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HSE University — Saint Petersburg and UCL Open a New Master's Programme

In the new joint master's programme 'Comparative Russian and Eurasian Politics', which will begin accepting applications in 2021, students will divide their time betwee University College London and HSE University - Saint Petersburg. Upon graduation, students will earn a double degree awarded by both universities. The programme is of interest of those who want to study politics in Russia and the post-Soviet region and gain a deeper knowledge of the area that will equip them for region-related careers or further study at the doctoral level.

HSE University — Saint Petersburg and UCL Open a New Master's Programme

© iStock

About the Programme

In the programme 'Comparative Russian and Eurasian Politics' student will engage in critical analysis of Russian and Eurasian politics, societies, and cultures. Master's students will gain a deep knowledge of the post-Soviet space, government policy, and social development analysis. By employing rigorous methodological approaches, students will strengthen their research skills and become competitive candidates for careers in academia, public policy, international relations, and more. 

Master's students will be able to design their curriculum and choose from a diverse range of optional courses which make up half of the programme. The programme includes courses devoted to studying specific countries of Eurasia and methodology courses which allow students to immerse themselves in discourse analysis or working with digital data. In addition, graduate students can choose courses on Russian Empire History, Soviet Cinema, or EU migration politics.

Graduates will be able to continue their studies on PhD programmes in Russia and abroad or work for companies that need specialists with expertise in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.

How to Apply

Admissions will begin in 2021. The programme 'Comparative Russian and Eurasian Politics' is a two-year programme. Students complete their first year of study at University College London (UCL) and their second at HSE University - Saint Petersburg. Upon graduation, students earn diplomas of both universities.

The programme is fully taught in English and aims to assemble diverse, international corhorts. All qualified students, regardless of citizenship, are encouraged to apply. To enter the programme, students must provide their bachelor's diploma and have a minimum overall score of 7.0 on the IELTS.

The programme 'Comparative Russian and Eurasian Politics' offers fee-paying seats only. However, the Joint Academic Committee intends to discuss the opportunity of making discounts or providing scholarships to outstanding students. Detailed information about the dates of the admission campaign and tuition fees will be announced later on the website.

Andrey Starodubtsev

Academic Supervisor of the Master's programme 'Comparative Russian and Eurasian Politics'

UCL is one of the best universities in the world in the social sciences, while HSE produces significant knowledge about socio-political processes in post-Soviet countries. Studying in UCL and HSE's joint programme will provide students with relevant knowledge about this region from world-leading experts working in Russia and the UK. This degree will be valuable not only for those who are planning to start or continue an academic career but also for those who are interested in obtaining an applied knowledge of economics and the political and social development of Eastern Europe and Central Asia countries.

The programme is run by the Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies. The school adheres to the idea that immersion in a particular country's environment is an integral element of studying post-Soviet space. That is why graduate students will have a chance to have an internship and do field research in post-Soviet countries.

The new joint programme is not the only collaborative projects between HSE St. Petersburg and University College London. UCL and HSE are also international academic partners, so students can study at the partner university. In addition, UCL students come to HSE University - Saint Petersburg under tailor-made programmes for Russian language learning and study in a double degree master's programme in Finance