You can have study guidance for thesis writing and planning of your studies. You can specialize in the ESEB area in the the Master’s programme in Area and Cultural Studies, as well as in the Master’s programme in European and Nordic Studies (ENS).
ESEB studies provide students with a comprehensive knowledge base in order to deepen their understanding of the recent history and current societies of the East Central European, Southeast European and Baltic regions. ESEB is suitable for all students who wish to become experts on the East Central European, Southeast European and Baltic region.
Every degree student and exchange student of the University of Helsinki has the right to take the ESEB study programme. Students of the Aleksanteri Institute Expertise in Russian and Eastern European Studies (ExpREES) can take ESEB courses that are included in the ExpREES teaching programme.
Students outside the University of Helsinki may apply for the right to partake in ESEB Studies through the Flexible Study-Right Scheme (JOO). All Finland’s universities are signatories to the JOO agreement, which gives undergraduate and postgraduate students the chance to include studies from other Finnish universities in their degrees. The flexible study right for the ESEB studies can be applied through the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki. Further information about JOO
Please note that the teaching programme might be subject to changes and additions, so it is advisable to check course-specific information before the start of the course. You can find course descriptions and registration links at the course pages.
II period course pages will be updated in August - September.
Politics in Poland (REE-532, REE-541, REE-543, ExpREES), course page, I period, online course
Yiddish Women Writers' Voice in East European Tales (REE-531, REE-543, REE-535, REE-551, ExpREES), course page, I period, online course
Spatial History of Nineteenth-Century East Central Europe, (REE-532, REE-543, REE-542, REE-551, REE-535, ExpREES), course page, I period
Black Sea Past and Present Challenges of a Geopolitical Crossroad (REE-542, REE-543, REE-541, REE-543, ExpREES), course page, I period
An Imperial History of the Soviet Union (REE-521, REE-522, REE-523, REE-524, ENS-320, ExpREES, REE-535, REE-551), course page, I period
Gulag and Beyond, exploring Eastern European societies through incarceration (REE-522, REE-521, REE-523, REE-524, ExpREES, REE-533, REE-543), course page, I period
Romanian Literature and Culture (KIK-RO115, REE-531, REE-533), course page, I-II period
Politicized Media in Eastern Europe and its Impact on Public Opinion (REE-532, REE-541, REE-543, REE-552, ExpREES), course page, II period
Political and social transformation in the Balkans after the dissolution of Yugoslavia (REE-534, REE-533, REE-543, ExpREES), course page, II period
Course pages will be updated during autumn.
Jazz in Soviet Union: culture, music and changing political tolerance (REE-535, REE-543, ExpREES), course page, III period, online course
Anti-gender politics in Eastern Europe and beyond (REE-542, REE-543, REE-541, REE-552, ExpREES), course page, III period
Nuclear Narratives in the East Central European Context (REE-543, REE-532, REE-534, REE- 536 REE-541, REE-553, ExpREES), course page, III period
Communism and transition to democracy in the Balkans (REE-533, REE-534, REE-542, ExpREES), course page, IV period, online course
Central Asian politics and societies from the Soviet era until today (REE-542, REE-541, REE-543, ExpREES), course page, IV period, online course
Geopolitical theories and the place of Central and Eastern Europe in the modern world order (REE-532, REE-534, REE-536, REE-541, REE-542, REE-543, REE-552, ExpREES), course page, IV period, online course
For older teaching programmes starting from the academic year 2006-2007, please turn to ESEB Planning Officer.
Curriculum 2020-2023
The Aleksanteri Institute coordinated the following ECEBB study modules in cooperation with the Bachelor’s programme in Cultural studies (KUKA) and the Master’s programme in Area and cultural studies (ALKU) in 2020-2023:
Please find below study modules with required study units:
KUKA-IK520 East Central European, Balkan and Baltic Studies I (15 cr)
Compulsory:
Select 10 cr:
OR
KUKA-IK500 East Central European, Balkan and Baltic Studies II (30 cr)
Compulsory:
Select 25 cr:
IN ADDITION:
ALKU-IK530 East Central European, Balkan and Baltic Studies, specialization studies (15 cr)
Startig from 1.8.2023 the ESEB study modules (REE-530, 15 cr and REE-540, 15 cr) will be organised within the Master´s Programme in Russian, Eurasian and Eastern European Studies (MAREEES). You can see the equivalencies of the 2020-2023 and the 2023-2026 curricula in the table below.
Curriculum 2020-2023 | Curriculum 2023-2026 | |||||
Code | Module or unit name | Cr | Code | Module or unit name | Cr | Responsible teacher |
KUKA-IK520 |
East Central European, Balkan and Baltic Studies I |
15 |
REE-530 |
East Central European, Southeast European and Baltic Studies |
15 | Jouni Järvinen |
KUKA-IK503 | Bases for ECEBB Region's Social and Cultural Studies | 5 | Not available | |||
KUKA-IK505 | East Central European Culture and History | 5 | REE-531 | East Central European Culture and History | 5 | |
KUKA-IK506 | East Central European Society and Politics | 5 | REE-532 | East Central European Society and Politics | 5 | |
KUKA-IK507 | Southeast European Culture and History | 5 | REE-533 | Southeast European Culture and History | 5 | |
KUKA-IK508 | Southeast European Society and Politics | 5 | REE-534 | Southeast European Society and Politics | 5 | |
KUKA-IK509 | Baltic Culture and History | 5 | REE-535 | Baltic Culture and History | 5 | |
KUKA-IK510 | Baltic Society and Politics | 5 | REE-536 | Baltic Society and Politics | 5 | |
KUKA-IK500 | East Central European, Balkan and Baltic Studies II | 30 | Not available | Jouni Järvinen | ||
KUKA-IK503 | Bases for ECEBB Region's Social and Cultural Studies | 5 | ||||
KUKA-IK505 | East Central European Culture and History | 5 | ||||
KUKA-IK506 | East Central European Society and Politics | 5 | ||||
KUKA-IK507 | South East European Culture and History | 5 | ||||
KUKA-IK508 | South East European Society and Politics | 5 | ||||
KUKA-IK509 | Baltic Culture and History | 5 | ||||
KUKA-IK510 | Baltic Society and Politics | 5 | ||||
ALKU-IK530 | East Central European, Balkan and Baltic Studies, specialization studies | 15 | REE-540 |
East Central European, Southeast European and Baltic Studies, Specialization Studies |
15 | jouni Järvinen |
ALKU-IK531 | Contemporary questions in ECEBB studies | 5 | REE-541 | Contemporary questions in ESEB studies | 5 | |
ALKU-IK532 | ECEBB region as a part of Europe | 5 | REE-542 | ESEB region as a part of Europe | 5 | |
ALKU-IK533 | Specialization studies in ECEBB studies | 5 | REE-543 | Specialization studies in ESEB studies | 5 |
Instructions concerning ESEB Studies in Instructions for students by choosing Master´s Programme in Russian, Eurasian and Eastern European Studies. Director of Educational Programs Jouni Järvinen (see Research staff and experts) grants overall grades for the ECEBB Studies, and is responsible for recognition of credits completed elsewhere, for example during exchange studies.
You can apply for exchange in ESEB countries via Erasmus or Norplus programmes, or via University of Helsinki bilateral agreements.
Many universities organise short courses and summer courses for foreign students. You can look for information on intensive courses at universities' websites.
University of Helsinki International Exchange Services: Short courses and summer courses abroad
The Ikebb-ecebb-info mailing list is an information channel for the ESEB study programme and the region in question. Information and comments on new publications, seminars, education possibilities, funding options etc, relating to ESEB are welcome on the list.
You will receive an automatic reply confirming that your request has been received and forwarded to the administrator of the ikebb-ecebb-info list. When you have been added to the list you will receive confirmation of this and instructions for unsubscribing the list. It is advisable to save this message for future reference.
NB: Please do not use addresses such as Yahoo or Hotmail. Messages from such addresses will be regarded as junk mail.
The messages aimed for the ikebb-ecebb-info mailing list should be sent to
ikebb-ecebb-info@helsinki.fi. Please use the same address from which you subscribed to the mailing list.
In questions concerning the content of the list, please turn to ESEB Planning Officer
Director of Educational Program Jouni Järvinen
Planning Officer Minna Oroza
In Planning group also:
The planning group supports pedagogical planning and development and participates to long-term strategic development of the ESEB Studies. The planning group consists of researchers/teachers and two student members.
Please find below a list of university departments and research centres which conduct teaching and/or research concerning the ESEB region.
NB: The friendship societies' websites are mostly in Finnish. Please see for more friendship societies in Finnish.