Based at our Bloomsbury campus at UCL’s School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) , we are the UK’s largest institution for research and teaching on Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the Baltics, Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia . Russia and Eastern Europe have undergone dramatic changes throughout history, and change is far from over.
In this course, you will explore themes such as democracy and authoritarianism, corruption, ethno‑political conflict, foreign policy and security through both thematic and country‑focused modules. This degree allows you to specialise in one region or take a comparative approach across the post‑communist world.
We seek to recruit well-rounded, motivated students with a genuine 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 politics or of the region is required, but enthusiasm for working across cultures is essential. Whilst we encourage those with a background in the social sciences and humanities, we are open to prospective candidates from other disciplines and encourage you to get in touch with us to discuss your interest in the region and its politics and societies.
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. You will acquire transferable skills such as critical reasoning, independent thinking and application of theoretical concepts which strongly place you to find employment in international organisations, and particularly careers which cross international boundaries and value linguistic and cultural knowledge.
Popular career paths for graduates of this degree include Scientific Research, development & analysis (10.8%); Publishing, Journalism or Translation (9.2%); Charities, NGOs and International Development (9.2%); Policy and Government (7.7%); Consultancy (6.2%); Security and Intelligence (6.2%); and PR, Advertising, Marketing (6.2%).
Employers for our graduates include the UK Government and the Home Office; Alaco Ltd; European Council of Foreign Relations; House of Commons; UCL; and Ministry of Justice.
Some of our most common job titles are: Business and related research professionals; Public relations professionals; and Data analysts.
Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2018–24 cohorts.