics in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| History of Russian Culture | ||
| Contemporary Russian Culture | ||
| Advanced Readings in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| Advanced Special Topics in Slavic Languages and Literatures | ||
| History of Polish Literature until 1863 | ||
| History of Polish Literature after 1863 | ||
| Advanced Russian Listening & Speaking | ||
| Capstone Seminar in Russian Literature and Culture | ||
| Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation I | ||
| Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation II | ||
| Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation I | ||
| Survey of 19th and 20th Century Russian Literature in Translation II | ||
| Women in Russian Literature in Translation | ||
| The Writings of Vaclav Havel: Crtitique of Modern Society | ||
| Polish Literature in Translation: Late 19th and 20th Centuries | ||
| Chekhov: The Drama of Modern Life | ||
| Russia's Greatest Enigma: Nikolai Gogol | ||
| Dostoevsky in Translation | ||
| Vladimir Nabokov: Russian and American Writings | ||
| Tolstoy in Translation | ||
| Representation of the Jew in Eastern European Cultures | ||
| Russian Life and Culture Through Literature and Art (to 1917) | ||
| Soviet Life and Culture Through Literature and Art (from 1917) | ||
| Soviet Literature in Translation | ||
| Literatures and Cultures of Eastern Europe | ||
| Topics in Slavic Literatures in Translation | ||
| Elementary Special Topics in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| Intermediate Special Topics in Slavic Languages and Literatures | ||
| Living at the End of Times: Contemporary Polish Literature and Culture | ||
| Intermediate Special Topics in Russian Literature & Culture | ||
| In Translation: Slavic Drama in Context | ||
| Advanced Special Topics in Slavic Languages and Literatures | ||
| Polish Literature (in Translation), Middle Ages to 1863 | ||
| Polish Literature (in Translation) since 1863 | ||
| Total Credits | 19 | |
Residence and Quality of Work
- At least 10 certificate credits must be completed in residence.
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on all certificate courses.
Certificate Completion Requirement
This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.
Learning Outcomes
- Acquire intermediate proficiency in a Slavic language (Czech, Polish, or Russian).
- Analyze and interpret cultural products of the region (i.e., works of literature, film, etc.) in themselves and in the context of specific historical and cultural conditions.
- Develop and apply writing skills and oral communication skills appropriate to Liberal Arts education in the context of Slavic Studies to the literatures and cultures of the region.
- Develop and apply critical-thinking skills inherent in the Liberal Arts tradition to the literature and culture of the region.
- Demonstrate an understanding of major approaches, concepts, and current research findings concerning the Slavic region.
Advising and Careers
For advising and placement, please contact our undergraduate advisor:
Joanna Schuth, Undergraduate Advisor
jschuth@wisc.edu
608-262-2090
836 Van Hise Hall
Make an appointment through Starfish
Students who transfer to UW with previous language experience should contact the undergraduate advisor as early as possible to schedule a placement test.
Students should see the advisor during the semester before their last semester. Prospective students are urged to consult the undergraduate advisor about the program at the first possible opportunity.
For additional career advising, please contact:
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science
711 State Street, Suite 300
Madison, WI 53703
608-262-3921
SuccessWorks@ls.wisc.edu
L&S Career Resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school, or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW–Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives
People
Professors
David Danaher*
Karen Evans-Romaine
Irina Shevelenko
Associate Professors
Kirill Ospovat
Andrew Reynolds
Assistant Professors
Maksim Hanukai
Łukasz Wodzynski
Teaching Faculty
Jennifer Tishler
Anna Tumarkin
Lecturers
Krzysztof Borowski
Sara Karpukhin
Ewa Miernowska
Alexandra Walter
*unit head