An in-depth knowledge of Russian language and culture will prepare you for domestic or international careers in consulting, business, private industry, government and foreign affairs, teaching, research, library science, writing, publishing, and translation. Many students who graduate with a REEES major pursue further study in graduate school, law school, business school, or education.
There are wide-ranging opportunities to study, work, and volunteer in the many countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, such as going with the Peace Corps to Ukraine, traveling on a research trip to Central Asia, or teaching English in Russia. Knowledge of the Russian language and this broad culture will give you an edge in the job market.
In addition to advising within the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies program, there are many campus resources to help guide your career search.
Alumni careers
Our graduates have used their training to find success in careers across a number of different fields. Below is a sampling of positions our alumni have held.
- International relations coordinators
- Import specialists
- Copywriters
- Lawyers
- Translators
- Educators
- Social workers
- Diplomats
Russian Professor
Peter Orte, ‘19
Major: Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Studies Language: Russian
Dr. Peter Orte, who graduated from the REEES M.A. program in 2019 and also holds a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, taught in the Russian program at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, for the 2021-22 academic year.
Prior to assuming this position, Peter taught Russian for two years at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
English as a Second Language Teacher
Katerina Campbell, '16
Major: Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies
Language: Russian
Katerina has already taken her degree to the very place that she intended: Russia. She has used her degree to gain teaching experience in the heart of the capital, Moscow, teaching English to Russian natives.
Her next step will be to acquire a CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults), and she plans to use this certification to pursue teaching assignments in Germany and Japan. She has also held a position as a lab assistant working on Russian transcriptions, and ultimately aims to become a Russian translator and interpreter.
Program Manager, National Democratic Institute
Kristina Jeffers, '09
Major: Political Science, Russian
Language: Russian
Katerina served for three years in the Peace Corps in Ukraine and received a master of arts in law and diplomacy from Tufts University.
She has spent over 10 years with the National Democratic Institute, a DC-based international development organization supporting democratic actors and institutions abroad. As a program officer, she oversaw parliamentary strengthening, civil society development, and election monitoring projects in Georgia and Moldova. In her current role, she manages programming in Ukraine, one of the most pivotal countries in the organization’s portfolio.
Why Major in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies?
What’s required for a degree? It’s all summarized in our major map.