PhD Russian and East European Studies

University of Birmingham

The School is one of the leading UK and international centres for Politics, International Relations, International Development, Sociology and European Studies.

Although students wishing to undertake postgraduate research in Russian and East European Studies need to register for a PhD or MPhil in Politics / IR the research undertaken will be focused on Russia and Eastern Europe and will be supervised by a member of CREES. Learn more about the research interests of our staff and how to contact them.

The School of Government brings together academic staff, research fellows and doctoral researchers across the Social Sciences. We offer much more than a degree. As a student here, whether undergraduate or postgraduate, you have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of events, with some or all of the costs paid for by the School.

We offer PhD and MPhil research degrees on a full- or part-time basis with postgraduate research supervision in the following fields:

• Russian and Soviet History
• Russian, Ukrainian and Central and East European Politics
• Central and Eastern Europe and European integration
• Nationalism, identities and ethnic conflicts
• Economics of transformation, economic policy and regional economics of Russia
• Contemporary East European culture, media and society
• Caucasus and Central Asia: politics, international relations, society and religion

If I gain a postgraduate research degree in Russian and East European Studies, what are my career prospects

Graduates from Birmingham’s Centre for Russian and East European Studies develop a broad range of transferable skills including: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large and diverse quantities of information; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.

Due to the non-vocational nature of a postgraduate degree in Russian and East European Studies, many graduates choose jobs unrelated to their course of study, and have made their mark in a wide range of careers. A number of our PhD graduates stay in academia and forge successful teaching and research careers.