In this degree you will get a unique opportunity to develop expertise in the disciplines of economics, politics, and history. You will learn to apply this expertise to understanding the social, cultural, economic, and political world around us, developing skills essential for a whole range of future careers. Particular attention is focused on the study of the areas with which the School of Slavonic and East European Studies is primarily concerned: the countries of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, including Russia and Germany. You will also have the opportunity to learn an East European language and to gain deeper insights into the major socio-economic and political issues such as the interaction between the economy, culture and political institutions and their joint impact on the lives of millions.
The current structure of the degree requires you to take 360 credits over 3 years, 120 credits in each year.
You will also:
Learn the basics of an East European language.
Achieve an understanding of the disciplines of History, Politics and Economics.
Write a dissertation based on your own research with reference to the region.
The basic principle of the BA HPE degree is progression from one year to the next along defined disciplinary pathways. Knowledge and skills learned in one year provide building blocks for more advanced study in each subsequent year.
Please note students can only register for 120 credits in total per year of study and optional modules are subject to change.
First year students are encouraged to do Level 4 modules in their first year as these are preparatory modules for your subsequent years.
- Year One
Compulsory Modules (90 credits):
- SESS0007 - Introduction to Microeconomics (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0008 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (15 Credits, Term 2)
- SESS0016 - Understanding Politics I: The Big Questions in Contemporary Europe (15 credits)
- SESS0017- Understanding Politics II: How Politics Works (15 credits)
- SEHI0003 - Frontiers of History (30 credits)
Optional Modules: select from the list below, including languages (30 credits)
In year 1 the department offers - SESS0080 Mathematics for Economists (0 credits Term 1)
This is an introductory course which provides students mathematical skills required to undertake intermediate microeconomics and econometrics in future study. The course caters for those with or without A-level mathematics. The course covers basic algebra, linear and non-linear equations, simultaneous equations, exponential and logarithmic functional forms, rules of differentiation, partial differentiation, as well as unconstrained and constrained optimisation. The course concludes with integration and matrix algebra. Each topic is taught with economic application, involving exercises and tests in both pure mathematics and mathematics applied to economic problems. The module carries zero credits, and it is elective for 1st-year History, Politics and Economics students undertaking Economics path. It is advised this module is selected by students who do not have a A grade at A-level or the equivalent qualification.
Politics and Sociology Modules
- SESS0082 - Introduction to International Relations: concepts and ideas - (15 credits, Term 2)
- SESS0083 - Introduction to International Relations: Themes and issues - (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0013 - Understanding Society: Introduction to Social Theory (15 credits, Term 1)
- SESS0014 - Understanding Society: Introduction to Political Sociology (15 credits Term 2)
- SESS0018 - Communist Societies 1945-1989 (15 credits,Term 1)
- SESS0015 - Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (15 credits, Term 2)
NB. The Politics and Sociology modules are normally prerequisites for second-year modules in their respective fields. If you wish to pursue the International Relations subjects you must take SESS0082 or you will not be able to proceed with these in years 2 and 3.
Economics and Business Modules
- SESS0009 - Applied Game Theory for Economics and Business (15 Credits, Term 2)
- SESS0010 - Contemporary Issues in International Business (15 Credits, Term 1)
NB SESS0010 gives you access to New Venture Creation in year 2. Please note for many Year 2 modules you will need a Statistics module we would recommend taking STAT0021 to any student wishing to specialise in Economics.
Language and Culture Modules
- SEEB0014 Bulgarian A
- SEEC0017 Czech A
- SEEF0017 Finnish A
- SEEH0003 Hungarian A
- SEEP0003 Polish A
- SEER0003 Romanian A
- SERS0007 Russian A
- SEEY0017 Serbian/Croatian A
- SEEV0001 Slovene A
- SEEU0019 Ukrainian A
- SEEB0001 - Bulgarian Language Level 1
- SEEC0001 - Czech Language Level 1
- SEEF0001 - Finnish Language Level 1
- SEEH0001 - Hungarian Language Level 1
- SEEP0001 - Polish Language Level 1
- SEER0001 - Romanian Language Level 1
- SERS0001 - Comprehension of Russian (Year 1A) - Ab initio track
- SEEY0001 - Serbian/Croatian Language Level 1
- SEEU0001 - Ukrainian Language Level 1
- SERS0008 - Russian Short Fiction from Romanticism to Postmodernism (15 Credits)
- SERS0010 - The Making of Modern Russian Culture (15 credits)
- SERS0012 - Representations of Russia (15 credits)
- SERS0014 - Russian Cinema: History, Ideology, Society
- SEEE0013 - Literature and Memory (15 credits Term 1)
- SEEE0002 - How Words Work: Sounds and Sense, Linguistics and Verbal Art (15 credits)
- SEEE0003 - How Words Work- Meaning and Modularity (Inter-departmental) (15 credits)
- SEEE0006 - Tales of the Unexpected: the supernatural and fantastic in literature, 1800-1930 (Inter-departmental) (15 credits)
- SEEE0007 - Languages in Contact along the Danube: Intercultural Frictions and Flows (Inter-departmental) (15 credits)
- SSEEE0009 - War, Trauma and Memory in East European Cinema (Inter-dep)(15 credits)
- SEEE0010 - Minority Languages of Russia: Cultural and Linguistic Diversity and Endangerment (Inter-departmental) (15 credits)
- SEEE0011 - Staging Europe (Inter-departmental) (15 credits)
- SEEE0015 - Between the Alps and the Adriatic: Modern Slovene Culture and Literature (15 credits)
Please note we cannot guarantee that all languages and levels will be available every year.
History Modules
Level 5 Survey modules are open to year 1 students. All are 30 credits.
- HIST0483 History of the Habsburg Monarchy 1700-1918
- HIST0488 History of Russia 1598-1856
- HIST0490 History of Modern Germany 1815-1990
In order to progress from Year One, students must have passed all 120 credits (including any condoned fails). To be awarded a degree with honours (classified) in the field of study (HPE) the student must have taken and passed all non-condonable modules, with the overall module pass mark of 40 or above.
Languages at UCL - Language modules may be taken from the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE).
- Year Two
In your second year, you will choose your track, specializing in two of the three disciplines embedded in HPE. Whichever two you choose, you must complete at least 30 credits in each of the two subjects. In total, you must choose a total of 120 credits.
All students, regardless of track, must take one of the following core modules (30 credits):
History and Politics Track
At least 30 credits from the following History modules:
- HIST0483 - History of the Habsburg Monarchy 1700-1918
- HIST0474 - Poland and Lithuania Transformed
- HIST0470 - Crown Church and Estates in Central Europe, 1500-1700
- HIST0472 Successors to the Habsburgs: East-Central Europe, 1914-1945
- HIST0476 - Media, Culture and Society in the Soviet Union from Stalin to 1991
- HIST0488 - History of Russia 1598-1856
- HIST0490 - History of Modern Germany 1815-1990
- HIST0644 - The Rise and Fall of Yugoslavia
- HIST0676 - A Global History of Socialist Ideas.
- HIST0721 - History of the Soviet Union.
Compulsory Politics module (15 credits)
Plus one optional Politics module from (15 or 30 credits):
- SESS0035 - Post-Soviet Politics and Society
- SESS0004 - The Making of Modern Ukraine
- SESS0027 - The History of European Political Ideas
- SESS0031 - Concepts of Security
- SESS0030 - Russian Politics and Society
- SESS0035 - Post-Soviet Politics and Society
- SESS0061 - Democracy and Democratisation
- SESS0034 - Researching Politics and Society - Politics Dissertation Preparation module.
- SESS0029 - Politics and Society in Central and Eastern Europe
- SESS0062 - Politics and Societies of Southeast Europe
- SESS0092 - Revolutions and Society: Revolutions in the Modern World 1600-2021
History and Economics Track
At least 30 credits in History and 30 credits in Economics (note that you are required to choose, as a compulsory module, either SESS0020 or SESS0021)
At least 30 credits from the following History modules:
HIST0470 - Crown Church and Estates in Central Europe, 1500-1700
HIST0472 Successors to the Habsburgs: East-Central Europe, 1914-1945
HIST0476 - Media, Culture and Society in the Soviet Union from Stalin to 1991
Choose from ONE compulsory Economics module (15 credits):
Plus ONE of the following optional Economics modules:
- SESS0023 - Applied Econometrics
- SESS0019 - Emerging Market Economies: Economics of Transition
- SESS0026 - Political Economy of European Integration
- SESS0007 - Topics in Microeconomics
- SESS0008 - European Macroeconomics
- SESS0022 - New Venture Creation
- SESS0024 - Economic History and Ideas
- SESS0036 - Economics of Innovation
- SESS0087 - Qualitative Research Methods for Economics and Business - Dissertation Preparation module for Economics
Politics and Economics Track
At least 30 credits in Politics and 30 credits in Economics (note that SESS0033 is compulsory and that you are also required to choose, as a compulsory module, either SESS0020 or SESS0021)
Compulsory Politics module (15 credits)
Plus ONE optional Politics modules (15 credits):
- SESS0035 - Post-Soviet Politics and Society
- SESS0004 - The Making of Modern Ukraine
- SESS0027 - The History of European Political Ideas
- SESS0031 - Concepts of Security
- SESS0030 - Russian Politics and Society
- SESS0035 - Post-Soviet Politics and Society
- SESS0061 - Democracy and Democratisation
- SESS0034 - Researching Politics and Society - Politics Dissertation Preparation module.
- SESS0029 - Politics and Society in Central and Eastern Europe
- SESS0062 - Politics and Societies of Southeast Europe
- SESS0092 - Revolutions and Society: Revolutions in the Modern World 1600-2021
Choose from one compulsory Economics module (15 credits):
Plus one of the optional Economics modules (15 credits):
- SESS0023 - Applied Econometrics
- SESS0019 - Emerging Market Economies: Economics of Transition
- SESS0026 - Political Economy of European Integration
- SESS0007 - Topics in Microeconomics
- SESS0008 - European Macroeconomics
- SESS0022 - New Venture Creation
- SESS0024 - Economic History and Ideas
- SESS0036 - Economics of Innovation
- SESS0087 - Qualitative Research Methods for Economics and Business - Dissertation Preparation module for Economics
All students can take up to 30 credits of HPE electives, from SSEES options, including a language, or from another UCL department.
Please note students can take up to 30 credits of outside modules in their 2nd and 3rd years combined.
- Year Three
Compulsory modules (30 credits):
- SESS0050 1989: Crisis and the New Global Revolutions Non condonable
Compulsory Dissertation (30 credits)
- SESS0053 Free Standing Dissertation (in one chosen discipline which has been studied in Year 2) Non condoneable
30 credits of Optional modules related to Dissertation discipline from SSEES options.
30 credits of HPE electives, from SSEES options, including a language, or from another UCL department.
Please note that students require 90 credits of Level 6 modules to be considered for an honours degree.