Studium

The Introductory Module consists from three courses on sociological theory, quantitative methods and qualitative methods. For each course you will receive 2 CP, so that the whole module will give you 6 CP. The Introductory Module is mandatory and is offered in winter semester, as a rule. The idea of introductory courses on the master's level is not to provide an introduction to absolute beginners, but to refresh/systematize/re-arrange your previous knowledge and to bring students with diverse academic backgrounds to a „common ground“.

Main part of the MA Sociology is six thematic modules. Modules can be compeleted in each thematic area of MA Sociology (see below), for example “module in sociology and anthropology of the global world” or “module in political sociology”. Each thematic area offers a number of seminars each semester. In order to complete a module in a specific thematic area, you have to complete two seminars offered in this area (they can be offered in different semesters), in one of the seminars you have to take an examination. One seminar gives you 4 CP and an examination 6 CP, so that one thematic module (one seminar without examination 4 CP + one seminar with examination 4 + 6 CP) will give you 14 CP.

One of six thematic modules must be studied in the form of student research project module (see below), which will give you 14 CP as well. You are free to choose different thematic modules, but you must decide on a profile (see below), which consists of three modules from the same thematic area.

Seminars

In each thematic area of MA Sociology, a number of seminars are offered each semester. Usually, concrete seminars are offered only once and won't be repeated. In the seminars, lecturers give different tasks, the so-called “study performance”. These tasks might be text summaries, oral presentations, response papers or similar tasks. Study performance is non-graded and you will receive 4 CP for it. In every seminar, you can opt for an examination, which is graded and gives you additional 6 CP. To complete a module, you have to complete two seminars from the same thematic area, one without examination (4 CP) and one with examination (10 CP). You are free to choose in which seminar you want to take the examination.

Examination

Examinations in the seminars of MA Sociology are term papers. A term paper has to be 20 – 25 pages long and must be written after the rules of academic writing. A term paper is always graded and the grade of the term paper will be the grade of the thematic module. In one of the two seminars of a thematic module, you must write a term paper in order to complete the module.

Student research project (LeFo)

Profile and other modules

You are free to choose thematic areas of your six modules, but you will have to follow a certain structure. First of all, you will have to decide on a profile, i.e. your major field of study, focus of your MA studies. A profile consists of three thematic modules from the same thematic area. Other three of your thematic modules must be from other thematic areas: Either from three different areas (three single modules), or from two different areas (specialization and single module). A specialization is two thematic modules from the same thematic area. Single modules, specialization and profile must be from different thematic areas. This means that you can only study a maximum of three modules in one thematic area and you can only do this once (you cannot have two profiles). It is recommended to have your profile in “Sociology and Anthropology of the Global World” or “Social Structure Analysis and Social Inequality”, since in these thematic areas a broad range of courses in English are offered.

Thematic areas

The Faculty of Sociology offers 10 different thematic areas to study. It is not possible to have a profile in every thematic area. For students of the International Track it is strongly recommended to have their profile in “Sociology and Anthropology of the Global World” or “Social Structure Analysis and Social Inequality”.

Grades

Your master's thesis and colloquium will be the final part of your studies. In colloquium, you will present and discuss work-in-progress of your master's thesis. The master's thesis has to be approximately 70 pages long and you have 6 months to write it. You will have two supervisors of which one has to be a professor. They supervise you before and during the progress of writing and grade your thesis in the end. There is no oral defense of the master's thesis. The thesis and colloquium gives you 30 CP. The participation in a colloquium is mandatory.

Regulation regarding master's thesis by examination office can be found here.

Registration form for your master's thesis can be found here. Please note that on the date, on which your first supervisor signed the form, 6 months countdown starts.

Please read the information above carefully before having a look on the study examples.