‘I Realized That Economics Has Many Different Fields’
Though a native of South Korea, Daeun Han went to school in Moscow, so attending a Russian university and taking classes in Russian did not pose a big challenge for her. She is currently working towards a Bachelor's degree in economics at the Faculty of Economic Sciences at HSE University. As a third-year student, she finds herself getting more and more interested in different aspects of economics.
Daeun Han
I decided to study at HSE at the recommendations of my family. I was able to get high scores on entrance exams as they had a similar format to Russian Unified State Exams and I studied in a Russian high school.
Initially, I was a bit worried about my mathematical background because I had been in AP Cultural Studies group at high school, rather than Maths or Economics. But I needn’t have worried as Maths courses in our Economics programme were very good and well-structured. Also, there was always an opportunity to talk to professors after lectures and seminars and attend teaching assistants’ and professors’ consultations.
Diving into Economics
There was at least one subject every year that I really enjoyed studying. As a first-year undergraduate student, I really liked Calculus. Professor Nikolay Polyakov was our lecturer and instructor in my group. His lectures and seminars they gave me a fundamental knowledge and interest for mathematical subjects.
As a second-year undergraduate student, I enjoyed Microeconomics and Instrumental Methods for Digital Economics. I started to realize that Economic Sciences have many fields like Theoretical, Applied Economics, Finance and so on. This got more interested in my major.
In my third year, I liked Machine Learning, Econometrics, and Macroeconomics most of all. These subjects are helpful in understanding various phenomena from an economic perspective and applying economic knowledge by combining it with other fields like computer sciences, etc.
At the moment, I have no detailed plans for my future, but I know that I want to continue studying economics. I think I would like to go into the data science aspect of economics as I am also interested in computer science. I hope to work in this field in the future.
Tips for Staying on Track
The most difficult part in studying now is time management as many courses are online. The lessons are usually arranged via online platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams and online.hse.ru.
Winter exams went as usual. Exam week is always a very stressful time for many students and I am no exception. Week of little sleep and a lot of tiredness is still bearable because after that there is a vacation.
It is important to be careful with time and not waste it because there are many assignments and exams that require much time to study
However, it is hard to stay focused all the time at home. In philosophical aspect, the most crucial thing that helps me anytime is asking myself why I study and how. It is important to give precise answers to these questions to get the effect.
HSE University welcomes applicants from all over the world and offers not only different levels of study, but also different formats in English and Russian, online and offline. International applicants can apply for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in a separate admissions process for foreign applicants and receive scholarships with full or partial tuition fee coverage.
When applying to a Bachelor’s programme, including five English-taught programmes in Moscow, it is possible to submit international certificates you have received in English and mathematics, such as TOEFL, A-Level and other international exams and they will be recognized by HSE University, so taking entrance exams in relevant subjects will not be required.
Undergraduate applicants can test their chances of admission now by taking mock tests. Master’s applicants also have the opportunity to get a preliminary assessment of their portfolio and communicate with their programme of choice online.
To learn more about HSE University, its admission process, or life in Moscow, please visit International Admissions website, or contact the Education & Training Advisory Centre. The staff are happy to advise applicants and their parents via e-mail at inter@hse.ru, by phone +7 (495) 531 00 59, or WhatsApp +7 (916) 311 85 21, as well as on social media in Russian and in English: Vkontakte, Facebook, Telegram and Instagram.
Nikolay L. Polyakov
Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics
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