1000 and 1 reason to study at “Population and Development”: stories of 2nd year students

This article contains several first-hand stories about admission and benefits of the program. You're welcome to read and enroll on our program!

The end of the academic year is approaching, which means that very soon graduates of the bachelor's program will have a choice about continuing their studies in the master's degree. This is a very crucial and responsible decision that can determine the development of a future career and life path.

Today, a huge variety of master's degree programs opens up to applicants, therefore, to make it easier to make a decision, we asked the 2nd year students to tell us why they decided to enroll in the educational program “Population and Development”.

Fedor Shvets

2nd year student of the “Population and Development” program from Aktobe, Kazakhstan

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It is worth enrolling in the master's educational program “Population and Development” for at least three reasons. Firstly, all disciplines and 100% of the classes in our program are in English, which means you will have the opportunity to improve your spoken/academic English or even take it to a new level. In addition, due to the fact that many international students study on our program, you can communicate with native speakers every day. Secondly, you will have a chance to plunge into a multicultural environment, make friends from different countries and learn more about the traditions of other peoples. 

Thirdly, studying at our program is a springboard into the academic world, which is especially important for those who want to build a career in science. Our program brings together the best professors from various departments and laboratories, starting from the Institute of Demography and ending with the Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS), who will always support the student if he or she wants to become part of any laboratory or research center.  

Finally, I would like to note a feature that is inherent in all educational programs of our university (and “Population and Development” is no exception), namely, the ability to form your own learning trajectory. Starting from the first year, you will have the opportunity to pick academic disciplines from your range of professional interests, and if you have a desire to master courses that go beyond our educational program, then you can always choose several interdisciplinary/intercampus disciplines within the framework of the MAGOLEGO program.”

This year I am finishing my master's degree and the most important thing that I can say after these two years is that I have received much more from the “Population and Development” program than I expected. These are new friends, knowledge, useful acquaintances, and open doors to the scientific community.

Anastasia Krizhanovskaya

2nd year student of the “Population and Development” program from Russia, Yekaterinburg

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When I found out about the HSE portfolio competition, I seriously thought about applying for a master's degree. At that time, I was especially fascinated by the sciences of people: demography, anthropology, sociology. This specialty “got into” me: both learning in English, and motivation for big things in life, and an interesting curriculum. A month after submitting the portfolio, I found out that I had won the competition. I consider admission to this program as an interesting and multifaceted life experience, and I hope to apply the knowledge gained in career development.

Waki Magrambe

2nd year student of the “Population and Development” program from Kitare village, Ghana

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I got acquainted with the “Population and Development” program at the open day. I was a prize-winner of the Olympiad in politics and international studies, so I had a choice between two priority programs: “Politics, Philosophy, Economics” and “Population and Development”. I was accepted to both programs, but I had to choose one. I have reviewed the training programs and courses and have come to the conclusion that the “Population and Development” is best suited for my future career (I plan to become a senior civil servant in my country (regional coordinating director)). That's how I got into the HSE “Population and Development” program in Moscow.

Nikita Dolzhenkov

2nd year student of the “Population and Development” program from Ryazan, Russia

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During my undergraduate studies, I realized that the issues of demography, sustainable development and statistics are among my interests. Learning in a foreign language was also an important factor for choosing, which allowed me to develop my English language skills. For me, the program has become a great symbiosis of interesting learning, improving the level of English and meeting new interesting people. In 2 years of study, I have never regretted my choice.

Abubakar Gariba Ismaila

2nd year student of the “Population and Development” program from Accra, Ghana

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Apparently, I have been an ardent lover of development agency work since my high school days, a reason for which I decided to pursue a Bachelor's program in Development Management at the undergraduate level. Realizing that it would be of great importance to equip myself with the necessary skills, techniques and advanced knowledge so as to be very efficient and effective in my professional field, I deemed it prudent to pursue a master's degree.

The Population and Development program, I believe, is exactly the kind of program that would grant me all the needed qualities, exposure and expertise to excel in my career. The direct relation of my chosen career path with public administration makes the program even more suitable and perfect to be pursued.

Susan Amarachi Adiele

2nd year student of the “Population and Development” program from Lagos, Nigeria

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My motivation to change the status quo and give my community equitable access to growth prospects led me to pursue a degree in “Population and Development” at HSE. This is, in my opinion, one of the best choices I have made since it has taught me to view the society as one cohesive whole in which the outcomes of policies have an impact on every sector of society.

Solving micro and macro, current and future societal issues requires an understanding of the many dynamics within a population. The demographic shifts and corresponding policies of a society are crucial to understand in order to achieve sustainable development.