Contact
Mustafa Tuna
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Duke University
Box 90259
Durham, NC 27708
Phone: (919) 660-3140
Email: mustafa.tuna@duke.edu
Program Description
The M.A. Program in Slavic and Eurasian Studies provides training in the languages, literatures, and cultures of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, equipping students with interdisciplinary perspectives from history, art, political science, and economics. The program emphasizes both strong language preparation and the development of critical research and analytical skills that can be applied across a wide range of disciplines and career paths.
In this program, you will engage with canonical and contemporary literary and cultural works, analyzing them through frameworks of memory and identity, world systems and empire, exile and belonging, among others. Department faculty have expertise in Russian literature and culture, intellectual history, autobiographical writing and life narratives, Islam and modernity, trauma and memory studies, peasant studies, gender and feminist studies, second language acquisition and multilingualism, semiotics, and cognition.
While Russian language and culture form the core of the program, students are encouraged to explore broader Eastern European and Eurasian contexts. We welcome students with backgrounds in all Slavic and Eurasian languages and cultures. The department's cooperative relationship with other departments at Duke University and with relevant programs and departments UNC–Chapel Hill allows our students to choose electives across several disciplines, build broad regional expertise, and prepare for a diverse set of careers. We have especially strong partnerships with the departments of Art History, Cultural Anthropology, Economics, History, Linguistics, and Literature, as well as the Sanford School of Public Policy. Thanks to these connections, our students regularly tailor their coursework to their interests, engaging with broader conversations in the humanities and social sciences.
As demonstrated by the track record of our past graduates, sharpening your analytical skills through rigorous reading, thoughtful critique, and interdisciplinary dialogue in this program will open career opportunities in multiple fields, from government and military to NGOs and journalism, while providing an excellent foundation for further graduate study in related Ph.D. programs.
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Application Information
Application Terms Available: Fall
Application Deadlines: January 15
Graduate School Application Requirements
See the Application Instructions page for important details about each Graduate School requirement.
- Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts required with application submission; official transcripts required upon admission
- Letters of Recommendation: 3 Required
- Statement of Purpose: Required
- Résumé: Required
- GRE Scores: GRE General (Optional for 2023)
- English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants whose first language is not English
*test waiver may apply for some applicants - GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required
- Writing Sample (see departmental guidance below)
Writing Sample
The electronic submission of a writing sample (no more than ten pages in length) must be uploaded in the Departmental Requirements Section of the application.
We strongly encourage you to review additional department-specific application guidance from the program to which you are applying: Departmental Application Guidance