Overview of Doctoral Program

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Slavic Languages & Literatures builds further on the foundational knowledge and the structured classroom learning that students engaged in during M.A. work. Working under the close mentorship of their advisors, Ph.D. students develop a minor in a related field, learn advanced pedagogical and interpretive strategies, continue to improve language skills, and engage in self-motivated, independent study to develop an area of specialization.

While most KU Ph.D. students find positions as academics, some choose to pursue professional positions in academic support, digital humanities, research, and government service. See Ph.D. Alumni on the Department’s website.

Areas of Concentration

Two concentrations are offered in the Ph.D. program:

• Russian Literature
• Slavic Linguistics

Additional information regarding academic opportunities in culture, intellectual history, folklore, or language pedagogy is available on the departmental Ph.D. Overview.

Departmental Funding

The department does its best to provide funding in the form of Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) appointments to all incoming graduate students.  GTA appointments are awarded for the academic year; .50 full-time equivalent (FTE) appointments come with:

• a competitive academic year (9 month) salary
• a 100% tuition waiver for all courses at KU
• payment of up to 3 hours of campus fees
• optional University-subsidized group health insurance 

The appointments are guaranteed, based on funding availability and performance, for up to 3 years for M.A. students, 5 years for Ph.D. students and 6 years for students who receive both an M.A. and a Ph.D. at The University of Kansas.  GTAs in the department receive thorough training in language instruction, close mentoring, and the opportunity to teach at a variety of levels, providing them with a strong base of teaching experience upon entering the job market.

Additional Funding

There are also university fellowships for truly outstanding students. Visit the Graduate Studies website for information about funding opportunities for KU graduate students.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

Students admitted to Ph.D. work in Russian literature or Slavic linguistics must fulfill M.A. requirements and pass the qualifying examination. Students also must fulfill all specific requirements in the concentration, master a western European language, complete and defend a professional Ph.D. portfolio, and write a dissertation.

Student must complete at least 24 hours of coursework, including up to 6 portfolio preparation hours (excluding language classes).

Prior to the defense of their professional Ph.D. portfolio, Ph.D. students are expected to enroll in the department's core courses in their concentrations if they have not previously taken them or their equivalent and if, in consultation with their graduate advisor, it is judged that the course material aids in preparation for the defense of the Ph.D. portfolio.

A list of courses is updated each semester and available on the CREES website. 

Requirements for Ph.D. Concentration in Russian Literature

• Detailed knowledge of the history and development of Russian literature
• Oral and written competence in Russian language plus an orientation in its structure and history
• Reading competence in a second Slavic language and a general knowledge of the history of its literature
• A minimum of 9 graduate credit hours in a minor subject inside the department; some outside coursework may be considered with program approval.
• An acceptable dissertation

Requirements for Ph.D. Concentration in Slavic Linguistics

• Detailed knowledge of the structure and history of two Slavic languages, one of which is considered the student’s major language, plus reading competence in a third Slavic language (Knowledge of a third Slavic language is not required for students with a sub-concentration in second language studies).
• Oral and written competence in the major Slavic language
• A minimum of 9 graduate semester credit hours in a minor subject inside the department; some outside coursework may be considered with program approval.
• Basic knowledge of general and comparative linguistics
• An acceptable dissertation

Examinations

Qualifying Examination

All students must take the qualifying examination to be admitted to Ph.D. work. For KU students, the M.A. examination serves as the qualifying examination. Students who hold the M.A. degree from another institution but begin Ph.D. work at KU are required to take the qualifying examination within 2 semesters of entry into the program.

Research Skills & Responsible Scholarship Requirement

The university requires that every doctoral student have training in responsible scholarship and research skills pertinent to the field of research and appropriate to the doctoral level. This requirement must be met before taking the comprehensive oral exam. Graduate students in Slavic Languages and Literatures must demonstrate (through course work or examination) reading competence in a western European language, preferably French or German. The student must also take part in all required graduate colloquia. These cover a variety of topics intended to promote and model responsible scholarship and professional development. Faculty and graduate students participate in three colloquia each semester. Issues of responsible scholarship are also imbedded in the curriculum.

Professional ph.d. portfolio & ORAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION 

This examination will serve as the Oral Comprehensive Exam and consists of a student's presentation and defense of their professional Ph.D. portfolio after fulfilling all other requirements for the Ph.D., with the exception of the dissertation. The professional Ph.D. portfolio includes the dissertation prospectus as well as other materials that document the student’s command of major and minor fields, ability to undertake research, and the skills necessary to traverse the profession independently.  A successful exam result will trigger the student’s enrollment in dissertation credit toward dedicated research and writing of the terminal document for the Ph.D. degree.

The portfolio examination demonstrates that post-M.A. students in the Department have:

1. Acquired the appropriate knowledge base,
2. Developed the skills that will allow them:
   1. To identify a research question,
   2. To complete the dissertation successfully,
   3. To become competent and responsible teachers, researchers, and writers, and
   4. To embark on a lifetime of constant learning and continued scholarly evolution, regardless of their career path.

The portfolio examination provides post-M.A. students with an opportunity to:

1. Take stock of their achievements, strengths, and weaknesses,
2. Reflect on the quality of their progress through the program, and
3. Outline their future intellectual or career trajectory.

Once coursework has been completed, students present the Portfolio formally to their committee. By this time, they must have fulfilled all requirements for the Ph.D. established by the Department and Graduate Studies with the exception of the Comprehensive Oral Exam, the 18 credit hours of dissertation research, and the dissertation itself. If students meet these criteria, they proceed to the Comprehensive Oral Examination required by the Department and Graduate Studies. The 2-hour Comprehensive Oral Examination follows the formal submission of the portfolio. The oral examination demonstrates the student’s ability to:

• Defend the choice and direction of the dissertation concept,
• Respond intelligently and professionally in an oral interview situation on any academic topic,
• Engage spontaneously in a professional exchange of ideas.

Dissertation Defense

Students will write, defend and submit an appropriate dissertation: this demonstrates the student’s ability to undertake, plan, and complete a sustained piece of original research.

At the time of the comprehensive exam, the student should have a dissertation proposal ready to present to the graduate faculty of the department. The dissertation defense and the approved electronic submission of the dissertation is the final requirement of the program.  SLL evaluates the dissertation according to a specific SLL Doctoral Learner Outcomes Rubric through the Office of Graduate Studies. Students should become familiar with this rubric and the stated expectations before they begin to write.

Study Abroad

The department offers a semester study abroad program at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Russia, and in conjunction with the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, conducts summer institutes at universities in

• L’viv, Ukraine (for Ukrainian)

Consult the Slavic department office or the Office of Study Abroad. Credit for non-KU programs is not automatic and is evaluated in consultation with the Slavic department undergraduate director.

Undergraduate and graduate students at KU are encouraged to spend a summer, semester, and/or year studying and conducting research in their country of interest.

Slavic Language Programs in Russia and Eastern Europe

KU students may take intermediate or advanced Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian at a 6-week summer institute in Croatia or attend a summer language program in Poland.

Graduate students at KU are encouraged to spend a summer, semester, and/or year studying and conducting research in their country of interest.