International Masters in Economy, State and Society (IMESS)

Dive into the study of economies, states and societies of Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe, the Baltics, Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia with International Masters in Economy, State and Society. Kick things off at University College London, one of the world’s top universities, and then take your pick from prestigious partner universities across Eastern Europe. You can choose from four exciting tracks. IMESS grads go on to high-impact roles in global organizations, finance, diplomacy, and media.

Please note: Applicants submit their application to UCL; there’s no need to apply to Charles University separately. However, you must specify your study track and choice of second year university for your application to be considered.

Program description

IMESS is a leading double-degree program in comparative area studies. It focuses on developing in-depth knowledge and understanding of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the Baltics, Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. 

The first year of the program is organised at the University College London (UCL), one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary universities. For the second year of study, students may choose one of the leading universities from Eastern Europe: Charles University, Czechia; Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary; Helsinki University, Finland; Jagiellonian University, Poland; University of Tartu, Estonia; and University of Belgrade, Serbia. 

The program is based on interdisciplinary training and language tuition and is completed with a research-based dissertation. You can choose from four study tracks: Economics and Business, Politics and Security, Politics and the International Economy, or History and Society.

For the full curriculum of the program, please click here if you have chosen Charles University in Prague as your second-year destination within the UCL program. For more information, please see the IMESS Handbook.

After graduation

After graduation, you can assume leadership positions in distinguished private and public sector organizations (including the IMF or EBRD), banks and financial institutions, diplomacy, and media — or continue with doctoral studies, as many of our graduates have successfully done.
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