MASTER OF ARTS Interdisciplinary Research and Studies on Eastern Europe (MIREES)

mirees programme launches the
call for applications for the academic year 2010/20101!!! ()

The deadline for applications from EU citizens is
September 15th, 2010

Unique in Italy and Europe, the Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Research and Studies on Eastern Europe (MIREES) is a two-year graduate programme (120 ECTS) which provides an in-depth knowledge of subjects such as post-socialist transition, the new EU member states and their role after the 2004 and 2007 enlargements, East-European Neighbour Countries.

Launched by the Faculty of Political Science "R. Ruffilli" of the University of Bologna (Forlì Campus), with the support of the ‘Europe and the Balkans’ International Network coordinated by the Istituto perl'Europa Centro-Orientale e Balcanica, MIREES is taught entirely in English and leads to a joint diploma issued by the University of Bologna together with the Vytautas Magnus University at Kaunas, the Corvinus University of Budapest, and the State University of St Petersburg. The University of Ljubljana is a full associate partner offering a mobility period to the students enrolled and will join the diploma recognition as soon as the accreditation process in Slovenia is over.

Focused on East-Central Europe and the Balkans, the MIREES programme offers curricula in Economics; Politics and International Relations; and Media, History, Anthropology and Cultural Studies. While deepening their knowledge of the chosen field of study, the students are expected to develop area skills, as well as language skills, and gain greater understanding by placing them in the perspective of European integration and globalization, so as to become sensitized to the interdisciplinary impact on decision-making processes.

During the first two terms – to be spent in Forlì – students will acquire language skills by attending a 100-hour language course (to be chosen among Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, Bulgarian, Polish, Russian, or Slovak). Moreover, they will attend one 40-hour compulsory core course, one 40-hour methodological course, two 40-hour courses within their chosen disciplinary group and two 40-hour courses, one for each disciplinary group other than the student's chosen disciplinary group. During the third term – requiring at least 5 months spent in one of the partner universities – the students are expected to attend another language course among those on offer, two or more courses in their chosen field of expertise for a total of 32 credits, and conduct research activities leading to their Master’s thesis. The fourth term will be devoted to writing the final thesis, no teaching activities are scheduled: the students work in close contact with their supervisors and meet with them for work-in progress thesis discussion.

Offering a solid basis for further academic studies, the programme is especially recommended for prospective PhD students: our best alumni are currently attending doctorate programmes at the Universities of Oxford, Kent, New School in New York and in other prestigious international academic institutions. Combining an academic approach with professional training, MIREES is designed to forge insightful analysts, area experts, consultants and mediators, to meet the needs of research institutes and offices, the European Commission, international agencies, voluntary organizations and NGOs, public administrations at different levels, managers for private companies, corporations and banks located in East-Central Europe and the Balkans or promoting investments in the region. Many of our alumni have found employment precisely in these fields.

Further information at: www.mirees.unibo.it