The new programme introduces students to East Slavic languages, cultures and religions in the context of societal change.
The University of Eastern Finland will launch the new Bachelor’s Degree Programme in East Slavic Societies and Religion in autumn 2027. Offered in English, the programme introduces students to the languages, cultures and religions of East Slavic regions. Applications for the Bachelor’s degree programme will be open from 7 to 21 January 2027.
The programme focuses on the East Slavic language regions of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and it also explores the role of Orthodox Christianity in shaping societies and identities. The programme is offered jointly by the School of Theology and the School of Humanities at the University of Eastern Finland.
“We equip students with the skills to understand the mechanisms behind societal change, with a particular emphasis on the role of culture, language and religion in crises and peace processes,” says Associate Professor Maria Takala-Roszczenko of the School of Theology, describing the aims of the new programme.
The new programme offers a distinctive combination of Russian and Ukrainian language with a strong societal orientation. International students on the programme will also study Finnish as a second language.
When applying, students choose between a Bachelor of Theology degree in Orthodox theology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in East Slavic languages, and their curriculum will be structured accordingly.
“Most of the programme’s courses are multidisciplinary, approaching languages, culture and religion from a social science perspective.”
After completing the Bachelor’s degree programme, graduates may go on to pursue a Master’s degree in Orthodox theology or the Russian language, for example, or apply to the English-language Master’s Degree Programme in Faith, Crises and Existential Wellbeing.
