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History, Politics and Economics BA

London, Bloomsbury

Gain in-depth knowledge of the histories, economies and societies of Eastern Europe and Russia through this degree, setting you up for a globally-focused career. The three-year History, Politics and Economics BA gives you a solid foundation in three exciting disciplines, combining important approaches for understanding the social, cultural, economic and political world around us. After building a solid foundation, you can choose an area of specialisation and hone transferrable skills essential for a wide range of careers. 

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
Duration
3 academic years
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£9,535
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£29,800
Programme starts
September 2026
Application deadline
14 Jan 2026
UCAS course code
4P47
Apply via UCAS

Entry requirements

A levels IB Diploma Other qualifications
Grades
AAA
Subjects
Any three subjects from Economics, History, Mathematics and Politics preferred.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.

Contextual offer information

Grades
ABB more about contextual offers
Subjects
Any three subject from Economics, History, Mathematics and Politics preferred.
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.
Points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5. Any three higher level subjects from Economics, History, Mathematics and Politics preferred. The programme will accept either 'Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches' or 'Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.

Contextual offer

Points
34 more about contextual offers
Subjects
A total of 16 points in three higher level subjects, preferably including Mathematics, with no score below 5. The programme will accept either 'Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches' or 'Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation' at higher level.

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

Equivalent qualification

Pass in Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 33 credits at Distinction and 12 credits at Merit in the Level 3 units. Economics, History, Mathematics or Politics units preferred.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Any three subjects from Economics, History, Mathematics and Politics preferred.

AAA at Advanced Highers (or AA at Advanced Higher and AAA at Higher). Any three subjects from Economics, History, Mathematics and Politics preferred in Advanced Highers.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.

International applications

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

Access and widening participation

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.
Check your Access UCL Scheme eligibility

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who don’t have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

English language requirements

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.

Course overview



Russia and Eastern Europe have undergone dramatic changes throughout history, and change is far from over.

On this course, you build thorough knowledge of the histories, economies and societies of the wider European region, and especially Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltics, Russia and Eurasia.

This interdisciplinary course is carefully structured to give you a solid foundation in each of the three subject pathways, while encouraging increasing specialisation as the degree progresses. You choose two specialist disciplines in Year 2  and one specialist discipline in your final year, including a research dissertation. This structure enables you to tailor your studies to your evolving interests, while also encouraging you to explore the interface between history, economics and politics in Years 2 and 3.

By understanding this vast and exciting region in a global context, you'll develop approaches to understand and analyse the world around us from an economic, historical and political approach.

What this course will give you

This degree's interdisciplinary nature gives you the opportunity to combine insights from different fields, encouraging you to think creatively and critically whilst establishing a firm foundation of knowledge.

As a student on this course, you are part of the UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies, the leading national centre in the UK for the study of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the Baltics, Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. You have access to the vast collection of the SSEES Library, which contains over 400,000 books, journals and film resources relating to the region. 

Our staff are active in research and consultancy at the frontiers of their subjects, and often appear on mainstream media and advise policy and government.

The School hosts an extensive events schedule, inviting high profile speakers such as the Booker Prize winner, Georgi Gospodinov, ministers from the region, and journalists who have reported on the frontline of the war in Ukraine. 

The course also offers the flexibility to follow your interests and personalise your learning, allowing you ample scope for specialisation and offering an optional year abroad, which gives you the chance to spend a year at a partner university in the region (please note that places are limited).

Teaching and learning

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Upon successful completion of 360 credits, you will be awarded a BA (Hons) in History, Politics and Economics.

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 is 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.

In Year 1, you'll take compulsory modules in history, politics and economics, to give you a solid foundation in the methods of these disciplines. 

Those who enter the programme without Maths A-level and want to pursue an economics pathway will have the opportunity to take a 0-credit Maths for Economists module.

In Year 2 you will start to specialise and choose 2 disciplines from history, politics and economics to focus on, choosing from a wide range of modules. Example themes include emerging markets, innovation, security and international relations, migration, history of socialism and history of Russia. 

In Year 3, you will take a compulsory final year multi-disciplinary module that brings your learning of the three disciplines together. You also further specialise in one of the disciplines, picking from a range of options in history, politics or economics, as as well as undertake a dissertation based on your own research with reference to the region.

You are encouraged to make use of our excellent language learning opportunities to learn a language of the region. 

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Compulsory modules







Optional modules








Compulsory modules



Optional modules









Concepts of Security








Compulsory modules





Optional modules






Your learning

You are taught via a combination of interactive lectures and small-group tutorials. Tutorials  involve discussion, exercises, presentations and experiments. You are set regular written work, including essays, policy analyses, exercises, online activities and posters.

Typical contact hours vary between 8-12 hours per week, depending on the year of study and module choice, and include lectures, seminars, practice-based activities and e-learning activities. Students will also display a level of independent study (25-30 hours per week), for example, by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the programme.

Assessment

Your assessment is based on various types of written coursework, presentations, some unseen written examinations, and a final-year 10,000-word dissertation. Throughout the programme you will receive detailed feedback to help you develop your skills. When working on your dissertation, you will be assigned an individual supervisor who provides support and advice. 

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

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Economics and Business with East European Studies BA (AM)

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We are excited to invite you to the SSEES Economics and Business with East European Studies Virtual Open Events taking place on 6 May at 9:00 and on 12 May at 15:00. Join us online in an interactive Q&A session for prospective students interested in studying Economics and Business. The session will feature our Admissions Tutor and current students, providing an exciting opportunity for attendees to learn about the programme. The session will be held on Zoom and registration in advance is essential!

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: Economics and Business with East European Studies BA (PM)

—

We are excited to invite you to the SSEES Economics and Business with East European Studies Virtual Open Events taking place on 6 May at 9:00 and on 12 May at 15:00. Join us online in an interactive Q&A session for prospective students interested in studying Economics and Business. The session will feature our Admissions Tutor and current students, providing an exciting opportunity for attendees to learn about the programme. The session will be held on Zoom and registration in advance is essential!

Online - Open day

Virtual Open Event: History, Politics and Economics BA (AM)

—

We are excited to invite you to the SSEES History, Politics and Economics Virtual Open Events taking place on Thursday 15 May 2025 at 9:00 and 15:00. Join us in an interactive Q&A session for prospective students interested in studying History, Politics and Economics. The session will feature our Admissions Tutor and current students, providing an exciting opportunity for attendees to learn about the programme. The session will be held on Zoom and registration in advance is essential!

The foundation of your career

Popular career paths for graduates of this degree include accountancy and financial services, consultancy, charities, NGOs and international development, scientific research and development, IT and technology, journalism and translation, and further study. 

Employers include Bank of America, Barclays Bank, Deloitte LLP, European Investment Fund, HSBC, Houses of Parliament, OECD (The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), PwC and United Nations. Some graduates have also gone on to become entrepeneurs*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-2022 cohorts.

Employability

As a graduate of this degree, you will have a multitude of transferable skills, such as analytical thinking, communication, research skills, and a critical way of approaching real-world topics, all of which are attractive to employers looking for deep thinkers able to map out and analyse complex situations.  

Alongside your specialist knowledge of three disciplines, this course will prepare you to enter a job marketing where strategic thinking and independent thought are incredibly valuable attributes. 

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £9,535
Tuition fees (2025/26) £29,800

Fees are for Undergraduate 2025/26 entry and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases and are subject to the passing of secondary legislation. Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2025/26 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

 Please note that if you wish to study abroad during your programme at UCL, this is likely to incur additional costs. Studying abroad may cost between £200–£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website. 

For in-person teaching, 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. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Funding your studies

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Scholarships

The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.

Next steps

Your application

We are looking for applicants who express a genuine interest in the subject areas and who can evidence independent engagement with the disciplines, as well as an interest in the region. We are interested in hearing your own views and opinions. For instance, if you have undertaken additional reading, tell us what you thought about the topic discussed. Relevant skills include: communication, critical evaluation, creative thinking.

How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

On the basis of our assessment of your application we will decide whether to make you an offer. If you are succesfful, you will invited to attend an offer holder day which includes more information about your chosen degree programme, the department, and our facilities and services. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and to go on a tour of UCL led by current students.

Apply via UCAS
Application guidelines
Download prospectus

Got questions? Get in touch

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

ugadmissions@ssees.ucl.ac.uk

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