Politics, Sociology and East European Studies with a Year Abroad BA
London, Bloomsbury
Politics, Sociology and East European Studies with a Year Abroad BA (2025)
This degree programme combines training in politics, international relations and sociology with specialist modules on Russia and Eastern Europe. The degree provides graduates with the skills to analyse contemporary issues in European and international politics and society.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
Programme starts
September 2024Application deadline
31 Jan 2024UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- AAB
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- BBB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- No specific subjects. At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 5.
- Points
- 36
- Subjects
- A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 32 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 15 points in three higher level subjects, with no higher level score below 5.
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 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF) or BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF - teaching from 2016) with Distinction, Distinction, Distinction.
D3,D3,M1in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects
AAB at Advanced Highers (or AA at Advanced Higher and BBB at Higher)
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A levels at grades AAB.
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.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
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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
This programme offers modules in politics, sociology and international relations including focus on the political developments of Russia and other parts of the former USSR as well as Central and South-Eastern Europe. We use the region as a focal point to provide real life examples of how politics, sociology and international relations work in practice. We believe this gives our students the best possible preparation to enter diverse and complex careers.
In your final year you will write a dissertation based on an independent research project. You will choose from a wide range of options in politics, sociology, international relations, economics, history and culture, to match your interests. Themes include migration, security, policy, governance, and democracy.
You have the opportunity to learn Russian or another East European language as part of your degree. As well as making use of our excellent language learning opportunities, you will also have access to the rich foreign language resources of the SSEES Library.
Your third year is spent abroad studying at a university in the region. During your year abroad you will be expected to develop your language skills where appropriate, to take modules (in English) related to your degree and to develop an enhanced understanding of relevant country-level issues.
What this course will give you
This is an exciting time to study this continually changing region. Many post-communist states are now part of the European Union but, instead of consolidating democracy, are witnessing the rise of right-wing populism. At the same time, Russia is re-emerging as an assertive power with major international consequences; for evidence, look no further than the war in Ukraine.
You will learn about major approaches in social and political science and how to use them to understand social and political change in Russia, the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe.
You will be taught by leading experts in the field, all of whom speak one or more of the languages of the region.
Our academic staff are regularly consulted by organisations such as the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Union.
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 Politics, Sociology and East European Studies with a Year Abroad.
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.
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You will take compulsory modules in politics, sociology and international relations—including modules on the political developments of Russia and Eastern Europe—in years one and two, with a dissertation based on an independent research project in your final year. Beyond this you can choose additional modules in economics, history, language, politics and sociology to match your interests.
You are strongly encouraged to learn Russian or another east European language as part of your degree. As well as making use of our excellent language learning opportunities, you will also have access to the rich foreign language resources of the UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies (SSEES) Library.
Your third year is spent abroad studying at a university in the region. During your year abroad you will be expected to develop your language skills where appropriate, to take modules (in English) related to your degree and to develop an enhanced understanding of relevant country-level issues.
Compulsory modules
Your learning
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will be expected to prepare presentations and papers on selected topics for your seminars and tutorials, sometimes as an individual and sometimes as part of a group, followed by class discussion. You will also receive regular written work, including essays, exercises and case study analyses.
Each student will engage in 1200 learning hours every year, made up of teaching time (lectures, seminars and workshops), independent study, assessment and feedback.
Assessment
You will receive feedback from tutors on both your oral and written work and your presentation skills to help develop your analytical ability in these areas. Your assessment will be based on unseen written examinations, coursework and a supervised final-year dissertation.
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 team.
The foundation of your career
Career destinations of previous graduates include government service, international agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), consultancy (economic, political risk, security, marketing), banking, financial services, law, media, teaching and the leisure industry, as well as further study.
SSEES alumni regularly return to meet our current students to talk about their careers and offer advice. Employers seeking experts on our region often approach SSEES to publicise their vacancies.
Employability
You will acquire a solid understanding of politics and sociology, specialist knowledge of a region whose changing politics, economics and international relations are rapidly reshaping our understanding of the world, as well as a raft of transferable skills.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £9,250 |
| Tuition fees (2024/25) | £28,100 |
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2024/25 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2024/25 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
There are no additional costs with this programme.
In addition, please note that if you 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.
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. 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.
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
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 successful, you will be invited to a post-offer open day. The open day will include introductory talks providing more information about SSEES, our facilities and your chosen degree. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions, and take a tour of UCL led by current students.
Got questions? Get in touch
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