Eastern and Central Europe (ECE) is one of the most dynamic regions in the world having undergone  significant transformation that still affects lives of millions of people across different countries. It is not uncommon for developments in the region to influence behavior of some global actors, such as EU, US and Russia, which on their behalf have a significant role in shaping reality throughout most of the Eastern and Central Europe. Learn the particularities of this exciting region in a 1,5 year long programme which provides knowledge and skills enabling to conduct independent analysis and evaluation of developments in  ECE countries and in the region as a whole. 

During the first semester of studies, students acquire knowledge about domestic policies of the Central and Eastern European states: their historic development, political and economic systems, and decision making mechanisms.
 
During the second semester, students analyse foreign policies of Central and Eastern European states: the processes of interstate cooperation and the specifics of foreign policy. They choose the elective courses on the relevant problems in the regions. During the second semester, students are expected to begin working on their thesis, therefore, the Master's thesis seminars start. These seminars are aimed to instruct and help to better organize their work load and to consult on various methodological and content issues.

During the third semester, students work on their Master's thesis and continue attending  Master's seminars, during which they present issues of their research, and discuss them with professors and other students.

Skills and knowledge you will acquire:

• advanced knowledge of the concepts, theories and methods in contemporary political science, especially in the field of International Relations and Comparative Politics;
• deep understanding of the history and political systems of the Eastern and Central European countries, as well as political and economical transformation processes that are taking place in the region;
• skills and knowledge to discern factors that influence the making of domestic and foreign policies in the states of Eastern and Central Europe;
• skills to analyse the development of the region in the context of contemporary international and regional co-operation;
• methodological skills to undertake and produce independent research project.

What you can study:

Benefits offered by IIRPS:

• opportunity to study in the leading Lithuanian political science institution, which has acquired a deep and comprehensive knowledge of the regional processes;
• possibility to gain an "insider's" perspective on the processes that are taking place both in Lithuania and its neighboring countries;
•  studies in the academic environment which comprises both 425-year-old academic traditions and modern teaching and learning methods;
• possibility to visit the countries studied, and establish relations with political science students of the region.
• opportunity to learn languages of the region: Lithuanian and/or Russian

What it Costs:

2120 Euros per year. 

What you can do after graduation: 

Graduates of Eastern and Central European (ECE) studies programme pursue career as civil servants in public administration institutions; in diplomatic service; as analysts and experts in the international organizations, academic and research institutions, private sector in Lithuania and abroad.

Graduation Requirements:

Public defence of Master's Thesis.