Balkan, Eurasian and Central European Studies (BECES) is a two-year master’s programme that focuses on the modern history and current developments of Central Europe, the Balkan Peninsula, and the post-Soviet area (including the Caucasus and Central Asia). Students are given the opportunity to focus on either a single country or a whole region from a thematic angle, which could be history, culture, political development or environmental issues. In order to enhance their curriculum, students choose within two study tracks: Balkan and Central European Studies or Russian and Eurasian Studies.

In order to accomplish BECES, students must obtain 120 ECTS credits and pass a state exam. The curriculum is composed of seven compulsory courses (60 ECTS credits in total), compulsory courses for the specialization (24 ECTS), languages (12 ECTS), elective courses (at least 12 ECTS credits in total), and optional courses (maximum 12 ECTS credits).

A state exam comprises defence of the master’s thesis and an academic debate on a selected topic (beyond the thesis focus) with respect to Central Europe and the Balkans (for Balkan and Central European Studies) or with respect to Russia and the post-Soviet Area (for Russian and Eurasian Studies).

Course structure