Structure and content

The scope of the Master's Programme in MAREEES is 120 ECTS credits and is designed to lead to a Master of Art (MA) degree in two years with full-time studies. We aim to tailor individual paths to strengthen our students’ knowledge and skills and help you to complete your studies systematically. Our academic staff supports you in preparing a personal study plan (PSP) and following it.
Content

In our programme, your education will include lectures, group work, workshops/seminars, examinations, and project work. As a student, you will:

  • Obtain tools to think globally through the area studies focusing on Russia, Eurasia and Eastern Europe (REEE).
  • Acquire expertise in the REEES are for use in many fields that require related knowledge
  • Approach REEE area in a global context from multi- and interdisciplinary point of view such as cultural studies, environmental studies, security studies, politics, welfare, gender studies
  • You approach global challenges and REEE area through phenomena and processes taught by teachers from sociology, literature, linguistics, administration, history, international relations, law, religion, geography, media, political science, social policy, and social anthropology
  • You can study languages instructed at the University of Helsinki
  • Strengthen your working life skills by participating our innovative project courses
  • Make short excursion(s) and short internships when applicable
  • Participate in on-going research projects at the Aleksanteri Institute
  • Strengthen your understanding of theory and methodology in area studies, and work on your academic writing skills
  • Write your Master’s thesis and learn about career opportunities with REEE area experts from different scientific fields
Structure

The scope of the Master of Arts degree is 120 credits (ECTS) and it contains the following studies:

  • Core studies (15 credits)
  • Global processes and regional dynamics (15 credits)
  • Optional studies (15 credits)
  • Career orientation (20 credits): Project Course 1 + Academic Writing, Excursion, Project Course 2
  • Global challenges (20 credits)
  • Thesis seminar and Master´s Thesis (5 + 30 credits)

Core studies 15 credits

Core studies focuses on multi/interdisciplinary approaches within humanities, social sciences and area studies. Studies consists of introduction, major theories, methodologies as well as social, cultural and political processes.

Global Processes and regional dynamics  (15 credits)

Global Processes and regional dynamics is to gain an understanding of REEES in a wider context utilising both process and phenomena approaches such as Norms and Ethics; Processes and flows and Reactions and responses.

Optional studies (15 credits)

Optional studies are based on student’s personal study plan created jointly with the personal study plan teacher. There is possibility to strengthen student’s disciplinary, theoretical and methodological and/or language skills.

Career Orientation (20 credits)

Career orientation consists of three courses focusing on working life skills. Module includes possibility of internship/traineeship and intensive course in Russia or Finland.

Global Challenges  (20 credits)

Module focuses on global challenges connected to the REEE area. The themes in the module are society and resilience; security and power; environment and climate and contexts and identities.

MA Thesis seminar and Master’s thesis (5 credits+ 30 credits)

In the seminar students draws thesis plan, thesis supervisors are assigned during the seminar. Part of the seminar, students present their research plan as a poster in the international Aleksanteri conference in second year autumn. In the master’s thesis students demonstrate that they can formulate relevant and interesting research question(s), create a coherent research design, analyze and produce research materials, and write a scientific research report.