Program Overview

Department of Political Science and Public Administration

The Department of Political Science and Public Administration offers a range of academic programs, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies.

Undergraduate Studies

The undergraduate program in Political Science and Public Administration provides students with a comprehensive understanding of political science, public administration, and international relations. The curriculum includes:

• Core Courses
• Political Analysis
  • Specialisation Core Courses
  • Specialisation Elective Courses
• International and European Studies
  • Specialisation Core Courses
  • Specialisation Elective Courses
• Administrative Science and Public Law
  • Specialisation Core Courses
  • Specialisation Elective Courses
• Elective Courses

Postgraduate Studies

The department offers several postgraduate programs, including:

• Southeast European Studies: Politics, History, Economics
• Global Governance and Security
• Political Science and Sociology
• Public Law and Public Policy
• Master of Business Administration
• South European Studies (EUROSUD)

Doctoral Studies

The department also offers doctoral programs, including doctoral dissertations in progress.

Research

The department is involved in various research activities, including:

• Institute of Administrative Sciences
• Center for Studies of Greek and European Public Law (History, Principles, Institutions, Rights) [CESGEPL]
• Institute of Greek Politics
• Institute of European Integration and Policy
• Institute for the Study of Greek-German Relations
• Institute for Migration and Diaspora Studies (EMMEDIA)
• Lab of Political Communication and Information Media
• Research Centre for Economic Policy, Governance and Development

Course: Comparative Social Policy

The course on Comparative Social Policy focuses on investigating main questions and issues concerning the comparative analysis of social policy systems. The course objectives include:

1. Delving into key concepts and theories of comparative social policy.
2. Understanding the main factors that played a role in the origin and development of the welfare state.
3. Offering an analysis and synthesis of different theoretical approaches as a means to explain the development of social programmes and welfare states.
4. Understanding the rationale behind the comparative analysis of social programmes, social problems and welfare states.
5. Delving into the main features of different social policy models and welfare states.
6. Understanding the debates on social reform over the course of the recent decades, as well as some of the modern challenges faced by the welfare state, including their effects.

The course content includes:

1. Introduction to Comparative Social Policy
2. Theoretical Approaches to the Welfare State
3. Typologies of Welfare States
4. Examples of Comparative Study in the Field of Social Policy
5. Debates on Social Reform & Challenges Faced by the Modern Welfare State

The intended learning outcomes include:

1. Getting to know key concepts concerning comparative social policy.
2. Understanding the great scientific, social and political importance of the comparative study of social programmes and welfare states.
3. Getting to know the main theoretical approaches related to the development of the welfare state.
4. Delving into the key features of different welfare states and different models of social policy implementation.
5. Being able to use data from primary and secondary sources for the comparative study of social benefits, social programmes and welfare states.

The recommended textbooks for the course include:

1. Lalioti, V. (2018), Aspects of Comparative Social Policy, MOTIVO PUBLISHING S.A.
2. Esping-Andersen, G. (2013), The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, MOTIVO PUBLISHING S.A.