Minors At HSE
We are often faced with the choice of our future path and this choice is considered to be enormously difficult. The selection of the educational track is inevitable for each of us.
Anyway you have to choose one thing and give up other options. However, the flexible educational system at HSE allows us to approach this issue in the way of meeting the desires of students doing everything so that they can try themselves in different areas of specialization. This approach consists of going through learning cycle called Minor.
Minor is a group of four related disciplines within one general non-core discipline which distinguishes it from Major. Each Minor refers to a specific educational program/direction that implements the educational process for this Minor. Four disciplines are studied for two years. Each discipline lasts for two modules and takes place on a particular day.
Yes, Minor is a compulsory part of every student’s curriculum. Despite the fact that students choose their Minors according to their own interests, they are obliged to take Minors. Each of the four Minor disciplines weighs five credit, which makes up in total 20 credit. These 20 credit are included into 240 mandatory credits of the main degree program.
Minor is studied by second and third year undergraduate students.
As a rule, by the end of the third module, freshers are given a list of available Minors. From year to year, the list partly varies depending on the demand among students and the capabilities of the university. So, in spring students in their personal accounts place their preferences for desired Minors on five priorities. What Minor will be assigned to a student depends on his or her current ranking, that is, the higher position a student obtains in the ranking, the higher chances are to be assigned to the desired Minor.
Yes, it is required. For instance, if a student studies Philosophy, he orshe may take "World Economy" Minor. However, students are not allowed to take the same Minor as their primary educational program. In other words, they cannot take the Minor "Psychology" if they are students of “Psychology” Program.
No. But students have the opportunity to change their Minor only ten days after the beginning of it on the second year of study. After that it is impossible. Moscow students have also an opportunity to take so called "Free Minor" that is a set of four completely different disciplines that are not connected to any general non-core discipline.
Minor is a unique opportunity to try yourself in a different field, perhaps not even related to the main educational track. Sometimes it happens that students are more interested in the sphere that is represented by their Minor than in the main educational program, and then they get a clear understanding of their future path, which is fine for those who in the first year still doubted their choice. In addition to self-development and broadening of horizons, Minor will be useful for professional skills, since any Minor at HSE provide important applications. The skills gained on the Minor can complement your professional knowledge and be counted as an additional bonus during employment.
Text by
Daria Borovkova