We are community of scholars and students dedicated to the study of the Humanities—in fields spanning Linguistics, East Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Slavic and Eastern European Studies, and German Studies—reflecting on topics and studying languages that have special currency in our history, and for our times.
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St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow | Photo by Brad Ward
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Mount Fuji, the sakura trees, and the Chureito Pagoda | Photo by Reginald Pentinio
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Lebanon
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Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem | Photo by Patrick McKay
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Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
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Hagia Sophia, Istanbul | Photo by Dennis Jarvis
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Lake Hallstatt, Salzkammergut, Austria
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Mutianyu section of Great Wall of China | Photo by David Berkowitz
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The Western 'Wailing' Wall, Jerusalem | Photo by Maxim D. Shrayer
Programs
East Asian Studies
The program focuses on the acquisition of modern language proficiency in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, as well as knowledge of aspects of East Asian literatures, cultures, and civilizations.
East European & Eurasian Studies
Provides a foundation in East European and Eurasian civilizations and cultures. Students can focus on Russian, East European, or Eurasian languages, literatures, cultures, and histories. We offer an interdisciplinary minor in East European & Eurasian Studies.
German Studies
German Studies is a small student-focused program. The major and minor in German offers courses in German language, culture, business, and history from the Middle Ages to the present. We also offer an interdisciplinary minor in German Studies.
Jewish Studies
The interdisciplinary program examines the multiple dimensions and complexities of Jewish culture, languages, and spirituality from ancient times to the present, throughout its broad chronological and geographical range. We offer an interdisciplinary minor in Jewish Studies.
Linguistics
Students learn to analyze linguistic phenomena with a view toward making significant generalizations about the nature of language. Students majoring in Linguistics build their programs around a specific area of emphasis.
Near Eastern Studies
This departmental minor in Arabic covers areas of Modern Standard Arabic and Modern Hebrew, Modern Middle Eastern literature and cultural history, and Near Eastern Civilizations.
Russian and Slavic Studies
Russian language studies and a wide range of courses in literature, culture, and area studies. You will be part of a close-knit and dynamic community with numerous co-curricular activities.
Language Requirement
We offer a number of options for fulfilling the MCAS language requirement: Arabic, Chinese, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Polish, and Russian.
Explore new ways of engaging with the world
Many of our courses fulfill the University core requirement for fine arts, cultural diversity, or literature.
News
The Michael B. Kreps Memorial Readings in Russian Émigré Literature
Крепсовские чтения
The Michael B. Kreps Memorial Readings (Крепсовские Чтения) were inaugurated at Boston College in the Fall of 1997 and named so after the late Professor Michael B. Kreps (Михаил Крепс), a Russian poet in his own right, who was a professor of Slavic languages and literatures at Boston College from 1981 until his death in 1994.
The Michael B. Kreps Memorial Readings (Крепсовские Чтения) feature contemporary Russian émigré writers from around the world. Professor Maxim D. Shrayer (Boston College) serves as the curator and moderator of the series. All readings are in Russian and are free and open to the public.