East and Central European Studies - Master's Programme

The Master's programme in Eastern and Central European is a top-level education that opens up a career in governmental administration, business, military, mass media, but also prepares for further education at the postgraduate level. Here, historical, political and cultural scientific perspectives are amalgamated in the study of the regions of Eastern and Central Europe.

The programme is taught by qualified lecturers with exemplary research and teaching records, and you will have the opportunity to meet distinguished guest speakers from both academia and the private and public sphere by participating in our research seminars. You will also get to develop practical skills through a project management course and the possibility of doing a semester of work placement.

As a student on this programme, you will learn to:

• independently distinguish, formulate and investigate different themes and problems of relevance in Eastern and Central Europe;
• critically review and compile sources in at least one Eastern and Central European language,
• apply subject-relevant knowledge of science theory and methodology, with emphasis on aspects that are central to studies of Eastern and Central Europe;
• use in-depth knowledge of complex cultural, political and historical problems of particular relevance for Eastern and Central Europe to analyse different kind of situations and make informative assessments about them;
• develop project management and communication skills.

Programme structure

During the first semester you are introduced to the transdisciplinary field of East and Central European Studies through an introduction course about the historical, political and cultural development in East and Central Europe, with a focus on the formation of democracy and civil society, as well as the problems associated with this process, in the 20th and 21st centuries. This is followed by a thematic specialisation course on how the historical interactions between Russia and Eastern Europe during the 20th century inform current processes of identity building.

The second semester begins with a course on the various theories and methods that underpin a humanities approach to East and Central European Studies. Followed by a more practical course on project management. During the third semester, you have the possibility to further deepen these practical skills by doing an internship.

During the fourth and final semester, you get to complete an independent research project. You'll be responsible for formulating your own research problem, selecting an appropriate method, gathering and analysing theoretical and empirical material, and presenting your results in a written report. Although you'll work independently, you'll receive guidance and feedback from a department-appointed supervisor throughout the research process.

Career prospects

Knowledge and competence in central and eastern European societies, languages and cultures is relatively scarce in Western Europe. But political and economic trends indicate that it is a competence that will grow in demand, both among different levels of governmental bodies (from UN and EU to local government) and NGOs as well as among private businesses who want to reach out to the growing markets in these regions.

Not least is demand for this kind of education high in the Øresund region. Organizations such as UN City Copenhagen, Folke Bernadotte Academy, Oxfam Sweden, Individual Human Aid, Kultur Skåne, the Danish Cultural Institute and the Swedish Institute all have a constant need for employees with a good ability to produce information material, lead projects and provide competent socio-political analysis on issues relating to these regions. The programme also provides an excellent basis for PhD studies.