University Professors Program
Program of StudyRequirements for Currently Enrolled Students
Time Limits
Courses and Seminars
The following list reflects the 2007/2008 faculty.
Anthony G. Barrand University Professor; Professor of Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, University of Keele (Scotland); PhD, Cornell University
Alicia Borinsky Fellow of The University Professors; Professor of Spanish, Romance Studies, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. MA, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Aram Chobanian President Emeritus of the University; University Professor; John I. Sandson Distinguished Professor of Health Sciences and Dean Emeritus, School of Medicine; Former Provost, Boston University Medical Campus. AB, Brown University; MD, Harvard Medical School
James J. Collins University Professor; Professor of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering; Co-director, Center for BioDynamics. BA, College of the Holy Cross; DPhil, University of Oxford (England)
Howard Eiehenbaum University Professor; Professor of Psychology; Director, Center for Memory & the Brain, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BS, PhD, University of Michigan
Richard H. Egdahl University Professor; Alexander Graham Bell Professor of Health Care Entrepreneurship; Professor of Management; Professor of Surgery, School of Medicine; Professor of Public Health, School of Public Health. MD, Harvard Medical School; PhD, University of Minnesota
Sheldon Glashow University Professor; Arthur G. B. Metcalf Professor of Mathematics and Science in the Department of Physics, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. AB, Cornell University; AM, PhD, Harvard University
Charles Glenn Fellow of The University Professors; Dean ad interim, School of Education. Professor of Administration, Training & Policy Studies, School of Education. AB, Harvard College; PhD, Boston University
Liah Greenfeld University Professor; Director, Institute for the Advancement of the Social Sciences; Professor of Political Science and Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, MA, PhD, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel)
James H. Johnson Fellow of The University Professors; Associate Professor of History, Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, University of Oklahoma; MA, PhD, University of Chicago
Sir Hans Kornberg Director, University Professors Program; University Professor; Professor of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. MA, DSc, University of Oxford (England); ScD, University of Cambridge (England); PhD, University of Sheffield (England)
Charles Lindholm University Professor; Professor of Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, MA, PhD, Columbia University
Igor Lukes University Professor; Professor of History and International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA/MA, PhD, Universita Karlova (Czech Republic); MALD, PhD, Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Herbert Mason University Professor; William Goodwin Aurelio Professor of History and Religious Thought; Professor of History and Religion, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. Director, Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations. AB, AM, PhD, Harvard University
Jeffrey Mehlman University Professor; Professor of French, Romance Studies, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, Harvard College; PhD, Yale University
Uri Ra’anan University Professor; Professor of International Relations, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School; Director, Institute for the Study of Conflict, Ideology & Policy. MA, MLitt, University of Oxford (England)
Bruce Redford University Professor; Professor of Art History and English, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, Brown University; BA, King’s College, University of Cambridge (England); PhD, Princeton University
Joshua Rifkin Fellow of The University Professors; Professor of Music, College of Fine Arts. BS, The Juilliard School of Music; MFA, Princeton University; Honorary Doctorate, Universität Dormund
James W. Schmidt University Professor; Professor of History and Political Science, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, Rutgers University; PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
John Silber President Emeritus of the University; University Professor; Professor of International Relations and Philosophy, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School; Professor of Law, School of Law. BA, Trinity University; MA, PhD, Yale University; LLD (hon.), LHD (hon.)
H. Eugene Stanley University Professor; Professor of Physics and Physiology, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School; Director, Center for Polymer Studies. BA, Wesleyan University; PhD, Harvard University
Lawrence Sulak Fellow of The University Professors; Professor of Physics, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BS, Carnegie Mellon University; AM, PhD, Princeton University
Rosanna Warren University Professor; Emma Ann MacLachlan Metcalf Professor in the Humanities; Professor of English; Professor of French, Romance Studies, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, Yale University; MA, Johns Hopkins University
Elie Wiesel University Professor; Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities; Professor of Philosophy and Religion, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. LittD (hon.), Jewish Theological Seminary; LHD (hon.), Hebrew Union College, Boston University, Yale University, Brandeis University, University of Notre Dame
Emeriti
Peter L. Berger University Professor Emeritus; Professor Emeritus of the Sociology of Religion, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School, School of Theology; Director, Institute on Culture, Religion & World Affairs. BA, Wagner College; MA, PhD, New School for Social Research
Rodolfo Cardona University Professor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Romance Studies, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BA, MA, Louisiana State University; PhD, University of Washington
D. S. Carne-Ross University Professor Emeritus; Professor Emeritus of Classics and Modern Languages, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. MA, University of Oxford (England)
Gerald P. Fitzgerald University Professor Emeritus; Professor Emeritus of English; Professor Emeritus of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. AB, AM, PhD, Harvard University
Geoffrey Hill University Professor Emeritus; Professor Emeritus of Literature and Religion, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. MA, University of Oxford (England); DLitt (hon.), University of Leeds (England)
Norman Lichtin University Professor Emeritus; Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BS, Antioch College; MS, Purdue University; PhD, Harvard University
Claudio Véliz University Professor Emeritus; Professor Emeritus of History, College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School. BSc, University of Florida; PhD, London School of Economics, University of London (England)
The University Professors Program is no longer accepting applications to its programs.
Based on the recommendations of a review committee, the University is phasing out the University Professors Program as a free-standing unit within the University. The program will be phased out gradually and students currently enrolled will continue in the program. Boston University is committed to meeting its obligations to currently enrolled UNI students. (August 9, 2007)
Program of Study
The University Professors Program (UNI) is a separate College at Boston University that grants MA and PhD degrees in fields that combine, bridge, or fall between established intellectual disciplines. Consulting closely with faculty advisors, students design their own cross-disciplinary programs of study.
The distinguished group of faculty appointed as University Professors have built their own intellectual bridges between various disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. They all hold a dual appointment in at least one other school or college at Boston University. The University Professors are some of the most distinguished scholars at Boston University, including Nobel Prize winners and members of international academies, and their counsel enables all UNI students to get to know leading authorities in many disciplines.
Each student is assigned an advisor who is familiar with the student’s area of intellectual pursuit. The advisor is responsible for helping the latter establish a sharply focused, intellectually sound program of study. After completion of coursework, an advisory committee, with one or more members who can be external to the program, is established in consultation with the student.
Depending on the nature of the area to be studied, the particular student’s background, and the availability of courses, a given degree program is constructed from courses offered by any school of college of the University. Although the exact number of courses may vary from student to student, the general course requirements are completion of 32 credit hours for a post-master’s PhD candidate and 64 credit hours for a postbachelor’s PhD candidate. Regular advising and semester reports provide evaluations, on the basis of which a student’s course of study may be altered.
Requirements for Currently Enrolled Students
In addition to general course requirements (see above) the following are required of all graduate students:
- ID 500 Seminar This is a year-long seminar (1 credit each semester) that meets once a week throughout the academic year to consider papers presented by faculty of the University Professors Program. The seminar provides a practical opportunity for incoming students to learn about the academic interests and current investigations conducted by the University Professors.
- Comprehensive Examinations are required of PhD candidates only. They are administered after the completion of coursework. They take the form appropriate to the particular area of study (i.e., written, oral, or a combination of both). These are administered and graded by the faculty advisor and advisory committee.
- Foreign Language Requirement Students should show evidence of mastery of at least one and possibly two foreign languages appropriate to their particular area of study. This evidence consists of passing a written examination.
- Thesis/dissertation proposal and public defense of prospectus.
- A master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation and Public oral defense are required of all graduate students.
See www.bu.edu/uni/programs/graduate for full requirements for graduate students in the University Professors Program.
Time Limits
Although time limits depend on the particular circumstances of each student and the advice of the advising professor and graduate committee, it is normally expected that a master’s degree program should not exceed three years; a postbachelor’s doctoral program should not exceed seven years; and a post-master’s doctoral program should be completed within five years.
Any student who chooses or is advised to transfer into another degree program at Boston University or another institution will be expected to fulfill the entrance requirements of that program.
Academic Policies
Grading The University Professors Program authorizes all University grading symbols.
Academic Standards To remain in the program, students are required to maintain a 3.5 grade point average from semester to semester.
Courses and Seminars
The following courses, under the auspices of the University Professors Program, are open to all graduate students of the University community.
UNI HU 539 The Baroque
Prereq: juniors, seniors, and graduate students only and consent of instructor. Grad prereq: consent of instructor. This interdisciplinary seminar concentrates on seventeenth-century architecture, painting, music, poetry, and drama. The syllabus is organized both topically and topographically: issues of space, light, ornamentation, and theatricality will be explored in relation to the cultural capitals of Rome, Paris, and London. Must submit to instructor 5-7 page sample of writing. Also offered as CAS AH 597 and CAS EN 597. Redford. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI HU 540 Literary Translation: Practice and Theory
Prereq: competence in a second language. A seminar on the theory and practice of literary translation, with attention to translators of the Bible, Homer, Dante, and contemporary European writers, among others. Weekly series of presentations by translators from Boston and elsewhere. Open to registered students and to the public. Registered students complete special projects and attend workshops. Elliott. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI HU 595 The English Country House
For almost three centuries, the country house played a central role in English literary culture. We will be exploring a variety of poetic and fictional texts, as well as attending to related issues of architecture and landscape design. Also offered as CAS AH 583 and CAS EN 594. Redford. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI HU 600 English Ritual Dance and Drama
A movement-oriented course on the performance styles, history, and folklore of the seasonal Morris dances and Mummers plays, which thrive traditionally in England. Meets with UNI HU 200 and CAS AN 280. Barrand. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI HU 811 Stalking the Wild Mind: The Psychology and Folklore of Psychic Phenomena and Extrasensory Perception
A research seminar exploring the implications of and methodologies for investigating phenomena at the threshold of human ability. Topics include extrasensory perception, constraints on the development of human potential, prophetic divination, dowsing, and artistic insight. Also offered as UNI HU 311. Barrand. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI HU 840 Folk Songs as Social History
Anglo-American folk songs and singing styles as expressions of personal, social, and cultural history. Topics include finding and using regional and thematic song collections, performance of traditional music, preparation and presentation of song materials in selected projects. Also offered as GRS AN 840. Barrand. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI ID 564 History of Education
The focus is on the history of education as a public concern, as reflected in government policies, debates about the purposes of education, conflicts around questions of religion and schooling, etc. Thus the focus is not so much on classroom practices as on influences from outside which have affected schools. Also offered as SED AP 620. Glenn. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI HU 539 The Baroque
Prereq: consent of instructor. This interdisciplinary seminar concentrates on seventeenth-century architecture, painting, music, poetry, and drama. The syllabus is organized both topically and topographically: issues of space, light, ornamentation, and theatricality will be explored in relation to the cultural capitals of Rome, Paris, and London. Must submit to instructor 5-7 page sample of writing. Also offered as CAS AH 597 and CAS EN 597. Redford. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI SS 515 Authenticity and Identity
This course will explore the idea of the authentic self in Western culture, reading authors such as Montesquieu, Hegel, Rousseau, Diderot, Molière, and Nietzsche. Historical and cross-cultural perspective will be provided through examples from medieval Europe, Pakistan, America, Bali, and China. Also offered as CAS AN 515. Lindholm. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI SS 541 Directed Study in Russia’s International Policies I
Russian (Soviet and post-Soviet) approaches to international policy (includes relations with other former Soviet republics); ideological and practical aspects. The policy-formation process and its machinery; domestic (factional) impact upon that process. Strategic and tactical concepts from Lenin to Putin. The history of interstate (and interparty) relations. Also offered as CAS IR 541. Ra’anan. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI SS 542 Russia: A Country in Trouble
The course presents today’s Russia from two perspectives. First, as a country determined to regain its status of a world-class power. Second, as a country that is breaking under the impact of organized crime and the public health and environmental crises. It analyzes the career of Vladimir Putin, the conflicts between Yeltsin and Gorbachev, and their attack on the political, security, and military elites of the old regime. The end of the Cold War is examined from the perspective of U.S.-Soviet relations. Also offered as CAS IR 542 and CAS PO 556. Lukes. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI SS 543 The Changing Face of Eastern Europe
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Eastern Europe has become the most interesting laboratory for testing competing political and economic theories. Focused on events that followed the collapse of communism, the course studies the domestic and foreign policies of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Germany; it analyzes the disintegration of Yugoslavia. Also offered as CAS IR 543 and CAS PO 557. Lukes. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI SS 544 Comparative Political Systems and Foreign Policies
Conflicting concepts of state and nation and the persistence of ethnic conflict. Raison d’état and ideology in international relations. National and territorial aspirations; alliance systems and spheres of influence. Policy formation and decision making in closed societies. The democratic approach to decision making. Party and electoral systems in the parliamentary form of democracy. Also offered as CAS IR 544. Ra’anan. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI SS 545 European Diplomatic History, 1789—1918
The evolution, function, and interaction of modern East and Central European states. Nationalism as a major factor in European history. National unification and multinational empires. The perception and utilization of options in European diplomacy. The impact of technology and the arts upon policy formation. The emergence of the post-1871 alliance systems and the path to World War I. Also offered as CAS IR 545. Ra’anan. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI SS 546 Power and Legitimacy
This course studies various political theories and their role in forging the world of today. Primary sources from Plato to Havel provide the framework for an inquiry into the relationship between the state and the individual, the ruling class and its subjects. The course is based on the premise that the central question facing all societies is: “Who is going to rule, and why?” Also offered as CAS IR 546. Lukes. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI SS 570 Lovers and Leaders: The Anthropology of Romance and Charisma
Why do people sometimes believe that an individual is god- like or uniquely lovable and desirable? This class will use theory from anthropology, sociology, and psychology to discuss this question, dealing with the dyadic idealization (romantic love and “friendship to the death”) and idealization of a leader (charisma). Also offered as CAS AN 570. Lindholm. 4 cr, 1st sem.UNI SS 591 The Great Powers in the Middle East
The seminar focuses on the rivalry between the great powers of Europe in the Middle East, commencing in 1798 and on the resolution of these conflicts in the First World War and its immediate aftermath. The course concludes with brief reference to the continuing conflicts arising from the peace settlement of 1922 with a special reference to the Suez episode of 1956. Also offered as CAS HI/IR 591. Fromkin. 4 cr, 2nd sem.UNI SS 802 Directed Study in Russia’s International Policies II—External Policy Post-1991: Decision Making—Structure and Process
The presidential “apparat,” the government, the Federation Council, the Duma, and the Regions. The evolving party system. The Russian “diaspora” and the “near abroad.” Relations with Primakov’s traditional clients. Also offered as GRS IR 802. Ra’anan. 4 cr, 2nd sem. 
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