College of Arts and Sciences
Bloomington
Chairperson
Professor Elliot Sperling
Departmental E-mail
ceus@indiana.edu
Departmental URL
www.indiana.edu/~ceus
Graduate Faculty
Program Information
Degrees Offered
Special Departmental Requirements
Master of Arts Degree
Dual Master of Arts in Central Eurasian Studies and Master of Public Affairs
(M.A./M.P.A.) Degree
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Courses
(An asterisk [*] denotes associate membership in University Graduate School faculty.)
Distinguished Professor
Denis Sinor (Emeritus)
Professors
Ilhan Basgöz (Emeritus), Gustav Bayerle (Emeritus), Christopher I. Beckwith, Yuri Bregel (Emeritus), Jamsheed Choksy, Gyula Décsy, Devin DeWeese, William Fierman, Henry Glassie (Folklore), György Kara, Paul Marer (Emeritus, Business), Felix Oinas (Emeritus), Alo Raun (Emeritus), Toivo Raun, M. Nazif Shahrani, Mihály Szegedy-Maszák
Associate Professors
Christopher Atwood*, Paul Losensky, Larry Moses (Emeritus), Thubten Norbu (Emeritus), Kemal Silay, Elliot Sperling
Academic Advisor
Advisor Professor Elliot Sperling, Goodbody Hall 157, (812) 855-2233. All official advising after the second semester of enrollment is done by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee
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The department offers a comprehensive program on the study of Central Eurasia, the vast heartland of Europe and Asia. Students are introduced to the area as a whole and specialize in one of the major regions within Central Eurasia. The degree program consists of two interconnected elements: a language of specialization (LOS), which gives a student access to the culture of a given region through the voices of its people; and a region of specialization (ROS), which includes courses on various aspects of the region's culture. The LOS may be any language offered regularly in the department including Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, Mongolian, Persian, Tibetan, Turkish, Uzbek and other two-year department languages permitted by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee. Some regions and languages such as the Siberian region (including the Buryat, Evenki, Yakut, and other languages) and the Volga-Kama region (including the Mari, Mordvin, and other languages) are available only as individualized specializations at the Ph.D. level.
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Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. CEUS also offers a dual M.A./M.P.A. degree with the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
See also general University Graduate School requirements.
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The degree requirements are subdivided into fields based on the region of specialization, one of the following: the Baltic-Finnish region (including primarily Estonian or Finnish as LOS), the Central Asian region (including primarily Uzbek as LOS), the Hungarian region (including Hungarian as LOS), the Iranian region (including Persian as LOS), the Mongolian region (including primarily Mongolian as LOS), Post-Communism and Nationalism (including an LOS chosen in consultation with the student's Graduate Advisory Committee; Russian may be an option), the Tibetan region (including Tibetan as LOS), and the Turkish region (including Turkish as LOS).
Admissions Requirements
All M.A. applicants must have achieved a minimum of a 3.0 (B) grade point average for the B.A. course work and the undergraduate record must show at least two years of a single foreign language at the college level or the equivalent. International applicants must have a score of 550 or better for the paper-based TOEFL exam, or 213 or better for the computer-based exam.
Course Requirements
A total of 30 credit hours: 3 credit hours of a professional research methodology course; intermediate (second-year) level of a language of specialization taught in the department (6 hours); 12 credit hours of courses in the region of specialization; 6 credit hours of electives, at least 3 of which must be taken in the department; and U601, the M.A. thesis course (3 credit hours). The exact program for each student, based on departmental offerings, is established by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee.
Thesis
Required. Requirement can be waived if an M.A. thesis was written for an earlier M.A. degree.
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The Department of Central Eurasian Studies and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs jointly offer a three-year program that qualifies students for a dual master's degree. One semester, preferably the first semester, of course work toward the dual degree should be completed in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs in order to complete prerequisite courses that are only offered in the fall.
Admissions Requirements
Same as for the Master of Arts degree except that application must also be made to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs for study toward the Master of Public Affairs degree. Students must be accepted by both units in order to be admitted to the program
CEUS Course Requirements
Twenty-four credit hours of graduate course work to be distributed as follows: (1) three courses (9 credit hours) on the culture, history, or society of the Region of Specialization; (2) two elective or "open" courses (6 credit hours) taught in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies which may include any graduate-level credit course not used to satisfy other requirements. Students are encouraged to take one of their electives in another Region of Specialization in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies; (3) intermediate level (6 credit hours) of one language of specialization taught in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, selected according to the region of specialization; (4) U601, an independent study course (3 credit hours) that will serve as the M.A. thesis course; (5) an M.A. thesis (no credit hours) of not less than 50 and not more than 70 double-spaced pages (text and notes) which reflects the use of materials in the student's language of specialization or in at least one research language other than English; (6) demonstration of reading proficiency (no credit hours) in a modern research language such as French, German, or Russian. It is noted that the professional research methodology course requirement (3 credit hours) for a CEUS M.A. shall be satisfied by the methodology course required for the SPEA M.P.A.
Public and Environmental Affairs Course Requirements
Thirty-six credit hours of graduate course work to be distributed as follows: (1) three professional development practicum courses (3 credit hours) V501, V503, and V505; (2) six courses (18 credit hours) V502, V506, V517, V540, V560, V600; (3) five specialized concentration courses (15 credit hours) which may include SPEA, CEUS and other courses, to be selected in consultation with a SPEA advisor
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Admission Requirements
M.A. degree or its equivalent in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies. If an M.A. degree was obtained elsewhere, the student must satisfy the Department of Central Eurasian Studies course requirements for the M.A. in one of the fields of specialization described above, but need not write an M.A. thesis. In addition, all Ph.D. program applicants must have achieved a minimum of a 3.5 grade point average in Department of Central Eurasian Studies course work and completed all Central Eurasian M.A. requirements. For specific admission requirements and application guidelines, please contact the department.
Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours, including 30 credit hours required for the M.A. degree, and at least 60 credit hours beyond those used for the M.A. degree: four departmental courses relevant to the student's region of specialization (12 credit hours); three courses in the language of specialization and linguistics (9 credit hours); one 700-level seminar taught in the department; minors (a minimum of 24 credit hours); elective courses (12 credit hours).
Minors
Two outside minors or one inside and one outside minor, determined upon consultation with the student's Graduate Advisory Committee. At least one outside minor must be in a disciplinary department or program corresponding to the student's chosen discipline of specialization in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies.
Minors by Students from Other Departments
Ph.D. students majoring in other departments may take a minor in the Department of Central Eurasian Studies. This shall consist of 12 credit hours of courses taught in the department. The specific courses used to complete the minor in Central Eurasian Studies shall be approved in writing by the department faculty member who is selected by the student to serve on the student's Ph.D. qualifying committee as an outside minor representative. Students pursuing a minor are encouraged to identify a faculty advisor in the department as early as possible so that a well-integrated program of study can be established.
Research Language Requirement
Requirement Reading proficiency in two of the following: French, German, Russian. Substitutions, when justified by the student's field of specialization, may be permitted by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee.
Qualifying Examination
Written and oral. The written portion of the qualifying examination will be four hours long for each of the fields in which the student is to be examined. In each field several questions will be asked.
The oral examination will be given within one week after the written examination. It will cover the same fields, with no fewer than 40 minutes devoted to each. At least three examiners will be present at the oral examination.
Marks of "high pass," "pass," and "failure" will be assigned to each field in the written and oral examinations. Unsatisfactory performance in one field of the written examination will require repetition of the examination in that field before the orals may be taken. Failing marks received in two fields of the written examination will constitute failure in the written part, and the student will not be allowed to retake the written examination during the same semester. If the student fails the written examination twice, consent to continue work in the department will be withdrawn.
Unsatisfactory performance in one field of the oral examination will require repetition of the examination in that field. Failing marks received in two fields of the oral examination will constitute failure in the oral part, and the student will not be allowed to retake the oral examination during the same semester. If the student fails the oral examination twice, permission to continue work in the department will be withdrawn.
Dissertation
Required.
Final Examination
Defense of dissertation.
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Languages
Linguistics Courses
History and Culture Courses
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Chaghatay
U593 Chaghatay (3 cr.)
U594 Advanced Reading in Chaghatay (3 cr.)
Estonian
U341-U342 Introductory Estonian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U441-U442 Intermediate Estonian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U541-U542 Advanced Estonian I-II (3-3 cr.)
Finnish
U331-U332 Introductory Finnish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U431-U432 Intermediate Finnish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U531-U532 Advanced Finnish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U631 Old Finnish (3 cr.)
U632 Finnish Grammar (3 cr.)
Hungarian
U321-U322 Introductory Hungarian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U421-U422 Intermediate Hungarian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U521-U522 Advanced Hungarian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U523 Hungarian Readings (cr. arr.)
U623 History of the Hungarian Language (3 cr.)
U624 Hungarian Grammar (3 cr.)
Kazak
U575-U576 Introductory Kazak I-II (3-3 cr.)
U675-U676 Intermediate Kazak I-II (3-3 cr.)
Mongolian
U361-U362 Introductory Mongolian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U461-U462 Intermediate Mongolian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U561-U562 Advanced Mongolian I-II (3-3 cr.)
U566-U567 Classical Mongolian I-II (3-3 cr.)
Tibetan
U381-U382 Introductory Tibetan I-II (3-3 cr.)
U486-U487 Intermediate Tibetan I-II (3-3 cr.)
U488 Readings in Modern Tibetan Texts (3 cr.)
U582 Old Tibetan (3 cr.)
U586-U587 Advanced Tibetan I-II (3-3 cr.)
U589 Readings in Classical Tibetan Texts (3 cr.)
U688 Readings in Tibetan Buddhist Texts (3 cr.)
Turkish
U351-U352 Introductory Turkish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U451-U452 Intermediate Turkish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U551-U552 Advanced Turkish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U554-U555 Introductory Ottoman Turkish I-II (3-3 cr.)
U654-U655 Advanced Ottoman Turkish I-II (3-3 cr.)
Uygur
U591-U592 Introductory Uygur I-II (3-3 cr.)
U691-U692 Intermediate Uygur I-II (3-3 cr.)
U505 Structure of Uygur (3 cr.)
Uzbek
U353-U354 Introductory Uzbek I-II (3-3 cr.)
U453-U454 Intermediate Uzbek I-II (3-3 cr.)
U556-U557 Advanced Uzbek I-II (3-3 cr.)
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U502 Introduction to Yakut (3 cr.)
U504 Introduction to Mari (Cheremis) (3 cr.)
U520 Selected Topics in Central Eurasian Studies (1-6 cr.)1
U568 Mongolian Languages and Dialects (3 cr.)
U571 Uralic Languages (3 cr.)
U581 Languages of Eastern Inner Asia (3 cr.)
U584 Introduction to Manchu (3 cr.)
U600 Advanced Readings in Central Eurasian Studies (1-6 cr.)
U670 Comparative Uralic Linguistics I (3 cr.)
U671 Comparative Uralic Linguistics II (3 cr.)
U673 Typology of Central Eurasian Languages (3 cr.)
U674 Comparative Finnic (3 cr.)
U683 Altaic Linguistics (3 cr.)
U690 Comparative Turkic Linguistics (3 cr.)
U710 Seminar in Uralic Studies (3 cr.)
U720 Seminar in Central Eurasian Studies (3 cr.)
U800 Research in Central Eurasian Studies (1-6 cr.)
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U345 Finno-Ugric and Siberian Mythology and Religion (3 cr.)
U368 The Mongol Century (3 cr.)
U370 Uralic Peoples (3 cr.)
U394 Islam in the Soviet Union and Successor States (3 cr.)
U423 Hungary between 1890 and 1945 (3 cr.)
U424 Hungarian Literature from Its Beginnings to 1900 (3 cr.)
U426 Modern Hungarian Literature (3 cr.)
U427 Hungary from 1945 to Present (3 cr.)
U430 Finnic Folklore (3 cr.)
U436 Finnish Civilization to 1800 (3 cr.)
U437 Finnish Civilization from 1800 to the Present (3 cr.)
U450 Turkish Oral Literature (3 cr.)
U459 Seminar in Turkish Studies (3 cr.)
U469 The Mongols of the Twentieth Century (3 cr.)
U481 Survey of Tibetan Literature (3 cr.)
U483 Introduction to the History of Tibet (3 cr.)
U484 The Religions of Tibet (3 cr.)
U485 Tibetan Oral Literature (3 cr.)
U489 Tibet and the West (3 cr.)
U490 Sino-Tibetan Relations (3 cr.)
U493 Islamic Central Asia, Sixteenth-Nineteenth Centuries (3 cr.)
U494 Central Asia under Russian Rule (3 cr.)
U495 Islamic Central Asia to the Sixteenth Century (3 cr.)
U496 Ethnic History of Central Asia (3 cr.)
U497 Inner Asian Peoples and Nationality Policy in the Peoples' Republic of China (3 cr.)
U498 Religion and Power in Islamic Central Asia (3 cr.)
U518 Empire and Ethnicity in Modern Russian History (3 cr.)
U519 Soviet and Post-Soviet Nationality Policies and Problems (3 cr.)
U520 Selected Topics in Central Eurasian Studies (1-6 cr.)1
U533 Finland in the Twentieth Century (3 cr.)
U524 Romanticism (3 cr.)
U534 Classical Finnish Literature (3 cr.)
U535 Modern Finnish Literature (3 cr.)
U543 Estonian Culture and Civilization (3 cr.)
U544 The Baltic States since 1918 (3 cr.)
U550 Turkish Folklore: Methodology and Analysis (3 cr.)
U563 Mongolian Historical Writings (3 cr.)
U564 Mongolian Literature and Folklore (3 cr.)
U565 Mongolian Civilization and Folk Culture (3 cr.)
U569 Modern Inner Mongolia (3 cr.) Introduction to the modern history of the area of Inner Mongolia. Surveys major trends, ideas, personalities, and events; places Inner Mongolia within the context of both China and Inner Asia; uses the history of Inner Mongolia to explore current general theories of nationalism, development, and culture change.
U570 Ordos Documents (3 cr.) This seminar offers students in Mongolian Studies a guided introduction to pre-revolutionary Mongolian documents, both literary-religious and socio-political. Reading in English translation material from Ordos (Inner Mongolia), students will familiarize themselves with Mongolian genres of writing and become acquainted with the major issues in their use.
U574 Environmental Problems and Social Constraints in Northern and Central Eurasia (3 cr.) This course provides students with an analysis of environmental, social, and economic issues in the immense region of Central and Northern Eurasia. After the USSR collapsed more than 10 years ago, a new geo-political situation emerged across the former Soviet realm. This region plays a crucial role in global and stability.
U588 Chinese Inner Asia to 1949 (3 cr.) History of Chinese Inner Asia from the rise of the Qing dynasty to the Chinese Communist victory in 1949-1951. Focus includes Qing systems of indirect rule, colonization, the New Policies, religion and modernity, indigenous nationalist movements and their interaction with both outside powers, and the Soviet and Chinese Communist movements.
U590 Shamanism in Central Eurasia (3 cr.)
U595 Introduction to History of Central Eurasian Studies (3 cr.) Overview of ethnolinguistic, political, cultural history from Proto-Indo-European revolution to present, focusing on the Middle Ages, when Central Eurasia dominated world geopolitics. Topics include Scythians, Hsiung-nu; Silk Road, Sogdians; Attila the Hun, Goths; Turks, Magyars, Tibetans; Genghis Khan; Tamerlane; Ottoman, Persian, Mughal, Manchu empires; Russian, Chinese colonization.
U596 Post-Soviet Transition in Central Asia (3 cr.) Examines problems of transition since 1991 in Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Topics include political systems, economic change, emergence of national identities, foreign policy (with "near" and "far" abroad), social welfare and education, demography, language policy, citizenship, military (including military conflict), and borders.
U597 Politics and Society in Central Asia (3 cr.)
U598 Peoples and Cultures of Central Asia (3 cr.)
U599 Seminar on Social Change in Central Asia (3 cr.)
U600 Advanced Readings in Central Eurasian Studies (1-6 cr.)
U601 M.A. Thesis Research (3 cr.)
U698 Islamic Hagiography of Central Asia (3 cr.) P: reading knowledge of Persian or Chaghatay Turkic.
U710 Seminar in Uralic Studies (3 cr.)
U720 Seminar in Central Eurasian Studies (3 cr.)
U730 Seminar in Hungarian Studies (3 cr.)
U785 Seminar in Tibetan Literature (3 cr.)
U790 Colloquium in Central Eurasian Studies (1 cr.)
U797 Seminar on Comparative Study of Muslim Societies of Central Asia and Middle East (3 cr.)
U798 Seminar on Central Asian Nomadic Pastoralism (3 cr.)
U800 Research in Central Eurasian Studies (1-6 cr.)
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1 Linguistic structure courses, offered periodically, cover such languages as Evenki, Mordvin, Sami (Lappish), Livonian, and Kazak.
