Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus

  • Master
  • Global Studies Institute / Interdisciplinary Masters

Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus have been in the spotlight for over a century. New states have appeared on the map and asserted their sovereignty following the collapse of the Russian, German, Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires in 1917-1918, followed by the dismantling of the Soviet empire in the early 1990s. Heirs to several decades of shared history, they are each asserting their own political, economic and cultural identity. Between a shared history and divided memories and projects, their present trajectories form painful areas of tension and conflict that can lead to war or the establishment of economic, political and military alliances.

The Master's degree in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus (MAEAC) provides the tools for understanding and tackling the contemporary issues associated with this complex area, formerly known as the 'Eastern bloc' or 'Soviet bloc'.
This master's program is not disciplinary: while contemporary history and Slavic studies play an important role in the teaching, geopolitics, political science and economics are also used in various ways in the teaching program.
It takes place in three stages. Students begin their training with compulsory core courses and then, from the second semester onwards, choose courses from different specialisations as well as optional courses.

 

Programme length

2 years (4 semesters)

Language of instruction
French

Knowledge of English recommended.

4 semesters (max. 6 semesters) | 120 ECTS credits

Required courses from the core curriculum (30 credits)

  • L'URSS et ses relations internationales
  • De la «Petite Russie» à l'Indépendance: l'Ukraine du XIXe siècle à nos jours
  • Géopolitique du Caucase contemporain
  • L'Europe centrale et les Balkans depuis 1945
  • La Russie et son « pivot to Asia »

Specialised courses (48 credits, including 12 compulsory credits)
Concentration in one or more areas of the core curriculum.

Electives (12 credits)

Internship or thesis (30 credits)

Bachelor or equivalent degree.
Admission based on application file.

unige.ch/gsi/fr/programmes/marem

Deadline: 28 February 2026

www.unige.ch/enrolment

Master's students are permitted to go on exchange for one semester maximum, either in the 3rd or 4th semester, and may earn no more than 30 credits at another university. Neither the thesis nor the internship cannot be substituted.

www.unige.ch/exchange

With the integration of certain East-Central European states in the European Union and NATO and Russia's complex relationships with NATO, the EU and its close neighbors, there is a clear and urgent need for specialists in various sectors, including international and regional organisations, national and European institutions, and journalism.

GLOBAL STUDIES INSTITUTE
10 rue des Vieux-Grenadiers
1205 Genève

STUDENT AFFAIRS
T. +41 (0)22 379 37 09/10/13/14
secretariat-etugsi(at)unige.ch

ACADEMIC ADVISOR
Maud Preher
T. +41 (0)22 379 37 11
Maud.Preher(at)unige.ch