Soziokulturelle Studien│Sociocultural Studies (M.A.)

In order to have external academic achievements recognised, please complete the application form and send it together with a copy of the transcript of records by e-mail to Prof Dr Stephan Lanz.

For the recognition of achievements from abroad, you must submit the application before and after the stay abroad (completed independently and in full) to Prof Dr Stephan Lanz for signature.

If you have earned at least 30 ECTS credits (then 2nd semester) in your previous studies, e.g. at another university or in another degree programme at the Viadrina, which can be recognised in the Master's degree programme in Sociocultural Studies, you may be placed in a higher semester.

The procedure for placement in a higher semester is two-stage:

• Please submit an application for classification to Prof Dr Stephan Lanz at the same time as you enrol and enclose a transcript of records or ä. with the application.
• Please submit an application for recognition of your previous academic achievements to Prof Dr Stephan Lanz after enrolment. Please also enclose a copy of your transcript or transcript of records with this application.

Application for registration for the final exam

Please contact Prof Dr Stephan Lanz for approval by the examination board on the registration form with the topic and the reviewers of the masters thesis.

.

Can I only apply with a Bachelor's certificate or I you submit it later? When does the BA certificate have to be submitted by?

You can also apply with a transcript of records confirmed by your university. This should include the course titles, credit points and grades. The Bachelor's certificate must be available by the end of the enrolment period at the latest.

Will my Bachelor's degree be recognised as relevant?

The admissions board decides on the relevance of your first degree programme. Your first degree programme is considered to be relevant if you have at least 30 ECTS credits related to cultural and social sciences. You should therefore also submit a list of the courses you have attended (transcript of records) with your application, showing the respective ECTS credits.

Do I have to provide proof of foreign language skills at the time of application and at what level?

If possible, proof of English language skills at UNIcert II or B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages must be provided at the time of application, but at the latest by the end of the enrolment period. In addition to UNIcert II, TOEFL, IELTS and Cambridge are definitely recognised with a corresponding assessment. The admission board decides on other certificates. English skills from school (whether basic or advanced) alone are not sufficient. A Bachelor's degree programme completed entirely in English is sufficient.

I am not a German citizen, but would still like to study at your university. How do I proceed?

Please check the information for international applicants. If you have questeions, please contact the Viadrina International Affairs department (international@europa-uni.de). If you have completed your Bachelor's degree at a German university, the same conditions apply to you as for German students.

Can I also study part-time?

Yes, it is possible to study the MASS part-time if you can provide evidence of an appropriate reason (e.g. caring for a family member, working at least 15 hours per week, etc.). However, you must study part-time for at least two semesters and can only earn 30 ECTS credits in both semesters combined. Please note: This may have consequences for your entitlement to child benefit and student health insurance. Likewise, this does not extend the BAföG entitlement.

Can I also extend my studies, i.e. study longer than the regular study duration of 4 semesters?

Yes. Students who do not complete their studies within the regular study duration are granted a grace period of a further four semesters to take the final examinations. An application for extension no longer needs to be submitted for this. If you need more than eight semesters, you will be invited to a mandatory counselling session.

What is the best way to structure your study plan?

You can find a non-binding but recommended study plan in the study documents section.

Must each course be completed with a graded assignment?

If the courses are to be graded, proof of performance must be provided. Exceptions are possible for language courses and practical skills seminars. The individual performance requirements are announced in the course schedule at the beginning of the semester.

Are there compulsory elements in MASS or can I choose all my courses freely?

One compulsory lecture must be attended in the central module. It is also compulsory that sudents have to write at least three long term papers (9 ECTS, 20-25 pages each). It is advisable to write one of these assignments in the research module in preparation for the masters thesis.

Is it possible to replace the minimum three required term papers with the master's thesis?
No, this is not possible.

Can you have credits from one module recognised in another module?

This is possible in individual cases. The lecturer must agree to this based on the content of the course. If they agree, please contact the academic manager of the programme and ask for their consent as well. A short informal e-mail is sufficient. If both agree to the module extension, please forward the email to the dean's office where the additional module will be assignes to the course in viaCampus.

How should my selected modules be connected in terms of content? (Relation between elective modules, research module, optional modules and master's thesis)

The module structure of the programme makes it possible to focus intensively on specific topics as well as to gain a broader insight into different areas of the programme. A broad specialisation can be achieved, for example, by doubling the elective modules in the optional module in combination with courses on related topics or methods in the research module.

Do I have to complete the compulsory lecture in the central module?

Successful completion of the compulsory course in the central module is mandatory. However, the content of this course varies slightly from semester to semester, so that it is also possible to take your own study interests into account.

Does the compulsory lecture have to be taken in the 1st semester? Does it have to be completed with a written exam?

It is advisable, but not compulsory, to attend the compulsory lecture in the first semester. It is usually completed with a written examination for 6 ECTS credits.

What are the requirements for the research module? Is a thematic connection with the masters thesis required? Or with the elective modules?

Ideally, an (empirical) research paper in the respective field should prepare your masters thesis in the research module. This is done, for example, by writing an exposé (with research question, objective, research status, methods, possibly theses/hypotheses, literature research), which is submitted to the supervisor of the masters thesis and then discussed in detail so that you have a clear direction for the masters thesis. In some cases, it is possible to obtain an achievement with 6 or 9 ECTS in a suitable seminar or colloquium of the supervisor (if the paper has the required number of pages). Of course, credits can also be earned in the research module regardless of the topic of the masters thesis.

Can courses that are not explicitly listed in the research module also be recognised in the research module? Under what conditions?

In general, the crediting of seminars for the research module must be agreed with the person responsible for the seminar and the academic manager of the programme. As a rule, a research focus of the work or a thematic reference to the masters thesis can be a condition for recognition in the research module.

Do I have to conduct empirical research in the research module?

It is recommended, but not mandatory and depends on the course requirements. In general, the research module should prepare you for your masters thesis - both thematically and methodologically. Familiarising yourself with and applying methods in the research module can be such meaningful preparation.

Am I bound to certain courses in the optional modules? Is it possible to combine courses from different areas or modules (internship, specialisation of an elective module, etc.) in the option modules?

You must select two different options in the two optional modules. For example, one option module can be used for a two-month internship (12 ECTS) and the other as a specialisation in the central module or an elective module (also 12 ECTS) with corresponding seminars. It is not possible to combine more than two options, e.g. internship, specialisation of the central module and courses from neighbouring faculties.

Do the achievements in the option module have to be graded?

No, practical skills courses and internships do not have to be graded. In this case, the achievements from the other modules count proportionately more when calculating the grade.

Can an internship abroad be recognised for the option module?

Yes, it does not matter where you do the internship.

How do internships count and where can they be recognised?

6 ECTS credits are awarded for a one-month internship, 12 ECTS credits for a two-month internship and 18 ECTS credits for a three-month internship (full-time in each case). In principle, it is also possible to complete a longer part-time internship in order to achieve the required number of hours per week. The Career Center is responsible for recognition.

Can one of the three mandatory long term papers also be written in the option module?

Yes, that is possible.

Do I have to take specific courses in the foreign languages/practical skills module? Is it possible to combine courses from different areas?

Courses can be combined as long as the total number of credit points in the module amounts to (at least) 18 ECTS at the end. It should be noted that a UNIcert III certificate or the certificate „Academic Communication“ in German as a foreign language alone already earns 18 ECTS. The acquisition of further credits for the module is no longer necessary in these cases.

Is it possible to have a UNIcert II or III in a foreign language already obtained in the Bachelor's programme recognised again for the Master's programme?

No, that is not possible. However, it counts towards the admission requirement if it is a UNIcert II (or equivalent) in English.

Is it possible to learn a new language as part of your degree programme and have the work credited towards a module?

You can have foreign language achievements recognised in the foreign languages/practical skills module or in the option module. For a UNIcert III, for example, there are 18 ECTS credits. The examination board is responsible for recognising external language certificates.

Do language certificates have to be graded?

No. If a language achievement at a certain UNIcert level does not contain a grade, the respective module (option module or foreign languages/practical skills) is completed ungraded and the final grade is calculated from the other modules.

Can B2 certificates other than UNIcert II be recognised?

The language training programme at Viadrina is part of the UNIcert system. The examination board is responsible for recognising external language certificates. You can find further information on the recognition of language certificates, which is also the guideline for the examination board.

Is there a deadline for registering for the masters thesis?

The master's thesis can be registered at any time as soon as the requirement of at least 72 of the total 90 ECTS (including successful participation in the compulsory introductory course in the central module) has been met.

Does the masters thesis have to be written in the elective modules?

No, it can be written in any module.

What requirements must the first and second examiners fulfil?

Both examiners must have a doctorate. One of them must hold a professorship or extraordinary professorship ("Außerplanmäßige Professur") at the Viadrina or be authorised to teach independently as a private lecturer ("Privatdozent") or honorary professor.

Do all performance records have to be included in the final grade?

No, only as many as are required to achieve the 12 or 18 ECTS in each of the modules.

What happens if you want to take the final exam on the topic of a specific course, but the lecturer is no longer at the university?

In this case, the chairholder of the professorship whch offered the course is responsible for examining you on this topic.

What are the first steps when registering for the Master's examination?

The most important thing is to have a topic. It should be academically relevant and of personal interest to you, correspond to the knowledge and skills from your degree programme and you should be able to be complete it in four months. A supervisor should then be sought for this topic, who will also act as the first reviewer. This person should be sought for expertise in the relevant subject area in order to ensure good professional supervision. It is advisable to prepare an exposé of the masters thesis in order to obtain confirmation of supervision. The subject, structure and title of the thesis can then be agreed on this basis. If you do not know a suitable person as a second reviewer, you can ask the first reviewer for a recommendation. It should be noted that some professors formulate conditions for the supervision of final theses, e.g. participation in a methods colloquium and/or the prior submission of a long term paper. It is recommended that you find out the conditions of possible supervisors as early as possible in the course of your studies in order not to jeopardise a confirmation of supervision.

What deadlines do I have to observe when registering?

There is no registration period; you can register your final examination with the Examinations Office at any time. The processing time for the masters thesis is four months. The assessment period is usually six weeks. After this, the oral examination can take place.

How do I register the masters thesis?

If the requirements (72 ECTS and successful completion of the compulsory course) have been met, you can register your thesis usig the respective registration form. Once all achievements have been checked for accuracy and all other examination requirements have been met, you will receive the so-called routing slip ("Laufzettel"). It includes the topic of the masters thesis, the date on which the topic was issued and the names of the first and second reviewers with their respective signatures. Finally, the form must be signed by the responsible member of the examination board. You have four weeks to obtain the signatures. The routing slip can be handed in at the Examination Office or at the Service Point. This completes the registration process. The deadline for submitting the masters thesis is based on the day the topic is issued, from which the 4-month processing period begins. After the routing slip has been returned to the Examinations Office, the data is also recorded in the online portal viaCampus and the submission date can be found there.

How long can the masters thesis be?

As a rule, the masters thesis has a length of 80 pages.

I can't submit the masters thesis on time. What can I do?

In individual cases, the examination board may extend the processing time upon request and for good reason. The application must be submitted via the Examination Office. In the event of illness, a doctor's certificate must be enclosed. The processing time is usually extended by the period of sick leave.

Where do you submit your masters thesis?

The final thesis must be submitted in two bound copies and a digital version to the Examinations Office or the Service Point by the deadline (please check office hours and opening times). If the submission date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the work must be submitted on the working day before. If you send the thesis by post, the date of receipt by the university applies (not the date of dispatch or the postmark). The digital version of the thesis must be uploaded to the Moodle course „Einreichen der Abschlussarbeit - Kulturwissenschaftliche Fakultät“ by the deadline.

How do I register for the oral examination (final colloquium)?

As a precondition for taking the oral examination, your masters thesis has to be graded with at least 4.0 and you must have successfully completed all required 90 ECTS. The date for the oral examination is set in consultation with the two examiners - please contact them as early as possible, as finding a date is not always easy, especially during the lecture-free period. As a rule, the date is at least six weeks after the submission of the masters thesis.

What does the oral examination look like?

The final examination consists of two examination topics, which can be chosen by the candidates in consultation with the examiners. One of these topics can be the defence of the masters thesis. Each part of the examination lasts approx. 30 minutes; the whole examination should not exceed 60 minutes. It is advisable to discuss the course of the examination with the examiners before the oral examination. Some may ask for an outline or thesis paper that contains the prepared focal points, structures the examination topic and specifies the relevant literature for the topic.

How is my overall grade made up?

The overall grade is calculated from the ECTS-weighted average grade of the course achievements, the grade of the masters thesis and the grade of the oral final examination. The overall grade is calculated as follows:

• 50% course achievements (modules 1 - 7)
• 40% masters thesis
• 10% oral final examination

How can courses that were not attended at the Viadrina be recognised?

Recognition of external achievements is generally possible, especially for courses that are not offered at the Viadrina in this form but correspond to the profile and objectives of the MASS. The examination board is responsible for recognition. Please use this application form.

I have attended a seminar in another Master's programme at the Viadrina. Is it possible to have this recognised for my MASS degree programme?

Yes, elective modules from other Master's programmes of the Faculty of Cultural and Social Sciences can be selected as an option in the optional module. In this case, however, at least 12 ECTS credits must be earned in this module.

I attended courses at another university and received a different number of points than the usual 3, 6 or 9 ECTS. How are these points recognised?

In principle, credits can only be recognised with 3, 6 or 9 ECTS. If the content of the externally completed course can be recognised, the ECTS points are generally rounded down in accordance with the Viadrina points system, although the type of credit is taken into account. The examination board is responsible for recognition.

Will the credits you earn during a semester abroad at a university (even without cooperation with Viadrina) be recognised?

Yes, they can be recognised. This should be agreed in advance with the examination board.

Professional requirements

The Master's degree programme requires a first professionally qualifying university degree of at least 180 ECTS credits, in which
study and examination achievements totalling 30 ECTS credits with a reference to the social sciences (e.g. social and cultural anthropology, economic and social geography, sociology, political science) have been proven. Proof of the first professionally qualifying degree must be provided by submitting an officially certified copy of it.

Please note: Please submit a transcript of records (confirmed by your university) to assess the inclusion of the 30 relevant ECTS credits.

Language requirements

Applicants whose native language is not German and who have not obtained their further education admissions certificate in Germany must provide proof of sufficient knowledge of German in accordance with DSH-Prüfungsordnung of the Viadrina Language Centre of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder).

In addition, the ability to study in English is required for the successful completion of the programme and for the reception and discussion of the relevant literature. For this reason, all students are required to have knowledge of English at UNIcert II or B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Official language certificates (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge) or certificates from university language centres as well as the explicit designation of B2 in English on the Bachelor's certificate are recognised as equivalents to UNIcert II in English. The academic manager of degree programme decides on the recognition of other types of language certificates.

Additional language requirements for the double degree with the University of Paris 8

In addition to knowledge of English, students of the double degree programme are also required to have knowledge of French at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (UNIcert II or equivalent).

Official language certificates (DELF B2) or certificates from university language centres as well as the explicit designation of B2 in French on the Bachelor's certificate are recognised as the equivalent to UNIcert II in French. The academic manager of degree programme decides on the recognition of other types of language certificates.

 

Please note:

• Language certificates must be presented at the latest at the time of enrolment.
• The following language certificates are not recognised: high school diplomas, DAAD language certificates and adult education courses and certificates ("Volskhochschule").

 

Germans and applicants with a German university entrance certificate ("Bildungsinländer*innen") can enrol online from 1 June to 15 September (for the winter semester) or 1 December to 15 March (for the summer semester) via viaCampus.

Please submit the following documents to the Admissions Office of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) by 20 September (for the winter semester) or 20 March (for the summer semester):

• the completed and signed application for enrolment (available after completing your online enrolment on viaCampus),
• the language certificate of B2 in English (UNIcert II or Äquivalent),
• a transcript of records to assess the relevance of the (forthcoming) university degree,
• an officially certified copy of the university degree or a certificate from your previous examination office that all academic achievements have been submitted. An assessment of all achievements is not necessary for enrolment. In this case, please submit the following form: Bestätigung der erbrachten Bachelorleistungen zur Einschreibung. The Bachelor's certificate must be submitted to the admission's office by the end of the first semester.
• a health insurance certificate*,
• a self-addressed and sufficiently stamped envelope, size DIN A4, for sending the student ID card (chip card) and your submitted documents,
• Certificates of study from German universities showing the semesters you have completed to date,
• a certificate of exmatriculation from your last German university,
• proof of payment of the semester fee (e.g. printout of the online transaction),
• a copy of an identity document showing your full surname, first name, date of birth, address and date of validity. You have the option of blacking out all other details. This copy of the ID card is used exclusively for identification purposes and also protects against identity theft.

 

* Information on student health insurance

Proof of insurance status - either statutory insurance or exemption from statutory insurance - is required for enrolment. To do this, contact a statutory health insurance company and either have yourself insured (e.g. student) or exempted so that your insurance status can be reported electronically to the European University. The chip card or a paper certificate are not sufficient.

In order to report the insurance status, the health insurance companies may require the sender number of the European University: H0001747.

Students

• from the age of 30
• in continuing education programmes
• who are enrolled for a PhD
• are enrolled in college

do not receive a student rate. They can voluntarily insure themselves at the regular rate.

These students do not require electronic proof of health insurance.

Please apply online in the period from 1 June to 15 July (for the winter semester) or from 1 December to 15 January (for the summer semester) at: https://viacampus.europa-uni.de/

and send your documents to the European University Viadrina by 15 July (for the winter semester) or 15 January (for the summer semester). Further information can be found at: https://www.europa-uni.de/de/internationales/Students/Incomings/Applying/Master/index.html

---

All documents,which are not issued in German or English must also be submitted as a sworn translation in German or English.