Master's Degree Programme in Migration, Education and Democracy

In this degree programme, we address the following questions, amongst others:

How do the backgrounds and trajectories of migration movements differ? What is a migration regime? What does the human right to education entail? To what extent does migration pose a challenge to democracy? To what extent do formal education programmes not only provide opportunities for participation but also perpetuate social inequalities? How do differences in the prestige of languages arise, and how does racism manifest itself in language? What role do migration and fear of migration play in the discourse of the New Right? How can coexistence between people of different religious affiliations be shaped? How can institutions be designed to counter racism and discrimination? How can civic education, in times of growing social inequality, polarisation, hostility towards human rights and democracy (racism, anti-Semitism, right-wing extremism, fake news) help ensure that both young people and adults can make judgements and act in accordance with human rights and democratic principles?

• A university degree or at least an equivalent qualification in one of the following fields of study or a related subject area: Education and Educational Sciences (including Social Work/Social Pedagogy, Special Needs Education, Vocational Education, Teacher Training Programmes, Early Childhood Education), Social Sciences (including Sociology, Political Science, History, Geography), Linguistics and Literary Studies (including German Studies, English Studies, Romance Studies, Applied Linguistics, Translation Studies), Psychology, Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Religious Studies, Theology, Philosophy, Law and Public Administration, International and Intercultural Management, Health Sciences. The degree programme on which the qualification is based must comprise a minimum of 180 credit points (CP) or have a standard duration of at least three years.
• International applicants must have sufficient knowledge of German.

Through discipline-specific, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary fields of research and methodologies, you will acquire a broad and sound theoretical, empirical and methodological knowledge. This is deepened and expanded through independent research and individually supervised projects. The diverse, multidisciplinary composition of the year groups, as well as integrated placements and the opportunity to undertake study visits to other universities, also help to broaden your own perspectives.

With a view to various professional fields, we provide you with practice-oriented theories, concepts and methods relating to political education (and related work) in different fields, to inclusion/integration, and to the diversity-conscious, anti-discriminatory and anti-racist design of education, training, counselling and organisational processes. We support the development of the ability to communicate research findings, evaluate and further develop fields of practice in a reflective, academically sound and practically relevant manner.

We place particular emphasis on fostering a critical reflection on inequality and power structures, examining how patterns of thought and action, as well as positions taken – including within the research process itself – are embedded in transnational historical, cultural, media-technological, organisational, political and legal contexts.

Over four semesters, you will acquire a fundamental body of theoretical, methodological and empirical knowledge in the relevant disciplines (education, social sciences, cultural studies, linguistics and theology). You will gain broad and in-depth knowledge of the theoretical-systematic, historical, empirical and inter- and transnational comparative aspects of

• education and pedagogy in the context of global developments (including international (refugee) migration, digitalisation and climate change)
• discourses on education in (post-)migration societies (including those on plurality, nation(alism), subjectification and socialisation, integration/inclusion, colonialism, racism and discrimination, right-wing populism and right-wing extremism, and democracy)
• the social, (colonial) historical, geographical, legal and political conditions, processes and consequences of (refugee) migration, as well as dynamics of inclusion and exclusion in migration societies
• individual, societal and institutional multilingualism
• theories, action frameworks and methods of political education (and related work), integration/inclusion and anti-discrimination work
• fundamental questions and discourses surrounding cultural and religious plurality and diversity

You can set your own areas of specialisation, for example, in the compulsory elective module spanning several semesters (Module 4). 

You will earn a total of 120 CP across ten modules. We offer modules 1 to 3 in the first semester and modules 5 to 7 in the second semester. Compulsory elective module 4 spans both semesters. In this module, you have the opportunity to choose up to four compulsory elective seminars from other Master’s programmes: ‘Biodiversity and Environmental Education’, ‘Digital Education: Psychology, Cognition, Design’ and ‘Cultural Mediation’. Parts of Modules 4 and 6 are taught in English. The authoritative reference for the course content can be found in the programme’s module handbook.

The Master’s degree qualifies you to undertake doctoral studies both in Germany and abroad, and to pursue an academic career in research and teaching. Thanks to the qualifications it provides in the fields of social sciences, education, cultural studies and linguistics, and the breadth of its subject matter, the degree offers numerous career prospects, including in the fields of:

• Social sciences, educational sciences, cultural studies, linguistics or literary studies (at colleges and universities or in non-university research institutions).
• Political education and educational work (for example, as a consultant in youth welfare services, associations or foundations).
• (Educational) counselling (for example, in anti-discrimination agencies or social education centres).
• Cultural work (for example, in museums, memorial sites or theatres).
• Administration and management (for example, as an integration officer, integration manager or equality officer).
• Business (for example, as a diversity manager in companies).
• Professional development and institutional quality improvement (for example, as a trainer or diversity management officer in state institutions or private companies).
• Evaluation in the fields of education, social work, administration, business or policy consultancy.
• International development cooperation.

The Master’s programme “Migration, Education and Democracy (MiBiD)” builds on the concept of the “Intercultural Education, Migration and Multilingualism (IMM)” programme, which has been running successfully for many years. Here you will find photos and media reports on the previous programme.

Our programme co-ordinators will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the course content and career prospects. For all organisational matters relating to your application, clarification of entry requirements and other enquiries, please contact the Student Services Centre.