Course starts: September 2027 Location: London, Bloomsbury

Politics, Sociology and East European Studies (with Study Abroad) BA

Gain a deep understanding of how politics, sociology and international relations influence Russia and Eastern Europe. Through this degree You’ll learn to analyse contemporary issues, benefit from the opportunity to learn a language, and spend a valuable year studying in the region. You’ll graduate with transferable skills ideal for careers in government, the charity sector, financial services and beyond. 

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Key information

Study mode
Full-time
Duration
4 academic years full time
Fees (2026/27)
UK: £9,790 per year
International: £32,000 per year
Application deadlines
13 January 2027. Applications close at 6pm UK time.
Applications may stay open after this UCAS Equal Consideration deadline, please check UCAS for details.
Course starts
September 2027
View 2026 entry
UCAS code
LRF7
Location
London, Bloomsbury
Department
School of Slavonic and East European Studies
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Entry requirements

Grades
AAB
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4

Contextual offer

Grades
BBB
GCSEs
English Language at grade B or 6 and Mathematics at grade C or 4

At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.

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 and International Education.

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. Access UCL is our contextual offer scheme for applicants from groups that are underrepresented at UCL. We assess your eligibility for Access UCL based on the information contained within your UCAS application. We review and update our Access UCL eligibility criteria and datasets every year, so please check the requirements for the year you plan to apply.

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who do not 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.

About this course

 

This is a crucial time to study Russia and Eastern Europe. Many Central and East European states are part of the European Union but, instead of consolidating democracy, are witnessing the rise of right-wing populism. At the same time, Russia has re-emerged as an assertive authoritarian power with major global consequences. The war in Ukraine has upended European and international politics.

Against this shifting backdrop, the Politics, Sociology and East European Studies BA introduces you to major approaches in social and political science and teaches you how to use them to understand and analyse social and political change in Russia, the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and beyond.

You take modules in politics, sociology and international relations - including some with a focus on political developments in Russia and the former Soviet Union or Eastern Europe - and draw on this region to study real-life examples of how these disciplines work in practice. You then choose from a wide range of options in politics, sociology, international relations, economics, history and East European languages to match your interests. In your final year, you write a dissertation based on an independent research project. 

 

 

We seek to recruit well-rounded, motivated students with a genuine interest in the humanities and social sciences, and a curiosity about the world, alongside strong analytical skills.  Applicants should be keen to explore materials beyond the school curriculum and engage with the histories, politics and traditions of Central and Eastern Europe. No prior knowledge of the region is required, but enthusiasm for working across cultures is essential.

Course structure

In Years 1 and 2, you will take compulsory modules in politics, sociology and international relations, including modules on the political developments of Russia and Eastern Europe. Themes covered include security and conflict, governance and corruption, migration, and democracy and authoritarianism. 

You are strongly encouraged to make use of our excellent language learning opportunities to learn Russian or another East European language as part of your degree.

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.

In your final year, you will work on a dissertation based on an independent research project. Beyond this, you can choose additional modules in economics, history, language, politics and sociology to match your interests. 

Modules

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).

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.

Compulsory modules

Optional modules

You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials. You are 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 receive regular written work, including essays, exercises and case study analyses.

You 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 is be based on unseen written examinations, coursework and a supervised final-year dissertation.

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 course.

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Study mode UK fee (2026/27) Overseas fee (2026/27)
Full time £9,790 £32,000

UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval 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. Fees for 2027/28 entry will be published in August 2026.

International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.

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 degree-specific costs for this course apart from those associated with study abroad. Studying abroad may cost between £200 and £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 £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2026. 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).

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.

Why study this course at UCL?

As a student of the Politics, Sociology and East European Studies with a Year Abroad BA, you are part of the interdisciplinary School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) , home to leading experts in the field. Our world-class academics are regularly consulted by the media as well as organisations such as the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Union.

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. 

You also have access to the School’s dedicated building and the rich resources of the SSEES Library, a leading teaching and research collection for the study of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia.

The focus of your course on real-life case studies prepares you to enter a diverse and complex job market and opt for a range of career paths, equipped with sharp analytical and critical skills that help you dissect complex situations

 

 

Discover Uni

To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.

What this course will give you

You will acquire a solid understanding of Politics, Sociology and International Relations, specialist knowledge of a region whose changing politics, societies, economics and international relations are rapidly reshaping our understanding of the world as well as a raft of transferable skills.

Popular career paths for graduates of this degree include Banking and Investment (9.1%) Accountancy and Financial Services (7.8%); Charities, NGOs and International Development (6.5%) ;Consultancy (6.5%); Health and Social Care (6.5%); Performance and Creative Arts (6.5%); Retail and Wholesale (6.5%), Teaching (6.5%) IT & Technology (6.5%) and Law (4%).

Employers for our graduates include Bloomberg LP, Deloitte LLP, European Parliament, HSBC, Ministry of Defence, OECD, Teach for Bulgaria and United Nations*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017–2023 cohorts. 

  • Banking and investment
  • Policy and government
  • IT, technology and telecommunications
  • Security and intelligence
  • Charities, NGOs and international development
  • Academic research and HE
  • Performance and creative arts
  • Teaching and other educational activities
  • Consultancy
  • Retail and wholesale activities
  • Accountancy and financial services
  • Law
  • Health and social care
  • Social and market research
  • Publishing, journalism and translation

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Register your interest

Register your interest in undergraduate study and become part of the UCL community.

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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.

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.

Selection

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

Apply for this course

You are applying for the Politics, Sociology and East European Studies (with Study Abroad) BA course. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.

Course starts: September 2027

UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.

Got questions? Get in touch

We are here to help. Get in touch with us for more information about our courses.

School of Slavonic and East European Studies

School of Slavonic and East European Studies

Click to email. ugadmissions@ssees.ucl.ac.uk

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