Program Overview

Introduction to the International Masters in Economy, State and Society (IMESS) Handbook

The International Masters in Economy, State and Society (IMESS) is a two-year double degree programme that offers students the opportunity to study at two different universities within the consortium. The programme is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the economic, political, and social aspects of the Central and East European region.

Programme Structure

The IMESS programme is divided into two years, with the first year spent at University College London (UCL) and the second year spent at one of the partner universities. The programme consists of 120 ECTS credits, with 60 ECTS credits completed in each year.

Year 1: UCL

In the first year, students complete 60 ECTS credits at UCL, including:

• LANGUAGE: 0 or 12 ECTS (0 or 30 UCL credits)
• COMMON PROGRAMME FOR ALL THREE TRACKS:
  • SEES0092 Dissertation Preparation (0 ECTS)
  • Optional: LCEN0004 Academic English for writing (0 ECTS)
• COUNTRY-SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
  • Students doing their year 2 in Krakow must take 'European Civilisation' in Year 2 and three further courses relating to the following six themes over the course of the two-year programme:
    • Collective Identities
    • Financial Structures
    • EU Law
    • EU Foreign Policy
    • Foreign Policy of Central and Eastern Europe and
    • Democracy
• COMPULSORY MODULES: 12 ECTS (30 UCL credits)
• CORE and ELECTIVE MODULES: 36 ECTS (90 UCL credits) or 48 ECTS (120 UCL credits) if no language taken in Year 1

Year 2: Partner University

In the second year, students complete 60 ECTS credits at one of the partner universities, including:

• DISSERTATION: 30 ECTS (75 UCL credits)
• LANGUAGE: 0 or 12 ECTS (0 or 30 UCL credits)
• ELECTIVES: 18 ECTS (45 UCL credits) if language taken in year 2, or 30 ECTS (75 UCL credits) if no language taken in year 2

Tracks

The IMESS programme offers four tracks:

• Economics and Business
• Politics and the International Economy
• Politics and Security
• History and Society

Economics and Business

• Compulsory Modules: 12 ECTS (30 UCL credits)
  • SEES0083 Quantitative Methods (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
  • SEES0095 Advanced Quantitative Methods (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
  • SEES0092 MA Dissertation Preparation (0 UCL credits)
• Core Modules: 12 ECTS (30 UCL credits)
  • SEES0082 Political Economy of International Business (12 ECTS/30 UCL credits)
  • SEES0114 International Macroeconomic Policy (12 ECTS/30 UCL credits)
• Elective Modules: 24-36 ECTS (60-90 UCL credits)

Politics and the International Economy

• Compulsory Module: SEES0092 MA Dissertation Preparation (0 UCL credits)
• Core Modules: 12 ECTS (30 UCL credits)
  • SEES0083 Quantitative Methods (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
  • SEES0107 Understanding and Analysing Data (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
  • SEES0109 Public Choice - Private Interest (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
• Elective Modules: 36-48 ECTS (90-120 UCL credits)

Politics and Security

• Compulsory Module: SEES0092 MA Dissertation Preparation (0 UCL credits)
• Core Modules: 12 ECTS (30 UCL credits)
  • SEES0107 Understanding and Analysing Data (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
  • SEES0128 Qualitative Methods (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
  • SEES0106 Introduction to Discourse Analysis (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
• Elective Modules: 36-48 ECTS (90-120 UCL credits)

History and Society

• Compulsory Module: SEES0092 MA Dissertation Preparation (0 UCL credits)
• Core Modules: 12 ECTS (30 UCL credits)
  • SEES0052 Historical Methods and Approaches (12 ECTS/30 UCL credits)
  • SEES0117 Political Sociology (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
  • SEES0106 Introduction to Discourse Analysis (6 ECTS/15 UCL credits)
• Elective Modules: 36-48 ECTS (90-120 UCL credits)

Dissertation

The dissertation is a substantial piece of independent research that forms an essential part of the IMESS programme. It is worth 30 ECTS credits and is completed in the second year of the programme.

Assessment Criteria

The assessment criteria for the IMESS programme are based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) grading scale. The criteria are as follows:

• Excellent: Outstanding performance with only minor errors
• Very Good: Above the average standard but with some errors
• Good: Generally sound work but with a number of notable errors
• Satisfactory: Fair but with significant shortcomings
• Sufficient: Performance meets the minimum criteria
• Fail: Some/considerable more work required before the credit can be awarded

Student Support

UCL provides a range of support services for students, including academic support, pastoral care, and career guidance. Students can access these services through the UCL Student Portal or by contacting the UCL Student Support team.

Extenuating Circumstances and Reasonable Adjustments

UCL has a policy of supporting students who are experiencing extenuating circumstances or who require reasonable adjustments to be made to their studies. Students can submit a claim for extenuating circumstances or request reasonable adjustments through the UCL Student Portal.

Key Information

• The IMESS programme is a two-year double degree programme.
• The programme is divided into two years, with the first year spent at UCL and the second year spent at one of the partner universities.
• The programme consists of 120 ECTS credits, with 60 ECTS credits completed in each year.
• The programme offers four tracks: Economics and Business, Politics and the International Economy, Politics and Security, and History and Society.
• The dissertation is a substantial piece of independent research that forms an essential part of the IMESS programme.