Postgraduate taught degree programmes

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Russian, Central & East European Studies (MSc)

Background

CEES History

Central and East European Studies (CEES) is recognised as one of the world's leading centres for research and research training in this field and is part of the newly established School of Social and Political Sciences within the College of Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow.

CEES – leading UK research and teaching centre

CEES was delighted with its performance in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise which confirmed its leading position amongst departments engaged in Central and East European Studies in the UK. Submitting twice the number of staff as in 2001, including new entrants to the profession, 85% of its work was rated “international”, “internationally excellent” or “world leading”; in its unit of assessment CEES was ranked first in Scotland and fifth equal in the UK.

Central and East European Studies, in conjunction with the Slavonic Studies Section of the School of Modern Languages and Cultures and scholars in the Colleges of Arts and Social Sciences, founded the School of Slavonic and East European Studies which also includes academics in Strathclyde, West of Scotland and Glasgow Caledonian Universities.

CEES credentials and accreditation

  • CEES is acknowledged by the Economic & Social Research Council and the Arts & Humanities Research Russia image in BGround SectionCouncil as a centre of excellence.  In 2006, CEES led a successful bid to create a Centre of Excellence in Russian, Central and East European Studies (CRCEES).
  • "Our programmes of postgraduate training are part of the Language Based Area Studies (LBAS) training pathway within the Scotland-wide ESRC Doctoral Training Centre, the Scottish Graduate School of Social Sciences. the pathway allows for training on a 2+3 (MRes + intensive language training to advanced level + PhD). Annual ESRC-funded studentships are available for these training pathways".
  • The 2011 Periodic Subject Review of Central and East European Studies highly commended the design of the postgraduate curriculum, in terms of its content, coherence, flexibility and intellectual rigour.
  • The breadth and depth of language provision on our postgraduate programme is unique in the UK.
  • We have a strong focus on internationalisation and employability through a range of postgraduate internships with institutional partners in the UK and overseas.
  • The University Library holds one of the best Russian, Central and East European collections in the world.
  • For over half a century members of CEES have been involved in editing and producing Europe-Asia Studies (formerly Soviet Studies). Europe-Asia Studies has maintained its reputation as the principal academic journal in the world devoted to the political, economic and social affairs of the former Soviet bloc countries and their history during the Soviet period.  At the same time the focus of the journal has diversified to reflect the way in which the transformation of the former Soviet countries’ political and economic systems is affecting their relationship with the rest of Europe, and the growing links between what was Soviet Central Asia and other countries in both Europe and Asia.

Clock - background sectionCEES organised events

CEES regularly hosts both academic and cultural events.  In recent years we have promoted a number of conferences on the Baltic States, EU, Hungary and Russia  and have  attracted distinguished guest speakers from the region. In the past few years alone we have hosted the Ambassadors of Hungary, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia, the Estonian and Latvian Ministers of Nationality and Ethnic Affairs, the Prime Minister of Estonia, the former Prime Minister of Poland and various members of the Scottish, UK and European parliaments.

We have run several film series featuring Russian and East European cinema with prominent film directors attending and talking about their work.  We have also held concerts featuring internationally renowned musicians.

Our students are invited to all of these events.

Staff expertise

Our staff have language skills in particular areas and have lived and researched in the countries of the region. Students will benefit from our team teaching approach i.e. staff teach on their own individual areas and countries of expertise.

Say hello to Glasgow....

Find out more about student life at Glasgow by following a day in the life of three of our students...we hope to say 'hello' to you soon!

Career prospects

Many of our graduates have gone on to establish careers as lecturers and researchers at universities in the UK, Norway, Greece, Italy and Poland or have become secondary school teachers. Our graduates have been very successful in establishing careers with organizations such as:

  • BBC World Service
  • British Army
  • British Civil Service
  • British Council
  • Centre for Defence Information (Moscow)
  • Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
  • European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde (Glasgow)
  • European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (London)
  • Jamestown Foundation (Washington D.C)
  • KPMG (a leading provider of professional services including audit, tax, financial and risk advisory)
  • Ministry of Defence, UK
  • Open Society Foundation (Bratislava)
  • Open Society Institute (Budapest)
  • Operation Mobilisation, Czech Republic
  • Trust for Civil Society in Central & Eastern Europe (Warsaw)