Central European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (CERE)

College of Arts and Humanities
2106 Jimenez Hall, 301-405-4244
www.ceres.umd.edu
cmartin@umd.edu
Director: C. Martin
Professors: J. Herf, J. Lampe, S. Mansbach, P. Murrell, J. Robinson, V. Tismaneanu
Associate Professors: D. Hitchcock, J. Kaminski, M. Lekic, C. Martin, E. Papazian, C. Schuler
Assistant Professors: E. Adler (Visit Asst Prof), M. Dolbilov (Asst Prof), M. Landa (Asst Prof)

The Major

The CERES program fosters in-depth knowledge of the region stretching from Prague in the West to Vladivostok in the East. This includes three main areas: Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Eurasia (the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union). Our majors prepare for careers and graduate programs in which an in-depth knowledge of Russia, Central Europe, and Eurasia can be applied with great benefit, such as journalism, government service, diplomacy, business, a variety of professional schools, and M.A. and Ph.D. programs in the humanities and social sciences. Our majors take courses in a range of different departments, gaining a firm grounding in the languages, literatures, history, politics, and economics of their area of study. They have the flexibility to do coursework in other fields related to the area as well. Students learn to examine our area of study with the tools of many scholarly fields.Courses that count toward this major may be found under the following acronyms: ARTH, ECON, GEOG, GERM, GVPT, HIST, PHIL, RUSS, SOCY, THET.

Program Learning Outcomes

Having completed the multi-disciplinary degree program, students are expected to attain the following learning outcomes: 1. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in writing in either Russian, German, or a Central/East European language (including Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Serbian and Croatian, Bulgarian, and Romanian); or in a Eurasian language (i.e., a language from a country formerly part of the Soviet Union). 2. Students will demonstrate the ability to conduct research using primary and secondary sources including archival, print and non-print, and web-based texts. 3. Students will demonstrate understanding of and sensitivity to cultural diversity by studying a variety of cultures and societies within the CERE region.

Admission to the Major

Admission is open to all interested students but should be approved in a meeting with the Director.

Placement in Courses

Placement in language courses is determined by the advisor for a given language. Before you enroll in a Russian or German language class, you must take the on-line "Foreign Language Placement Test": www.arhu.umd.edu/sites/default/files/arhu/undergraduate/pdf/FLPT_ONLINE.pdf. However, final placement into the correct level will be determined by the advisor for the language you wish to study.

Requirements for the Major

Requirements for the CERES major include the College of Arts and Humanities's mandated completion of 45 upper-level credits. The College's Global Engagement Requirement will be automatically fulfilled in the process of fulfilling the CERES requirement of taking either Russian, German, or a Central/East European language (including Czech, Polish, Hungarian, Serbian and Croatian, Bulgarian, and Romanian).The language requirement may also be fulfilled by a Eurasian language (i.e., a language from a country formerly part of the Soviet Union). Those interested in fulfilling the CERES language requirement through a Central/East European or Eurasian language should consult the director upon entering the program.

Students who elect the Russian language track must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours in Russian language and literature selected from among the following courses (or their equivalents):

		Credits
RUSS101	Intensive Elementary Russian I	6
RUSS102	Intensive Elementary Russian II	6
RUSS201	Intermediate Russian I	5
RUSS202	Intermediate Russian II	5
RUSS301	Advanced Russian I	3
RUSS302	Advanced Russian II	3
RUSS303	Russian Conversation: Functional Skills	3
RUSS321	Survey of Russian Literature I	3
RUSS322	Survey of Russian Literature II	3
RUSS401	Advanced Russian Composition	3
RUSS402	Practicum in Written Russian	3
RUSS403	Russian Conversation: Advanced Skills	3
RUISS404	Practicum in Spoken Russian	3

Students interested in specializing primarily on Central/Eastern Europe may opt for the German language track, and must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours in the Department of Germanic Studies from among the following courses (or their equivalents):

		Credits
GERM103	Intensive Elementary German	4
GERM203	Intensive Intermediate German	4
GERM301	Conversation and Composition I	3
GERM302	Conversation and Composition II	3

• Also accepted will be 16 credit hours of Russian or German and the equivalent of 8 credit hours of a Central/East European language.
• Fulfilling the language requirement through a Eurasian language will be decided on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the director.
• In addition to language courses, students must complete 24 hours of CERES approved courses at the 300-level or above. These 24 hours must be taken in at least four different departments (with the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures counting as a single department), and may include language-literature courses beyond the required 24 hours. Of the 24 hours, at least 9 hours must be in courses with substantial or specific focus on Central/East Europe (for example, ARTH 350 or 488C, GVPT 359, 409, HIST 319, 340, 443 and other special courses offered in the CERES area with the approval of the director) and at least 9 hours must be in those CERES courses with substantial or specific Russian/Eurasian focus (for example, GEOG 325, GVPT 445, 451, 459A, 481, HIST 344, 424, 425, 442, SOCY 474, THET 499, and other special courses offered in the CERES area with the approval of the director).

For a full listing of this year's CERES courses, see the website www.ceres.umd.edu, and click on "requirements."

The various cooperating departments also offer special (i.e. non-permanent) seminars and courses in the Russian, East European, and Eurasian fields. HIST 237-Russian Civilization is recommended as a general introduction to the program but does not count toward the fulfillment of the program's requirements.

No course grade below the grade of C- may count toward the major. An overall GPA of 2.0 in the major is required for graduation.

Advising

Course selection and progress toward programmatic requirements are to be discussed individually through meetings with the CERES director.

Undergraduate Research Experiences

Students are encouraged to pursue research, internship and study abroad experiences. Such opportunities should be discussed individually with the Director.

Internships

Students are encouraged to seek off-campus internships that may be available in the greater DC-Baltimore area. Earning academic credit for such experiences should be discussed individually with the Director.

Student Societies and Professional Organizations

CERES majors are eligible for nomination to national honor societies related to their studies.

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