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Russian & East European Studies Certificate Program

Undergraduate Catalog: Certificate Program Information; Russian & East European Studies Certificate

The process for officially enrolling in the Certificate Program is a simple one. Interested students should contact ...

Joseph Peschio
Program Coordinator
Foreign Languages and Linguistics
Curtin Hall 816

Phone: 414-229-4948
e-mail: peschio@uwm.edu

Andrea Joseph
Academic Advisor
Center for International Education
Garland Hall 111

Phone: 414-229-6925
e-mail: aherbert@uwm.edu

To sign-up for the certificate program you will need to schedule an advising appointment to complete a Declaration of Certificate Program form.

Program Information

This certificate program is designed for students majoring in any field, but specifically for those majoring in Russian, political science, history, geography, and international studies, as well as for non-majors.

Its purpose is to enable students interested in the Russian and East European area to take a coordinated series of courses and to receive a formal certificate signifying this specialization.

The Russian and East European Studies Certificate Program is open to all students seeking a bachelor’s degree from UWM, to those who previously received a bachelor’s degree from UWM or any other accredited college or university, and to those who do not plan to pursue a college or university degree (non-degree students) but who have a strong interest in this topic. To be admitted as non-degree students, individuals must meet regular university admission requirements. Students currently involved in baccalaureate studies who successfully complete the requirements of the program will be awarded the certificate at the time of graduation. Students who already have a bachelor’s degree and non-degree students receive the certificate upon completion of the program requirements.

To obtain the certificate, students must complete at least 18 credits including the requirements in either of the following two tracks:

Track One

9 credits in upper division courses from the appended list of courses in area history, political science, geography, and foreign languages and literature, or substitutes as approved by the Committee.
demonstrated mastery of one of the languages of the region, as measured by the Committee. In the past, this level of proficiency was usually achieved by successfully completing 4 semesters of classroom study in the language. Note: should a student already have a demonstrated mastery of one of the languages in the area without needing formal course work, he/she will be required to complete 9 additional credits in courses approved for the certificate.

Track Two

9 credits in upper division courses from the appended list of courses in area history, political science, geography, and foreign languages and literature, or substitutes approved by the Committee.
an additional 6-9 credits in courses covering the area from the appended list of courses, or substitutes approved by the Committee.

In both tracks, students will be required to have completed at least 18 credits in courses required for the certificate. At least 9 advanced credits must be completed successfully at UWM.

In both tracks, students must achieve a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in all courses taken for the certificate, including language courses.

Students should be aware that not all certificate courses are taught regularly. They are advised, therefore, to plan well ahead in choosing courses needed for the certificate. A maximum of 3 credits in advanced independent study courses (699) may be applied toward completion of certificate requirements. Other appropriate courses taught by the area faculty, but not on the list, may be taken with the approval of the Chair of the Russian and East European Studies Committee. When necessary, requests for other substitute courses will be considered by the committee, provided they are made well in advance of graduation.

Approved Courses

Comparative Literature: 230 Literature and Society: (w/appropriate subtitle)

English: 316 World Cinema: (w/appropriate subtitle)

Ethnic Studies: 250 Selected Topics in Ethnic Studies: "Ethnic Processes and Nationalism - Russia and the Former USSR" subtitle

Geography: 238 East Europe; 364 Central Europe; 444 Former Soviet Union: Regional Analysis; 445 Former Soviet Union: Topical Analysis

History: 238 Poland and Its Neighbors to l795; 239 Poland and Its Neighbors, 1795 to 1914; 295 Historical Encounters (with Russian and/or East European topic); 340 Early Russia Through Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, and Catherine the Great; 341 Imperial Russia: From Despotism to the Bolshevik Revolution; 343 The Soviet Union: From Lenin to Gorbachev; 345 The Modern Balkans: Nationalism, War, and Democracy; 346 Poland and Its Neighbors, 1914-1945; 347 The Rise of Modern Poland, 1945 to the Present; 348 Poland and Its Neighbors, l945 to the Present; 367 Women in Soviet Society: A Historical Survey

Polish: All courses
Political Science: 302 Politics of Eastern Europe; 310 Politics of the Soviet Union and Its Successor States; 311 Russian Foreign Policy; 333 Seminar in Comparative Politics (with Russian and/or Eastern European topic); 371 Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict

Russian: All courses
Serbian & Croatian: All courses
Ukranian: All courses

Participating Faculty

Joseph Peschio, Assistant Professor, Foreign Languages and Linguistics
(414) 229-4948 | peschio@uwm.edu
Faculty web page: www.uwm.edu/Dept/FLL/faculty/peschio.html

Shale Horowitz, Professor of Political Science
(414) 229-2399 | shale@uwm.edu
Faculty web page: www4.uwm.edu/letsci/polisci/faculty/horowitz.cfm

Neal Pease, Associate Professor of History
(414) 229-5205 | pease@uwm.edu
Faculty web page: www.uwm.edu/Dept/History/faculty/pease.html

Donald Pienkos, Professor of Political Science
(414) 229-4239 | dpienkos@uwm.edu
Faculty web page: www4.uwm.edu/letsci/polisci/faculty/peinkos.cfm