Admissions news at HSE University

The English-taught master's programme in Comparative Social Research studies sociology from a global perspective and is intended for those who are interested in understanding how people's actions affect society and what influences the decisions and self-identification of individuals and groups in different cultures, regions and circumstances. Students participate in interregional and cross-country quantitative and qualitative research, working on their own projects. The programme’s academic supervisor Ekaterina Mitrofanova told HSE News Service about the course’s features and admission process.

Wenrui Zhang, from China, is a recent graduate of theMaster’s in Economics and Economic Policy at the HSE UniversityFaculty of Economic Sciences. Having successfully defended his master’s thesis on the impact of COVID-19 on the incomes of vulnerable groups, Wenrui has set his sights on publishing his research and enrolling in adoctoral programme at the university. The HSE News Service interviewed Wenrui about his achievements so far and his goals for the future, and also spoke to Prof.Elena Kotyrlo, his academic supervisor.

Kristina Rizvanova from Astana, Kazakhstan, is currently in her second and final year of the master's programme in Marketing Management—the first online master’s programme in this field at HSE University. Kristina spoke to the HSE News Service about preparing for the entrance exams, the wonders of online learning, and the importance of broadening one’s personal and professional horizons.

Armine Abrahamyan studies philosophy at the Russian-Armenian University in Yerevan. She came to St Petersburg under the mobility programme to expand her horizons and live up to her motto of 'never limit yourself'. This aspiration for new knowledge and experiences led her to HSE University-St Petersburg. Armine shared her impressions of the university and explained how studies in Russia and Armenia are different.

The ‘Foreign Languages ​​and Intercultural Communication in Business’ programme at HSE University in Perm places a special emphasis on learning a second foreign language, offering students a choice of German, French, or Chinese. The HSE News Service spoke to students who have been studying Chinese for a year about their experiences of passing an exam for an international certificate and gaining a better understanding of Chinese culture.

Mutiu Iyanda Lasisi is a first-year master’s student of Critical Media Studies at the Faculty of Creative Industries. He chose to pursue his master’s at HSE University out of a desire to combine theory and practice and to create real solutions. Mutiu spoke to the HSE News Service about why HSE University was the right place to realise his ambitions, how theory shapes learning into frameworks for action, and how he has already put his knowledge to real-world use.

Xinyi Zhao, 23, is a second-year Master’s student in Comparative Social Research. Originally from Weihai, Shandong, China, she came to HSE University with a desire to turn theoretical knowledge into practical solutions. Xinyi spoke to the HSE News Service about the importance of utilising one’s learning, as well as why foreigners in Moscow shouldn’t be scared to ask for help.

Aleksandra Buksha, a fourth-year student of the Bachelor's programme 'Philology' at HSE University in St Petersburg, talks about studying under the mobility programme at the University of Trento in Italy.