SLAVIC
LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES
UC
GRADUATE
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Applications
are available in September.
Dear Applicant:
Thank
you for your interest in the Slavic Languages and Literatures program at U.C.
Berkeley.
The
Department offers a synthetic approach to the study of language, literature,
and culture that seeks to prepare future scholars. The most common career
choice of our graduates is teaching at the college level, although some also
pursue careers in writing, publishing, public and government service, and
other humanistic fields. We accept into our graduate program mostly students
whose interests and aspirations lie in the area of scholarship, and we accept
only as many as we anticipate being able to support financially. In the application,
we ask you to choose a field of concentration, either linguistics or literature
and culture.
We
select our graduate students on the basis of prior academic achievement and promise
of success in scholarship and teaching. A bachelor's degree in Slavic or its
equivalent is required for admission. Usually this includes at least three
years of study of Russian (or another Slavic language) and appropriate training
in its literature or linguistics. Knowledge of French or German is recommended
but not required for admission.
Applicant
files are sorted and summarized in January. They are evaluated in late January
and early February. Decisions regarding fellowships and admissions will be
announced in late February through early March.
All applications
and supporting documents, including GRE/TOEFL scores must be postmarked by
the application deadline in order to be reviewed for fellowship and admission
consideration. The time available between the application deadline and the
review period is short. If your application is incomplete, it is difficult
to obtain missing items from you in time for our faculty review. It is therefore
essential that you make arrangements for all materials to reach us on or soon
after our final deadline. It is also important to remember that incomplete
applications may not only leave out information essential to our review of
your file but may adversely affect your chances for a university multi-year
fellowship.
We
require the following documents and materials in order for your application to
be complete:
Graduate
Division Application: Beginning in early September, the online application
and instructions are available from the Graduate Division's website http://www.grad.berkeley.edu.
The forms can be downloaded as a pdf, completed and mailed to the department,
or submitted electronically, however we strongly encourage you to submit the
application on-line. If, for some reason, you are unable to access the online
application, please contact the Graduate Assistant toward the end of September.
We will print a copy and mail it to you.
Proposed
Degree Program: If you have received
or expect to receive your MA from another institution before beginning at
Personal
Information: Accurate
and complete information in this section is imperative. Including temporary,
additional and/or alternate contacts may help the department clarify your
status and reach you or a proxy quickly if necessary for further information.
Exam
Scores: The Graduate Record
Examination (GRE) is required for native English speakers and for non-native
English speakers who have studied in an institution of higher learning in
which English is the primary language of instruction. The ETS GRE code for
Russian is 2606. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required
for non-native speakers of English who have not previously studied for a year
or more in a
Personal
Statements: The Department seeks a Statement of Academic
Purpose, one that demonstrates knowledge of your chosen discipline (literature
or linguistics), mature scholarly interests, professional orientation, and
intellectual sophistication. The Personal History statement should discuss
how your background led to your decision to apply for graduate study in Slavic
Languages and Literatures. Further pointers and instructions are on the Graduate
Division Application site.
Letters
of Recommendation: The department requires three (3) letters of recommendation,
preferably from instructors knowledgeable
concerning your experience and ability in Slavic Languages and Literatures.
The letters may be conveniently submitted electronically. Recommenders
are prompted by email from the Graduate Division and sent instructions as
soon as you save the email address of the letter writer. Make sure you have
spoken to prospective recommenders in advance. Recommenders who do not
want to use the on-line service may send letters directly to the Department.
Download a Letter of Recommendation Form from the application web site, fill
out the waiver section, and provide it to the letter writer. Recommenders
can type their recommendations directly on the form, or attach it to their
own letterhead. Paper letters sent directly to the department must be in sealed
envelopes signed by the recommender.
Writing
Sample: Submit a recent scholarly paper directly related to the field of literature
or linguistics, such as a term paper for a course, a senior thesis,
or a paper written independently. This
paper would ordinarily be in English, unless the applicant attended a university
outside the
Transcripts:
Be sure to include
or arrange for direct mailing to the department all transcripts from every
institution you list in your Educational Background. This includes junior
college courses, even in areas unrelated to your eventual major and summer
study, both in the
IMPORTANT NOTES:
In
addition to the above instructions, be sure to read and comply with the
instructions in the Graduate Division Application.
Our
department office will be closed December 22-January 1 for the holiday period.
There will be no mail, phone, or email service during this time.
Send
inquiries, paper applications, and all supporting documents (which include the
writing sample, test scores, transcripts, and paper letters of recommendation) to:
Graduate
Assistant
Slavic
Languages and Literatures
6303
Dwinelle Hall
Email:
issag@berkeley.edu
Phone:
(510) 642-9051
Fax:
(510) 642-6220