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East European Studies MRes

London, Bloomsbury

Our East European Studies MRes provides area-specific, language-oriented, advanced research training in the methodologies and approaches of economics, politics, sociology, history, culture and literature. Our MRes offers two pathways: social sciences, and arts and humanities, enabling you to tailor the programme to suit your own experience and interests.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£11,000
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£29,800
Duration
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 04 Apr 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

An upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


You will develop general research skills, interdisciplinary and discipline-specific research skills, area-specific research skills and language skills oriented towards carrying out research in the region. The programme produces multidisciplinary researchers specialised in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, with language proficiency and cultural, historical and institutional awareness.

Further details on the structure and modules can be found in the Programme Handbook

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students who wish to gain advanced research training in the language, culture and institutions of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. It provides an ideal foundation for a PhD degree, and a research career in both public and private sector organisations.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies (SSEES) is one of the largest national centres in the UK, for the study of central, Eastern and south-eastern Europe and Russia.

You will have access to the SSEES Library which is unequalled in Britain for the depth and breadth of its collections, the majority of which are on open access in the SSEES building.

You will have the chance to develop your research interests in a choice of two pathways; social sciences or arts and humanities, depending on your interests. 

Students have the opportunity to learn a language from the SSEES region; either as a beginner or to build on knowledge of an existing language. 

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

With their specialist knowledge and language skills, SSEES Master's graduates can be found in business, finance, the media, international agencies, charities, diplomacy, international security organisations, the law, and academia.

Employability

Graduates of the programme will possess the attributes to complete a PhD within three years or to enter the labour market directly with advanced analytical and research skills, regional expertise and proficiency in a language of the area. The rigorous exams we set for our language courses mean that potential employers or prospective PhD supervisors will know that our graduates can work effectively with the languages they have studied.

Internship opportunities and excellent links with other universities in the region as well as suite of leading events and research seminars complement your studies.

Networking

Our London location and links with cultural institutions, such as Pushkin House; think-tanks such as Chatham House and proximity to Embassies of the region, mean we attract a wide range of external and influential speakers at our events. The SSEES Employers Evening hosts a range of employers with relevant job opportunities for SSEES students, enabling networking with key organisations to help further your career. SSEES scholars have developed strong links with a range of institutions in London, including the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), Roubini Global Economics, NGOs such as Health Prom, Amnesty International and others through the BEARR Trust, Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs), as well as with the European Commission. SSEES also cultivates connections with the London embassies of the region, which regularly co-sponsor round-table events and lectures by leading international figures relevant to our area interests.

Teaching and learning

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, workshops, seminars and language classes.

You will be assessed by unseen and written examinations, coursework assignments, essays and the research dissertation.

For a full-time postgraduate course, we recommend around 20-25 hours of independent study per week. Contact hours may vary depending on module choices, but full-time students will have approximately 8-10 contact hours each week during term time, spent in lectures and seminars.

Those undertaking language modules may have additional contact hours. There is minimal teaching during Term 3, as students focus on the dissertation and assessments.

Modules

MRes East European Studies offers two pathways for you to choose from:

Social Sciences Pathway

In Year 1, you will study a language at beginner level; choose elective modules from SSEES's economics, politics and sociology programmes; and undertake modules in specialist research methods training.  Possible research methods courses include quantitative and qualitative methods training and modules on political and social analysis.

In addition, all MRes students are encouraged to attend regular Research Centre Seminars.

All MRes students also attend the MA/MRes Dissertation Preparation Programme. This programme includes a detailed, subject-specific dissertation briefing, and session dedicated to library and information management skills.

In Year 2, you will continue your language study at intermediate level and complete a specialist module in Interdisciplinary Area Studies together with one or two elective modules from SSEES's social sciences programmes.  The core of Year 2 is the work on the research dissertation, which in previous years has been around 20,000 words.

Arts & Humanities Pathway

In Year 1, you will study a language at beginner level; choose elective modules from SSEES's history, language and culture programmes; and undertake modules in specialist research methods training.  Possible research methods courses include quantitative and qualitative methods training and modules on political and social analysis.

In addition, all MRes students are encouraged to attend regular Research Centre Seminars.

All MRes students also attend the MA/MRes Dissertation Preparation Programme. This programme includes a detailed, subject-specific dissertation briefing, and session dedicated to library and information management skills.

In Year 2, you will continue your language study at intermediate level and complete a specialist module in Interdisciplinary Area Studies together with one or two elective modules from SSEES's arts and humanities programmes.  The core of Year 2 is the work on the research dissertation, which in previous years has been around 20,000 words.

Further details on the structure and modules can be found in the Programme Handbook

Compulsory modules




Optional modules


























Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

You will undertake modules to the value of 330 credits over two years: 150 credits are taken in year one and 180 in year two. Two pathways are available: social sciences, and arts and humanities. Upon successful completion of 330 credits, you will be awarded an MRes in East European Studies.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Masaryk Common Room, SSEES, 16 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0BW, United Kingdom - Open day

Graduate Open Events: School of Slavonic & East European Studies

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We are thrilled to announce the SSEES Graduate Open Evening on 29th January 2025. UCL SSEES will open its doors to welcome prospective and current applicants for our postgraduate programmes. Our range of MA programmes and PhD provision covers our four main programme areas: Economics and Business; Politics and Sociology; History; and Languages and Culture. We also offer a two year international Masters (IMESS), where students spend the second year abroad at a partner university in the region.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £11,000
Tuition fees (2025/26) £29,800

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, or conference registration fees and associated travel costs.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library as hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study East European Studies at graduate level
  • why you want to study East European Studies at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of a challenging and truly international academic environment
  • about your research interests and where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

In addition to the standard UCL application form, you should submit a short research proposal, outlining yout areas of interest. Please download and complete the proposal form on the SSEES webpages. This should then be uploaded with your application.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

SSEES - School of Slavonic and East European Studies
SSEES - School of Slavonic and East European Studies

ssees-research@ucl.ac.uk

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