Academic Programs
Study at HarrimanThe Harriman Institute offers a number of programs for students interested in Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe.
Masters Program (MARS-REERS)
The Harriman Institute administers the Master of Arts in Regional Studies – Russia, Eurasia and Eastern Europe (MARS-REERS) through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences for those wishing to focus on a multidisciplinary approach to the study of contemporary Russia, Eurasia and Eastern Europe (the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and the Balkans).
ECEC Regional Studies Major
The regional studies major is designed to give Columbia College undergraduates the general mastery of a discipline and at the same time permit them to do specialized work in the history and cultures of a particular geographic area through the East Central European Center (ECEC) at the Harriman Institute. It is an interdisciplinary major in which students divide their work between ECEC and an appropriate academic department.
Columbia BA/MA Program
Current Columbia University students (Columbia College, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of General Studies, and Barnard College) in their Junior or Senior year may apply for the BA/MA of Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies at the Harriman Institute.
SIPA Regional Specializations
Students from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) may fulfill SIPA’s specialization requirement at the Harriman Institute or the Center of East Central European Studies.
Harriman Institute Certificate
The Harriman Institute sponsors a Certificate Program that students pursue in conjunction with graduate degree programs at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, School of International and Public Affairs, School of Law, Journalism School, Business School, School of Public Health, Teachers College, or other professional schools at Columbia University. Enrollment in the Harriman Certificate Program is contingent upon the candidate’s acceptance into a graduate degree program at the University.
Ph.D. Student Funding
The Harriman Institute does not offer a Ph.D. degree program. But, graduate students at the doctoral level from across disciplines and departments at the university, who focus their research in Russian, East European, or Eurasian studies may apply for a variety of fellowships and scholarships sponsored by the institute.
Regional Studies
Harriman CoursesCourse Listings
The list below provides an overview of our course offerings to help students make decisions and plans for the upcoming semester. Please note that this schedule may be subject to change, and students are encouraged not only to revisit this page but also to confirm the course listings in the online Directory of Courses and Vergil, where course descriptions and class meeting times will be posted.
Regional Requirements
The course lists on our website fulfill regional course requirements for the Harriman Institute Certificate, the MA in Regional Studies: Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe (MARS-REERS), and SIPA Regional Specializations. Further course details may be found by visiting the appropriate department’s website.
Any course marked with an asterisk (***) must be approved for regional credit by a Harriman advisor prior to enrollment. For Harriman's approval of courses not listed which you believe may fulfill regional requirements, please contact Rebecca Dalton.
Language Requirements
The following languages satisfy the Harriman Certificate & MARS-REERS language requirements and are currently being offered: Armenian, Czech, Hungarian, ***Persian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian-Bosnian, ***Turkish, Ukrainian, and Yiddish. Please consult the Directory of Classes for language times and sections.
Financial Aid
First Year Fellowships
Merit-based fellowships are available for first-year MARS-REERS students. There is no separate application, the GSAS application will be used by the admissions committee to award funding.
Second Year Fellowships
There is significant funding for the second year of study for MARS-REERS students. The Institute’s Fellowship Committee makes all fellowship decisions. Candidates may apply for more than one fellowship.
Summer Opportunities
Every year the Harriman Institute awards funding for Columbia student travel, research, and language study in and about Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe.
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