Our History MA provides a unique range of options covering the SSEES region (Central, Eastern and south-east Europe and Russia). You can explore the early modern period to the present, covering lands where mighty empires and many nations have interacted and competed over the centuries: the Russian Empire, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Habsburg Monarchy, the Ottoman Empire, the German Empire, and their successor states. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds. Some have degrees in the study of the region others have no acquaintance with central and Eastern Europe and Russia. We welcome students with one or more of the area's languages, and encourage those without a language to take one up, although this is not compulsory.The UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies (SSEES) is one of the largest national centres in the UK, for the study of central, Eastern and south-east Europe and Russia. Our unique specialist library and central London location provide an ideal environment for research, while our close contacts with employers, policymakers, embassies and alumni afford you excellent opportunities for networking and career development.