MPhil in Russian and East European Studies
About the course
The MPhil in Russian and East European Studies (REES) provides the opportunity to study Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia across a range of disciplines including history, economics, politics, international relations and sociology.
This course requires proficiency in the Russian language at A1 level (the elementary level, equivalent to GCSE level in the UK academic setting). If you are unable to meet this requirement, you may wish to consider the MSc in Russian and East European Studies.
Course structure
An overview of the course structure is provided below. Details of the compulsory and optional elements of the course are provided in the Course components section of this page.
In the first year of the course you will study four core courses, along with Research Methods for Area Studies.
Courses are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, and classes. You will be required to submit essays and make class presentations.
In the second year you will be able to specialise more narrowly through the choice of two option courses chosen from a list of options available for that academic year.
The Analysing Russian Discourse and Communication core course will continue into the second year, and you will also work on completing your thesis which must be submitted during Trinity term.
The department hosts the 'Monday Seminar' for the wider Oxford and UK academic community, which takes place at St Antony’s College. Student participation in research seminars is an important part of the course, providing opportunities to see leading international scholars present their work and for networking and scholarly development.
Attendance
The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students to support with learning and research, as well as guidance on what technology to bring with you as a new student at Oxford.
The Bodleian Social Science Library (SSL) is the main library for Russian and East European Studies. The SSL is housed on the ground floor of the Manor Road Building, and is open seven days a week during term-time with reduced hours during vacation. The library offers a variety of study spaces including graduate study rooms, individual study carrels, and group discussion rooms.
The Russian and Eurasian Studies Centre Library at St Antony’s College comprises approximately 24,000 volumes in Russian on Russian, Soviet and post-Soviet history, literature, politics, and economics. The holdings also include a number of Russian newspapers and periodicals covering a similar range of subjects.
Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) IT Services runs courses on various computer programmes and can offer help and guidance.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA).
In the case of students who require specific help to adjust to the course in acquiring a new range of skills, the supervisor will work with them to ensure that they have additional support.
Most students have the opportunity to meet with their supervisor at least two to three times per term. It is the student's responsibility to set up supervision sessions as and when they need them.
Assessment
In order to receive the MPhil degree, students must obtain pass marks in two, 3-hour written examinations (CREES 1, CREES 2), three extended essays (one for History and two for ARDC), plus two option courses (methods of assessment vary). Students must also obtain a pass mark for their MPhil thesis.
In addition, students must satisfy on a pass/fail basis each section of the Research Methods requirement (qualitative and quantitative). Whilst students must pass the Research Methods components of the degree, any marks obtained are not part of the determination of the overall results and classification but are only recorded as pass/fail grades on the transcript. The skills learnt during the Research Methods training will be used in the development of the students’ thesis work.
Graduate destinations
The MPhil may be regarded as a qualification in its own right, or as preparation for a doctoral degree. A significant proportion of REES graduates proceed to further research and to careers in academia. Recent MPhil in REES graduates have gone on to undertake DPhil courses in politics, political economy, history, and Area Studies at OSGA.
Graduates have also gone on to successful careers in many different countries in diverse areas of employment such as international organisations, the media, government, business and finance, diplomacy and teaching.
Changes to this course
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Course components
Compulsory study
The first year of the course consists of four core courses and a research methods course. The ARDC course will continue into your second year while you will also write a thesis.
History of Russia, the USSR and Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century
This course explores several overlapping forces which shaped late Tsarist Russia, the USSR, and Eastern Europe during the twentieth century. The course focuses on the role of revolutions, economic transformations, wars, attempts to reform socialism after the death of Stalin, and political instability in the making of modern ‘Eurasia’. The course aims to highlight how the twentieth century both bound and divided the territories covered by the REES MSc/MPhil. The overarching aim is to reflect on the uses and limits of area studies, as well as to convey how historians work and use different methodologies (such as source criticism, oral history, archival research, and micro-history) to assess and study the past.
Contemporary Russian and East European Studies (CREES) Part 1: Politics and international relations.
This social sciences course evaluates major analytical perspectives on developments in the FSU and Eastern Europe since the end of Communism. The course covers political science and international relations disciplinary approaches and their applications. The course provides students with a solid grounding in theories on the domestic political and international dimensions of transition of the region and sufficient empirical knowledge to test the arguments associated with different approaches. By the end of the course students will have developed a critical understanding of the key disciplinary and interdisciplinary concepts informing the study of post-communist societies. They will also have acquired sound empirical knowledge about the scope and limitations of these concepts in the context of the Former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe.
Contemporary Russian and East European Studies (CREES) Part 2: Sociology and economics
This core course examines the economies and societies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Former Soviet Union (FSU), combining economic and sociological approaches with insights from related disciplines such as Social Policy, Geography, Political Economy, Social Anthropology and Public Health. It builds on Part 1 of “Contemporary Russian and East European Studies” by exploring the challenges of post-communist transition, the region’s subsequent development, people’s lived experiences, and the emergence of political and economic institutions shaping current outcomes. By the end of the course, students will be familiar with sociological and economic approaches to post-communist transformation, have examined regional processes of restructuring and reform through diverse social and cultural lenses, and gained experience identifying data, theories, and methods for analysing economy, society, and culture in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Analysing Russian Discourse and Communication (ARDC)
The ARDC core course will develop your appreciation of the interrelation between the micro level of multimodal (textual, acoustic, visual units) and language content and the macro level of actors in a society and culture, including the historical perspectives. You will gain knowledge of the theory and methods of discourse analysis, particularly as applied to Russian-language (multimodal) discourses and communication. This knowledge will further advance the regional knowledge that you will acquire in other components of the REES MPhil.
To accommodate the different Russian language proficiencies of students, the department offers four ARDC papers, each with specific language requirements. The learning goals for all papers are the same. The assessments (essays) will evaluate students' knowledge of the theories and methods of discourse analysis as applied to Russian discourse and communication. They will not assess overall language proficiency, except for students’ comprehension of Russian appropriate to the level required by each ARDC paper, as outlined in the marking criteria.
Research Methods course
During the research methods course you will receive training in relevant qualitative and quantitative methodologies to enable you to carry out research and writing for your 30,000-word thesis.
Thesis
You will write a 30,000 word thesis that will be submitted in Trinity term.
Options
In the second year you will take two option courses, chosen from the following list:
- Central Asia and the South Caucasus: International Relations and Foreign Policy
- Ideology and Popular Culture
- Islam in the USSR
- Russian International Relations and Foreign Policy
- South East Europe Politics and European Intervention
- The Political Economy of Transition in Russian and China
Entry requirements for entry in 2026-27
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our guidance to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours.
The qualification above should be achieved in one of the following subject areas or disciplines:
- politics
- economics
- international relations
- history
- sociology
- Slavic languages.
Students with degrees in other subjects are eligible to apply.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, selection of candidates also depends on other factors in your application and most successful applicants have achieved higher GPA scores.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
Russian language proficiency
This course requires a minimum proficiency in Russian at A1 level, completed in TRKI / TORFL (ТРКИ – Тест по русскому языку как иностранному; in English TORFL – Test of Russian as a Foreign Language). А1 is the elementary level: equivalent to GCSE lower grades in the UK academic setting. +/- 110 hours are needed to achieve A1.
The certificates specified below which confirm applicants’ Russian language proficiency must be no more than 24 months old. Please submit a copy of your test certificate with your application.
If you have not completed the test within the last 24 months, the following will also be accepted as alternative evidence of Russian language proficiency when submitted with your application:
- GSCE Russian language exam certificate (must be no more than 24 months old);
- A-Level Russian language exam certificate (must be no more than 24 months old);
- IB Russian language exam certificate (must be no more than 24 months old); or
- Undergraduate or masters degree certificate/diploma, with a Russian-language course (at least a basic/foundation course) listed on the academic transcript, or where the university degree programme is taught in Russian (the date of the Russian-language exam must be no more than 24 months old).
However, if you are made a formal offer of a place, you will still be required to take the specified Test of Russian as Foreign Language (TORFL), achieve the required level, and present the certificate as a formal condition of your offer. A1 level of Russian language proficiency is sufficient to enter ARDC Paper 1, as specified below. If your proficiency is higher than A1, you are required to take the TORFL test at your actual level (A2, B1, B2, C1, or C2) to meet the entry requirements for ARDC Papers 2, 3, and 4, as specified below.
As described in the Course components section, the paper that each student will take on the Analysing Russian Discourse and Communication (ARDC) core course is dependent on their Russian language proficiency. The requirement for each paper is outlined below:
ARDC Paper 1: A1 completed in TRKI / TORFL (ТРКИ – Тест по русскому языку как иностранному; in English TORFL – Test of Russian as a Foreign Language). Elementary Level (TEL / A1) - Successful performance at the Test at Elementary Level represents a standard of initial competence in Russian which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their elementary communicative needs in a limited number of everyday situations.
ARDC Paper 2: A2 completed in TRKI / TORFL. А2 is the basic level: equivalent to GCSE higher grades in the UK academic setting. +/- 250 hours are needed to achieve A2; equivalent to FCO ‘survival’ level. Basic Level (TBL / A2) - Successful performance at the Test at Basic Level represents a standard competence in Russian which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their basic communicative needs in a limited number of situations in everyday and cultural spheres.
ARDC Paper 3: B1 completed in TRKI / TORFL. B1 is the 1st certification level: equivalent to A-level in the UK academic setting. +/- 600 hours are needed to achieve B1. The First Certification Level (TORFL-I / B1) - Successful performance at the 1st level certificate indicates an intermediate level of language competence, which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their main communicative needs in everyday, cultural, educational, and professional spheres.
ARDC Paper 4: A minimum of B2 completed in TRKI / TORFL. 2nd certification level: equivalent to bachelors university degree in Russian in the UK academic setting. +/- 1100 hours are needed to achieve B2. The 2nd level certificate (TORFL-II / B2) - Successful performance at the 2nd level certificate indicates a high level of competence in Russian which demonstrates a candidate can satisfy their communicative needs in a wide range of situations in cultural, educational and professional spheres.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
Publications are not required.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT* including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced† | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency‡ | 191 | 185 |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 165 | 155 |
*Changes to the TOEFL iBT test are being introduced on 21 January 2026. The University will not accept TOEFL tests taken from that date to meet the English language condition until a review of the revised test has been completed. Our Application Guide provides full details of the tests we accept.
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
‡Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Funding
For entry in the 2026-27 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the school's website.
Costs
Annual course fees
The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis.
Fees for the 2026-27 academic year at the University of Oxford
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £19,540 |
| Overseas | £31,110 |
What do course fees cover?
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional costs information below.
How long do I need to pay course fees?
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year fees will usually increase annually, as explained in the University’s Terms and Conditions.
Where can I find more information about fees?
Our fees and other charges pages provide further information, including details about:
- course fees and fee liability;
- how your fee status is determined; and
- changes to fees and other charges.
Information about how much fees and other costs will usually increase each academic year is set out in the University's Terms and Conditions.
Additional costs
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. The use of primary sources through fieldwork is not compulsory for successful completion of the MPhil thesis. Students who decide to undertake fieldwork as part of their research should note that they will ordinarily have to meet all of the costs themselves. These costs are likely to include, but may not be limited to, travel, subsistence, insurance, and, where appropriate, visa and medical fees (e.g. for vaccinations). As research sites are ultimately determined by the individual, costs can vary considerably according to the duration and location of the proposed fieldwork. Travel grants of up to £600 per year will be available as a contribution to the costs of conducting primary research activities connected with their thesis. Standard travel insurance can be provided by the University. However, students may be required to pay any additional insurance premiums associated with travel to areas with an increased level of risk, and should factor this into their planning for fieldwork.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2026-27 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,405 and £2,105 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (if dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and periods of high national inflation in recent years make it harder to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2026-27 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation.
A breakdown of likely living costs for one month during the 2026-27 academic year are shown below. These costs are based on a single, full-time graduate student, with no dependants, living in Oxford.
| Lower range | Upper range | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | £315 | £545 |
| Accommodation | £825 | £990 |
| Personal items | £160 | £310 |
| Social activities | £50 | £130 |
| Study costs | £35 | £90 |
| Other | £20 | £40 |
| Total | £1,405 | £2,105 |
For information about how these figures have been calculated as well as tables showing the likely living costs for nine and twelve months, please refer to the living costs page of our website.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students on the MPhil in Russian and East European Studies:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application, including advice to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You are not expected to contact a potential supervisor before you apply. However, in addition to the standard contact details provided on this page, you may address any questions to the REES Administrator.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Referees:
Three overall, academic preferred
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
References should generally be academic, though if you have been out of higher education for a number of years then one professional reference is acceptable.
Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Statement of purpose/personal statement:
A maximum of 1,500 words
Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific research areas that interest you and/or you intend to specialise in.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for:
- interesting research ideas
- interest in the subject matter
- knowledge of the MPhil in Russian and East European Studies and its components
- any experience in the region.
Written work:
One essay of a maximum of 2,000 words
An academic essay or other writing sample from your most recent qualification, written in English, is required. An extract of the requisite length from longer work is also permissible.
It is desirable though not essential that the written work relates to the proposed area of study. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for:
- clarity of argument
- analytical writing skills
- knowledge of the subject matter and relevant academic literature.
Certificate of Russian language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in the Russian language at a minimum of A1 level completed in TRKI / TORFL (ТРКИ – Тест по русскому языку как иностранному; in English TORFL – Test of Russian as a Foreign Language).
Please refer to the Entry requirements section of this page for further information.
Please upload your certificate(s) to your application as a transcript. Certificates must be no more than 24 months old.
This will be assessed for evidence of your Russian language proficiency.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.