Program Overview

MA Study Program European Culture and Economy (English track)

The English track of the renowned and well-established study program started in October 2023. With over 20 years of experience in international and interdisciplinary study programs, the Ruhr-Universität Bochum offers students the opportunity to study the M.A. degree program European Culture and Economy in English.

Program Overview

The MA European Culture and Economy (MA ECUE) is an interdisciplinary and international M.A. degree program that offers challenging training and research in European Studies. Students learn to combine insights from political science, sociology, economy, law, philosophy, humanities, and history in the study of Europe and the EU. The program can be fully studied in English, and small cohorts of students ensure close interaction, effective learning, and high success rates.

Curriculum

The content of the MA ECUE (English track) includes European, social, cultural, economical, and political developments, structures, and processes. The study program provides students with the opportunity to conduct in-depth analyses and studies with the help of a multiperspective and interdisciplinary linkage of knowledge from involved subjects. Students will acquire analytical, methodological, communicative, social, and cultural competences, enabling them to compare, evaluate, and analyze topics related to Europe and the European Union in a scientific manner.

The MA ECUE includes:

• Structured fundamental training in the 1st and 2nd semesters
• Methodological training in the 1st and 2nd semesters
• Flexibility and individualization of studies through elective in-depth modules in the 3rd semester
• Optional practice module (internship) in the compulsory course section
• In-depth methodological training
• Practice-related use of study contents at the field trip to Brussels

Within 4 semesters (2 years), students will study:

• Introductory Module (1st semester)
• Basic Module Philosophy and Law (1st and 2nd semesters)
• Basic Module History (1st semester)
• Basic Module Language and Culture (1st and 2nd semesters)
• Basic Module Economy (1st and 2nd semesters)
• Basic Module Politics and Society (1st and 2nd semesters)
• Module Research Methods 1 (1st and 2nd semesters)
• Module Research Methods 2 (2nd and 3rd semesters)
• In-depth Module 1 (3rd and 4th semesters)
• In-depth Module 2 (3rd and 4th semesters) or Practice Module
• Final Module (4th semester)

Requirements and Application

To apply for the MA study program European Culture and Economy (MA ECUE), students must fulfill the following requirements:

• Completed BA studies (minimum of 180 Credit Points/ ECTS) in multiple combinations of social and/or political science, economics, humanities, or cultural studies at a German university or an equivalent foreign academic degree
• Very good to excellent academic degree (final degree: minimum 2.3 according to the German grading system)
• Submission of an application essay
• English language skills
• For applicants from PR China, Vietnam, or Mongolia: valid certificate of the German Embassy (Academic Assessment Office, APS)

Content-Related Requirements

Students' study contents are supposed to serve as a profound basis for the MA study program ECUE. Therefore, they need to fulfill one of the following prerequisites:

• BA 1-subject program in one of the above-mentioned disciplines; in addition to their major, they need to have obtained a total amount of minimum 20 Credit Points (CP/ ECTS) in at least two of the following subjects different from their major: sociology, political science, economics, history studies, philosophy, language and cultural studies, media studies
• BA 2-subjects program with a major in literature and/or linguistic studies (resp. cultural studies); in addition to their majors, they need to have obtained a total amount of minimum 20 CP/ ECTS in at least two of the following subjects: sociology, political science, economics, history studies, philosophy, media studies
• BA 2-subjects program with a major(s) in economic studies (economics and/or business administration); in addition to their majors, they need to have obtained a total amount of minimum 20 CP/ ECTS in at least two of the following subjects: sociology, political science, history studies, philosophy, language and cultural studies, media studies
• BA 2-subjects program with one major in political science and/or sociology; in addition to their majors, they need to have obtained a total amount of minimum 20 CP/ ECTS in at least two of the following subjects: economics, history studies, philosophy, language and cultural studies, media studies
• BA 2-subjects program combining two of the following subjects: sociology, political science, economics, history studies, philosophy, media studies
• An interdisciplinary BA studies program combining at least two of the following subjects: sociology, political science, economics, history studies, philosophy, language and cultural studies, media studies; students need to have obtained a total of 100 CP/ ECTS in those subjects, with at least 30 CP/ ECTS in non-linguistic and/or non-literature studies

Application Essay

In the application essay, applicants should deal with one or more main topics of the MA study program ECUE (European Politics, European Society, European Culture, European Economy, European History). The essay should fulfill the following criteria:

• The candidate is able to write an essay independently and conclusively on one or more of the main topics of the MA ECUE
• The candidate is able to consider and connect normative and analytic-descriptive aspects
• The candidate is able to structure their essay in an easily accessible format and articulate in a both generally comprehensible and academically adequate language
• The candidate knows generally accepted academic standards

Language Requirements

The study components within the MA study program ECUE are conducted in English. To be a successful student, one must possess excellent English language skills. Proof of English language skills extends to:

• TOEFL (internet-based from 87 points/computer-based from 227 points)
• IELTS (levels 9 6)
• FCE, CAE, or CPE (grades A C)

Students whose native language is English from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada are exempt. Students who have completed a full BA program in one of the mentioned countries are also exempt.