Globalization has created a need for highly skilled professionals capable of working in a global environment. This Master’s programme explores state-society relations and economic development in modern Asia, predominantly South Asia and the Middle East, through comparative and international political economy, economic development theory, and comparative anthropological sociology. Its approach is grounded in the context of retrospective genesis methodology of Asian Studies.

The programme provides students with a range of skills required to understand the processes that are taking place in contemporary Asia. The programme is distinguished by its inter-disciplinary approach, which enables students to supplement area studies with courses on international trade, investment, and business, thus providing them with necessary tools to analyze economic, political and cultural issues relevant to Asian countries. A number of courses will focus specifically on relations between the Russian Federation and countries in the region. The programme's academic content is complemented by research projects and opportunities for language training.... [-]

The HSE University - St. Petersburg Master's Programme in "Comparative Politics of Eurasia" responds to the growing strategic importance of the wider Eurasian region, including the former Soviet Union and the countries of East Asia, as well as the associated need for both national and international expertise in the comparative politics of this vital region. The programme provides for a discipline-based professional training in Comparative Politics complemented with an advanced, specialist understanding of the unique and challenging political and social environment of the Eurasian region.

The programme curriculum is developed around a core conceptual training in comparative political science and a comprehensive empirical training in contemporary methods of social science research. Alongside this core, the programme offers an exciting range of elective courses in two broad groups. The first group, augmenting the core training in comparative political science covers politics and society in contemporary Russia; the social and political transformations of Central Asia, China and Vietnam; and the political economy of post-communist development. A second, the more multi-disciplinary grouping of courses includes those that cover: the international relations of Russia, Central Asia, China and Vietnam; Russia’s energy policies and dilemmas; and Russia’s geopolitical standing in the context of the wider Arctic region.... [-]

The mission of our PEP programme is to provide an opportunity for a cohort of bright, ambitious and motivated students to master two basic areas – economics and political science – as well as to broaden their philosophical outlook, develop critical thinking and social communication skills, and enhance their social and academic capital.

The PEP programme is designed for those graduates of undergraduate programmes of participating faculties at HSE and other leading universities who aspire to strengthen their intellectual capacity and acquire additional skills, or to master new professional and career tracks. It is intended to provide new opportunities for the most talented young people motivated to absorb new ideas, tools, and techniques developed in the social sciences. It is open either to the graduates with a solid background in quantitative methods (mathematics, econometrics, computer modelling, etc.) striving to apply them to the most pressing social and economic problems, as well as to young philosophers and social theorists concerned with gaps and controversies in contemporary social sciences.... [-]

A large part of historical studies is conducted as applied research. Using and interpreting historical data enables historian to construct "usable pasts" as a tool for understanding the present and imagining possible and alternative avenues of future development. Applied history embraces methods and practices dealing with identification, preservation, interpretation, and presentation of historical artefacts, texts, structures, and landscapes. In one part of our training, we focus on material objects in history and their meanings within the framework of heritage and memory studies. The other part of the training will encompass a critical approach to the politics of circulation of historically formed discourses of identity and legitimacy in present-day society. The two-pronged approach to the complex problem of historical legacy and heritage will fill out the gap in professional training in history and provide a platform for creating interactive processes that link the historical object, the historian, and the public.... [-]

The main aim of the "Population and Development" programme is to train the specialists who will be ready for practical development problems solution. These challenges could be results of rapid changes in social and economic sphere or on the other hand be set by the public administration on different levels to prevent the negative consequences of population changes or to utilize the positive demographic impact.

The programme develops students’ skills in applying multi-disciplinary analytic approaches to population development and resource allocation issues that are essential for management and public administration in numerous sectors. The specialists graduated from our programme will have skills and knowledge in principals of population changes and social economic development. They will be able to use modern methods of data analysis and interpretation of the results. They will understand the capacities and limitations of the basic instruments of development and their practical usage.... [-]

Comparative Social Research

In our globalized world of today a huge variety of nations, cultures and societies comprised of an even bigger variance of political, ethical, religious and other groups, are interconnected and develop in relation with each other. That is why it is of utmost importance to find solutions to contemporary problems and conflicts, which take into account the characteristics and conditions of all societies and social groups concerned. But in order to judge if policies around the globe are successful in solving today's problems, we need to understand and explain, how societies in their plural existence evolve and why they do this in a particular way. To do so is the approach of comparative social research!... [-]

The MA programme has the distinction of being the only one given in English for Asian Studies in Russia, using written materials in the languages of the area as the basic research resource.

What are the benefits of the programme?

As will be seen, the programme is transparently formulated to allow our students to enhance their career prospects internationally in academics, diplomacy, non-governmental and governmental corporations. Our partners – with either formal contracts allowing credit exchange or informal relationships developed over the decades – receive our students with great anticipation, knowing our reputation and glad to have such dedicated academics contributing to international research.... [-]

The Programme was developed on the basis of the American model of teaching Public Policy Analysis - namely of Public Policy Institute of the Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University, where the head of this programme was teaching in 1993-1995. Since 2006 the Programme accepts foreign students and provides courses in English as HSE contribution to the Bologna Process. We are constantly developing and improving the programme and involve representatives from the leading Russian, European and American universities, most influential think tanks and renowned international organizations into the teaching process.

The Programme has two concentrations: Public Policy Analysis, and Human Rights and Democratic Governance. Concentration in Public Policy Analysis is the outcome of the search for the ultimate professional education programme and combines theoretical and practical training with the cutting-edge international and Russian experience in the field. The concentration in Human Rights and Democratic Governance was created on the basis of the UN Programme. The programme was the first of its kind in Russia and is analogous to the European Master in Human Rights.... [-]

WMD Nonproliferation, Nuclear Policy and Global Security is the first Russian-American master’s programme at MGIMO, taught by leading academics and practitioners from Russia, the United States, and other countries.

The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS), Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), and PIR Center have partnered to develop the Dual Degree in Nonproliferation Studies.

The programme prepares students for professional careers in the nonproliferation field in national governments, international organizations, academia, think tanks, and the private sector. The interdisciplinary curriculum focuses on global security, history, science and technology, area studies, public policy, and research methods—with a particular emphasis on practical skills.... [-]

The program offers an in-depth study of the fundamentals of the Russian culture, the formation and development of Russia’s cultural identity, the methods to conduct research in Russian culture, hallmarks of Russian mentality.

It aims to provide graduates with a fundamental knowledge of different fields of Russian cultural studies. The program trains professionals with a strong awareness of both historical aspects of the Russian culture and contemporary Russia’s cultural scene.

Graduates of the program will be equipped with knowledge and skills enabling them to land jobs in various areas of humanitarian work, public and private companies, and other organizations looking for professionals able to provide creative solutions with advanced education and communication technologies.... [-]

Unique and the first of its kind in Russia, the program offers insights into current military and political issues. The course provides students with an intellectually stimulating education, analytical skills, and rigor to pursue a career in national and international organizations and bureaus of political and military affairs.

Main courses:

Main research areas:

This master degree program is the balanced combination of university courses covering topical issues of Russia and a curriculum recognized by the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. The program is aimed to train highly qualified professionals for their future work at public service institutions, international organizations and international businesses. It creates a new generation of leaders competent in general topical issues of international relations both in the foreign and domestic policy of Russia.

Compulsory courses:

The program was established by SPbU Department of Sociology in collaboration with South Korean and European universities and academic foundations and is a part of the International Sociology program.

Its mission is to build awareness of today’s social, political, economic and cultural problems and processes typical for the Western and Eastern societies in view of globalization as well as to develop skills in comparative sociological analysis of these problems and processes. All courses of the master program are taught in English by leading professors and lecturers from Russia, Germany, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea.

The students of the program have an opportunity to participate in international and Russian research projects and scientific conferences. They actively publish their research works in scientific journals in Russia and abroad.... [-]

The program is aimed at the formation of the competences that allow for interdisciplinary research in the field of socio-humanitarian knowledge, implement knowledge management in interdisciplinary and international teams, examine complex social projects. It reflects the current trends of the globalized world, epistemic revolution in modern social science, the need for "global vision» (global vision), metodologizatsii modern scientific knowledge in solving political and economic problems.

The classical program in the field of social sciences and humanities, being implemented in many well-known universities (Oxford, Leiden University, University of Hamburg, University of York, Western Washington University). ... [-]

Competition and cooperation over the control of Eurasian natural resources will profoundly influence world politics in the 21st century. Crucial issues include the future of the Russo-European oil & gas trade, Russia’s “energy pivot” to Asia, the recent the LNG and shale gas “revolutions”, the recurring geopolitical crises in the post-Soviet space and the Middle East, the great opportunities and the huge profits generated by the energy sector, the use of “energy weapons” and levers, and the pursuit of environmental and economic sustainability, the sanctions regimes on Russia and Iran, and the current falling world price of oil.

The ENERPO PLUS program was designed on the basis of the one-year ENERPO program to meet the growing interest in these challenges and considers the importance of these issues for both policymakers and the energy business. Its innovative curriculum combines the perspectives of energy politics, security studies, and political economy. In addition to the academic training provided by the ENERPO curriculum, it also includes a practical experience and allows more time for student's research work. ENERPO and ENERPO PLUS are the only English-language MA programs in Russia focusing specifically on Eurasian energy affairs.... [-]