Students

On this page you will find everything you need to know about studying for a Master's degree in Social Sciences.

Aims of the degree program

Qualification objectives of the degree program - start of studies from 2023

The in-depth study of one of the three social science pillars Sociology, Political Science and Communication Science as well as the interdisciplinary specialization area Society, Environment and Technology in Transition provides graduates with a broad scientific understanding of social and political structures and processes in Germany and in international contexts, which is supplemented by interdisciplinary skills in the subject areas of society, environment and technology.

Qualification objectives of the degree program - start of studies from 2018

The in-depth study of one of the three social science pillars of sociology, political science and communication science as well as the interdisciplinary specialization area of city, environment, mobility (SUM) provides graduates with a broad scientific understanding of social and political structures and processes in Germany and in international contexts, which is supplemented by interdisciplinary skills in the subject areas of city, environment and mobility.

Contents of the study program

Structure of the Master's degree program in Social Sciences (PO 2023)

The degree program can be studied full-time or part-time and is divided into three areas: The subject specialization in social sciences, the inter- and transdisciplinary research practice and the interdisciplinary specialization.

A total of 36 CP are acquired in the specialization in Social Sciences. Of these, 18 CP are allocated to the two compulsory modules, and a further 18 CP are allocated to the chosen specialization (Political Science, Sociology or Communication Studies). In the chosen specialization, two core modules must be completed, each with two related courses amounting to a total of 18 CP.

In the area of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research practice, you will acquire the required 27 CP by completing two modules. In addition to the project module (18 CP), you will complete the inter- and transdisciplinary bridge module in the first year of study.

The interdisciplinary specialization "Society, Environment and Technology in Transition" comprises 27 CP. You are free to choose the modules in this area, but modules with related content are recommended.

In total, all students take 4 modules from the social science subjects, 2 interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary modules and 4 to 6 modules from the area of "Society, Environment and Technology in Transition". On average, 10 to 12 modules are taken. In the final semester of the course, students complete the Master's thesis, which takes six months to complete and has a module size of 30 CP.

In addition to the two compulsory modules in sociology and political science, you choose two further core modules from the fields of sociology, political science and communication science in the specialization in social sciences. By choosing two core modules within a discipline, you determine your personal specialization.

With the specialization in sociology, you will acquire advanced theoretical and methodological knowledge of the analysis of social structures and processes. This mainly relates to the topics of social inequality, life course dynamics, educational and labor market processes and the interrelationship between working and private life. Other key topics include the current and future transformation of work and labour markets as well as organizational change and internal democracy.

If you choose to specialize in political science, you will learn specialized political science instruments, in particular from political field analysis, international relations and comparative government, in order to transfer and evaluate them to different areas. This includes in particular questions of conflict and cooperation in the organization of decision-making processes, e.g. in state-related policy fields such as health, transport, education or crime prevention, but also for individual controversial major projects or diplomatic crises.

The specialization in communication science enables you to apply communication science concepts, theories and methods to problem areas of the changing communication environment in the context of the individual and society. In terms of content, the focus is on communication science research on new media and science communication as well as individual and social usage and impact processes of digital and science communication and their application to other problem areas.

You will take two modules in the area of inter- and transdisciplinary research practice. The inter- and transdisciplinary bridge module is designed as a thematically open module, which is directly linked to ongoing inter- and transdisciplinary research projects at TU Braunschweig and thus brings you into contact with real research in the context of TU Braunschweig. It can be carried out both with and without social science participation.

The project module is about the application and practical testing of the knowledge you have already acquired in the context of a project. The module can take place with or without social science participation and thus offers you a further opportunity to gain practical experience in inter- and transdisciplinary research.

The project can be integrated into ongoing research projects of the course lecturers. On the basis of cooperation with private or public organizations, you will also be made offers for projects which you can combine with an internship. At the same time, you are free to choose your own project topics and cooperation partners.

The project module can provide the basis for your six-month Master's thesis. University supervision is fundamental for all projects. The project phase is accompanied by specialist and methodological support at the university, which is thematically related to the requirements of the projects and covers issues such as project management or special methods. The project and the inter- and transdisciplinary specialization module underline the research orientation of the degree course.

In the interdisciplinary specialization "Society, Environment and Technology in Transition", you will acquire sound skills in a wide range of subjects that are represented in research and teaching at TU Braunschweig. In particular, you will have the opportunity to combine social science and technical content and expertise.

A wide range of modules is available to you, from which you can choose an individual combination of modules tailored to your specialization. In addition to subjects in architecture and civil engineering, you can also choose modules in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, psychology, law and economics with an environmental science focus. If you would like to deepen your social science knowledge, you can take any social science modules in this area that you have not already taken in the subject specialization. If your interests are not covered by the modules on offer, you have the opportunity to apply for additional modules not yet listed in order to create your own individual specialization.

You are free to choose the modules in the interdisciplinary specialization.

The aim of the Master's thesis is to independently familiarize yourself with a social science topic and to work on it scientifically and methodically. It is possible to design the thesis in an interdisciplinary way, whereby the research focus should come from the social sciences.

Structure of the Master's degree program in Social Sciences (PO 2018 and PO 2021)

The degree program can be studied full-time or part-time and consists of three pillars. A total of 33 CP are acquired in the first social science pillar. Of these, 15 CP are allocated to the two compulsory modules, and a further 18 CP are allocated to the chosen specialization (political science, sociology or communication studies). In this specialization, two core modules must be taken, each usually comprising two related courses and a total of 18 CP.

In the inter- and transdisciplinary area, the specialization module with 9 CP and the project module are compulsory. In the project module, which can be carried out with social science and non-social science participation, students can work on a specific topic over six or twelve months (with 9 or 18 CP). A further module must be chosen if the project module with 9 CP has been completed. The interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary area therefore comprises 27 CP.

The interdisciplinary specialization "City, Environment, Mobility" (SUM) comprises 30 CP. It is divided into the two specializations "City and Environment" and "Mobility". Students are formally free to choose the modules in the area of "City, Environment, Mobility", but modules with related content are recommended.

In total, all students take 4 modules from the social science subjects, 2 to 3 inter- and transdisciplinary modules and 4 to 6 modules from the area of "City, Environment, Mobility". On average, students take 11 to 12 modules plus a Master's module. At the end of the course, students complete a Master's thesis, which takes six months to complete and is worth 30 CP.

Exemplary Course of Studies

You can download an overview of the structure of the degree program here. Please make sure you have the version that applies to you.

Presentation of audit regulations

Sample study plans

PO 2023

Timetables and courses

Here you can find the current timetables for the Master of Social Sciences. Timetables, course catalogs and module handbooks from previous semesters can be found in the Archiv.

The current course catalog and module handbook are essential for understanding the timetables. The course catalog provides information about the courses offered in the respective semester. The module handbook provides information on the allocation of courses to the modules and to the module headings.

Summer semester 2024

Registration for the courses of the Department of Social Sciences is possible from Thursday, March 7, 12 noon until Monday, March 11, 2024, 12 noon.

Places will be allocated by lottery on Monday, March 11 at approx. 1 pm.
The time of registration has no effect on the lottery procedure!
Unless otherwise stated, registration takes place via Stud IP.
Remaining places will be released for all semesters on Thursday, March 28, 2024 following the first semester course selection.
Registration for and attendance of courses in Philosophy: please refer to the information on the homepage of the Institute of Philosophy, in particular the current semester annotated course catalogs, which provide information about the allocation in the modules.
Registration for and attendance of courses in Philosophy: please refer to the information on the homepage of the Institute of Philosophy, in particular the current semester annotated annotated course catalog, which provide information about the allocation in the modules.
The Department of Architecture does not usually publish its courses via Stud.IP, but via its own platform. You can access this at https://stdb3.ila.bau.tu-bs.de/. Here you will find all information regarding the content and dates.
The registration periods for courses at other institutes and departments may differ. Please refer to the information in Stud.IP.

Students in their first semester register for the courses of the Department of Social Sciences during the orientation week (week before the start of lectures).

The lottery procedure will take place on Thursday, March 28, 2024.

You will receive information in mid-March with your welcome e-mail. The procedure and requirements for course selection will be explained during the orientation week.

If you have any questions, please send an email to sowi-studium(at)tu-braunschweig.de

Study abroad

During your studies, you have various opportunities for a stay abroad. You can find an overview of existing TU Braunschweig exchange programs on the pages of the International House. The most common is the Erasmus+ program. The Department of Social Sciences has partnership agreements with European universities within this framework. Under certain conditions, it is also possible to apply to one of the other 250 European partner universities of TU Braunschweig.

Information on possible partner universities can be found on the International House website. Plan your semester abroad well in advance, as the application deadlines are approx. 5 (Erasmus, Europe) or 9 (rest of the world) months before the start of the semester abroad.

It is best to discuss the right time for your stay abroad with the subject coordinator.

Further informations

General advice and information on exchange programs, the partner universities and the application procedure can be found on the homepage of the International House. There you will also find the dates for the regular information events on the Erasmus+ program.
Subject Coordination Erasmus+ of the Department of Social Sciences:Institute for Comparative Politics and Public Policy - Ilana Schröder.

Mailing lists

The mailing list provides information about current dates, news, examination periods and important changes.

Please use your TU e-mail address. External addresses often cause errors and are the reason why messages do not arrive.

To make sure you don't miss any important deadlines, register directly at the start of your studies!

Registration and deregistration:

To subscribe, please send an e-mail with the following content (subject remains blank) to sympa@lists.tu-braunschweig.de:

subscribe SOWI-MASTER First name Last name

You can unsubscribe in the same way:

signoff SOWI-MASTER

Alumni

Have you finished your studies or are you about to complete your Bachelor's or Master's degree and don't yet know what to do next?

ALSOWI e.V.

Would you like to keep in touch with your former institute as an alumni?

Then join the ALSOWI alumni association. The Alumni Association of the Department of Social Sciences at the TU Braunschweig (ALSOWI e.V.) is aimed at all those who study, have studied or feel connected to the Institute of Social Sciences. The association was founded in spring 2008.

ALSOWI e.V.

Career Service

The Career Service at TU Braunschweig supports students and graduates on their path from university to a career. We provide you with practical contacts and insights into the world of work and offer a wide range of advisory and qualification services to prepare you specifically for your career start.

Career Service

Alumni networks at the TU Braunschweig

E-mail distribution list for job and internship-related offers

In cooperation with the ALSOWI-Verein the Sowi Jobs mailing list is an e-mail distribution list for job and internship-related offers. You will receive information about student assistant positions, job offers, internships, career entry and similar topics.

Registration for the mailing list Sowi Jobs

Students

Aims of the degree program

Contents of the study program

Structure of the Master's degree program in Social Sciences (PO 2023)

Structure of the Master's degree program in Social Sciences (PO 2018 and PO 2021)

Exemplary Course of Studies

Presentation of audit regulations

Sample study plans

Timetables and courses

Study abroad

Further informations

Mailing lists

Alumni

ALSOWI e.V.

Career Service

Alumni networks at the TU Braunschweig

E-mail distribution list for job and internship-related offers

Study Program Coordination

Examination Office

For All Visitors

For Students

Internal Tools

Contact