Social Studies – Crises, Culture and Critique

You can pursue the Social Studies – Crises, Culture and Critique programme entirely in English, but a significant number of courses are also offered in German.

This programme sharpens your international profile, benefiting from Viadrina’s strategic position at the interface of Eastern and Western Europe, and thus providing a distinctive pan-European perspective.

You have the option to select the interdisciplinary elective “Central and East European Studies,” gaining insights into the history, cultures, societies and literatures of Central and Eastern Europe. By choosing this elective for both elective modules, you develop an additional specialisation and receive a corresponding certificate upon graduation.

We offer extensive study abroad opportunities at over 250 partner universities worldwide. At Viadrina, nearly every second student is from abroad. This fosters an international community made of multilingualism, diverse perspectives and dynamic interaction.

The Social Studies – Crises, Culture and Critique programme will give you insights into different academic cultures, enhance your language skills and prepare you to navigate international contexts in a confident manner. During your studies, you will establish a valuable international personal and professional network.

We are committed to being a university defined by short distances and direct interactions. Our excellent study and learning conditions ensure that, as a student, you remain in personal contact with our researchers. Teaching and research are conducted in an open atmosphere within small learning communities. From the programme-specific student advisory service to the Career Center, a wide range of advisory services is available to support you with any questions and challenges you may encounter during your studies.

The Social Studies – Crises, Culture and Critique programme offers a solid theoretical foundation and empirical-practical skills to analyse and critically evaluate social challenges and conflicts, enabling you to contribute to constructive solutions in both research and practice.

This programme prepares you for a professional career as well as for pursuing further academic studies, such as a PhD.

Through cooperative teaching and learning methods and a practical orientation, you will develop skills that extend beyond professional qualifications and are crucial for shaping a successful future. You will learn how to introduce future-relevant topics into our society in a science-based and responsible manner.

The Social Studies – Crises, Culture and Critique programme equips you for a range of professional fields nationally and internationally, including:

• Cultural institutions and publishing houses
• Development cooperation
• Equality and anti-discrimination work
• Extracurricular and continuing education
• Media and journalism
• Non-governmental organisations, foundations, associations, political parties, and trade unions
• Political consulting
• Public relations
• Research and academia
• Social services and public administration

Professional requirements

To enroll in the Social Studies – Crises, Culture and Critique programme, candidates must possess a first professionally qualifying degree comprising at least 180 ECTS credits. This degree must include relevant achievements worth at least 30 ECTS credits in social or cultural sciences (social and cultural anthropology, economic and social geography, sociology, political science or philosophy).

To assess the relevance of the 30 ECTS, candidatesmust provide a transcript of records endorsed by their university.

Language requirements

All students must demonstrate English proficiency at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). We accept the following certificates:

• UNIcert II
• TOEFL (IBT): Minimum 80 points
• Cambridge Advanced or Proficiency: Minimum 176 points
• IELTS (Academic): Minimum score of 6.5

The programme’s academic manager evaluates and may recognise additional language certificates.

German language skills are not required upon enrolment but are beneficial for participating in German-language courses offered as part of the programme.

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

Students pursuing the double degree must also have French language proficiency at level B2 (CEFR). We accept the following certificates:

• UNIcert II
• DELF B2
• B2 certificates from university language centres
• Explicit B2 designation in French on the Bachelor’s certificate

Admission to this study course is open. A place in the program is available to anyone who meets the requirements for the degree program and enrolls within the deadlines.

The enrolment is done online in viaCampus. The required documents have to be uploaded to the system.

Application for the 1st subject semester is possible in each semester.
Application for higher subject semester is possible in each semester.

For enrolment in higher subject semesters, the following requirement for classification confirmation must also be fulfilled.

Questions regarding classification confirmation and study planning can be clarified with the Study Course Advisory Service.

For further information on enrolment, please visit our page "Application and Enrolment".

Whether you want to complete one of our study programmes and graduate with an academic degree from the European University Viadrina or whether you are planning a one- or two-semester stay abroad as part of our exchange programmes with us at the Viadrina - we warmly welcome you.

For important information to make enrolment, arrival and settling in easier, follow the link to our page:

Admissions Office: Advice on the application and enrolment process
Central Student Advisory Service: further advice on starting your studies (housing, financing, arriving)
Viadrina International Affairs: specific information and advice for prospective students from abroad

The introductory module provides a foundation in social science theories and familiarises you with the methods of empirical cultural and social research.

Subsequently, you will select two specialisation modules (“topics”) from the following options:

• Borders and Migration, Racism and Authoritarianism
• Capitalism, Social Inequality, Ecological Crises
• Theory, Culture, Critique

During the course of your studies, you will enhance these specialisations by selecting two elective modules. You have the following options:

• specialise in one of your topics from the core curriculum
• the third topic from the core curriculum
• the interdisciplinary electives:
• Central and East European Studies
• Cultural History
• Gender and Queer Studies
• Philosophy and Arts in Times of Crises
• the Language and Practice module, in which you can enhance your practical experience and/or foreign language skills. You have the opportunity to learn a modern European foreign language, with all language courses at Viadrina Language Centre offered free of charge. Alternatively, you can build practice-related skills by completing an internship, attending courses on practical skills, or obtaining additional certificates.

A research project is a key component of your studies. In the project module, you will develop a research question based on one of your topics from the core curriculum and conduct your own research project under supervision of our teaching staff – this includes devising the research design as well as the application and analysis of data. Cultural-theoretical and philosophical teaching research projects are also possible. To experience practical implementation, field trips and collaboration opportunities with various external institutions are also on offer.

In the final phase of your studies, you will complete a Master’s thesis on a topic of your choice, followed by an oral examination (final colloquium).