For admittance to the master’s program applicants need to fulfill the following admission requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree with a sociology component of at least 60 credit points, with at least 10 credit points in social science research methods

• Proof of proficiency in English (level B2 CEFR).

Most courses of this program are taught in English. German proficiency is not required.

Please find more information on the application procedure and eligibility requirements here.

Further information can be found in our FAQs.

You can find our admissions regulations here and the first amendment to the admission regulations here (both in German only).

The research-based program concentrates on the description and analysis of the social aspects of Europeanization: To what extent are European nation states already integrated into a European community? Under which conditions is further integration possible?

In the focus are socio-cultural and cultural differences, similarities and conflicts in a comparative perspective. Changes of societies on a national level as a result of economic, political and social Europeanization will be analyzed. The course also considers Europe and Europeanization within a global context and in comparison to other regions of the world.

The institute of sociology only offers the master’s program „Sociology – European Societies“ - this ensures excellent mentoring.

Furthermore the study program benefits from an extraordinary social science infrastructure in Berlin.

The master’s program is offered by the institute of sociology in cooperation with the following institutions of Freie Universität:

• Institute for Political Science (OSI)

• Institute for Latin American Studies (LAI)

• Institute for East European Studies (OEI)

• John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies (JFK)

and together with:

• Berlin Social Science Center (WZB)

• German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin).

A number of researchers affiliated with these centres offer courses in the master’s program. Besides this, many students benefit from the employment opportunities from these institutions and related chances to learn about applied social science up to now.

The comparative perspective regarding research and teaching – which is quite rare at German universities – facilitates describing and explaining contemporary developments of Europeanization and globalization within a theoretical framework and with the help of empirical data.

The master’s program „Sociology – European Societies“ encompasses four study sections:

• Basics (Modules 1-3)

• Consolidation (Modules 4-6)

• Specialization (Modules 7 and 8)

• Completion (master thesis and colloquium).

The study regulations contain further information regarding structure, procedure, content and amount of work; the examination regulations include types, requirements of examinations and credit points.

For further details, please check our website: https://www.polsoz.fu-berlin.de/en/soziologie/studium/master/program/index.html#modules_courses

The academic degree Master of Arts (M.A.) is awarded after successful graduation of the program.

The course aims at qualifying students for positions in academic and science-related professions. It equips graduates for work within academic and political fields; for example, for positions in social science and research centers, international and particularly European Organizations, NGOs and governmental institutions. Additionally, the program enables graduates to teach at universities and other higher education institutions.