Postgraduate Courses in Eastern European Studies (EES)
The key to understanding this complex region is multi-disciplinarity – the study of the region or country through different disciplines, such as history, language, politics, culture, economics etc. Indeed, the key attraction of postgraduate courses in East European Studies (EES) is the opportunity to unpack the complexities of otherwise puzzling phenomena by combining perspectives of different disciplines. For example, understanding the region’s history is invaluable for understanding contemporary East European politics where political parties defy their official labels – right wing parties, for example, propagating left-wing economic policies. The alarming decline in population of Russia can only be fully accounted for by combining perspectives on welfare, gender relations and sexuality. In EES one is not committed to, or restricted by, just one discipline. Read on to discover the relevance, importance and role of postgraduate courses in Eastern European Courses (EES).
Eastern Europe since the Collapse of Communism
Since the collapse of the communist bloc in 1989-1991 Eastern Europe (EE) has experienced an unprecedented degree of political, economic and social change. Eight post-communist states have already joined the European Union, and even more are members of NATO. Owing to these changes, the distinctiveness of EE is increasingly questioned. Some argue that Eastern European countries should be studied like other western European countries, via disciplinary paths, i.e. politics in political science departments, economics in economics departments etc. In other words, we should not treat Eastern Europe as a distinct region, characterised by communist legacies and the post-communist transformation. Yet this is to ignore certain realities. Despite the collapse of the Iron Curtain and communism, and the 2004 enlargement of the European Union and NATO to include former Soviet satellite states, divisions within Europe remain. Eastern Europe remains a magnet for investment but business climate is heavily conditioned by specific political and economic developments and cultural features. The need to understand developments in Eastern Europe - in areas such as migration, cultural identity and recent history, health, energy politics, economic integration and democratisation - remains as urgent as ever fifteen years after the collapse of communism. If anything, the inclusion of new member states from the former communist bloc make the understanding their complex history and contemporary developments even more urgent for the European Union and European Studies. Further east, countries like Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova or Georgia feel part of Europe despite their distinct Soviet roots. Russia has adamantly refused to replicate the western model of development.
Where to Study Eastern Europe?
EES in the UK are concentrated in few specialised and dedicated centres, such as the Centre for Russian and East European Studies (University of Birmingham) or the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (UCL). Few other universities offer the specialised options on Eastern Europe in various disciplines, to provide comparable breath and depth of expertise. Centres for the study of EES offer an highly concentrated body of excellence in expertise which provides for a rich and immersing environment for postgraduate studies where students can maintain or develop a strong disciplinary profile (eg. economics or history) but enrich their understanding by exploring other disciplines. The programmes offer the opportunity to diversify and consolidate one’s expertise.
The programmes attract graduates in the social sciences, humanities and history who wish to acquire an East European dimension. They also recruit graduates in Russian or other East European Languages and Literature who wish to develop more of a social science or history specialisation at postgraduate level. Applicants with other disciplinary backgrounds can also benefit from EES. For example, a business graduate might benefit from developing language and regional expertise that would make them more competitive when applying for jobs with international companies with investments in Eastern Europe.
Content of programmes in EES
Postgraduate courses in Eastern European Studies tend to provide advanced training through a combination of one multi-disciplinary core course and a wide range of specialised options. The core course offers an area-study background for all students, while optional courses provide specialist disciplinary areas of expertise. Flexibility tends to be enhanced by making the language training optional so students can tailor their study programme to their needs, abilities and interests. Learning or improving a language of one of the countries of the region is an important dimension of EES. Most postgraduate courses in EES strongly encourage students to study an EE language alongside the specialised options. From that point of view, programmes in EES provide excellent value from money in terms of delivering intensive language training. For those who wish to continue onto a PhD, language training is likely to be compulsory (although this does depend on prior knowledge). Apart from providing advanced knowledge on Eastern Europe, programmes also develop generic skills such as report-writing, presentation skills, group work etc. to enable students to apply their knowledge in a way relevant to prospective employment opportunities. Please note that names of programmes can vary and include for example, ‘Russian and East European Studies’ or ‘East-Central European Studies’.
Shortage of Expertise on Eastern Europe in the UK
There not enough people with expertise on Eastern Europe in the UK. Owing to shortage of graduate students with expertise in the region, higher education funding bodies have recently provided additional resources for training graduates in language-based EES (for more details see http://www.ssees.ac.uk/ceelbasaward.htm). Graduates in EES enjoy a wide range of exiting career prospects as they are sought after in the government, media, business, NGOs, and international organisations. For example, in recent years, graduates from the Centre for Russian and East European Studies (CREES), University of Birmingham, have gone on to positions in:
- commerce and industry (e.g. with leading Western banks based in Moscow)
- mass media (e.g. as correspondents in Moscow, London and elsewhere for leading TV channel and newspapers)
- government agencies (e.g. the Foreign and Commonwealth Office)
- academic research and lecturing (we have a strong postgraduate programme and are the top-rated research record for our area in the UK)
- teaching
- European and international agencies (such as the European Union, the World Health Organisation for which contacts with Russia and other former Soviet countries, will be a priority area in the years to come)
- the armed forces
- non-governmental organisations (e.g. Amnesty International, an NGO in Belarus).
Studying a postgraduate course in Eastern European Studies is a worthwhile endeavour for thoise who want to work in government and/or internationally. Don't delay, apply now for a postgraduate course in Eastern European Studies and discover the various avenues this course invites you to explore.
Dr Kataryna Wolczuk
Director, Centre for Russian and East European Studies,
European Research Institute,
The University of Birmingham
http://www.crees.bham.ac.uk/
