Master's Programme in Political Science, Double Degree Option with University of Konstanz
This double degree option offers high-profiled studies for dedicated students. You will study the first year in Konstanz, Germany, and the second year in Gothenburg, Sweden - and gain knowledge, skills, and networks that prepare you for professional careers working with advanced political analysis as well as for post-graduate studies.
About the Programme
This double degree option focuses on political science. Students learn about areas such as international administration and institutions, security and environmental, economic, social, and political development. Training in research design and the methodological techniques of social science prepare the students for being doctoral students and qualified independent analysts. We engage with alumni, which will make entering a career in the private sector or with an international organisation, national government, civil service, non-governmental organisation, or academic institution much easier.
Mandatory courses
The mandatory courses in the first year familiarize you with comparative politics and policy analysis, and in the second year the comparative approach has special emphasis on the performance of democracies. Mandatory studies in social science research design and methodological techniques takes place in the first year. In addition to the mandatory courses, you choose from elective and semi-elective courses to style your studies by focusing on areas that fits your individual interests. The courses have problem-based research assignments that enable you to train your capacity in critical reflection and independent written and oral presentations.
These are the mandatory courses:
- Basic seminar Comparative Politics and Policy Analysis
- Basic seminar International Relations and European Integration, or
- Basic seminar International Administration and Conflict Management
- Methods courses: Research Design I & Research Design II
- The Performance of Democracies
- Master Thesis
Specialize by choosing among elective courses, for example:
- Diplomatic Blunders and Achievements
- Parliaments in world politics
- National Sovereignty Referendums
- Data analysis with R
- Public Health Regulation in Comparative Perspective
- The Resilience of Authoritarian Regimes
- Transitions to Democracy and Autocracy
- International Administration and Policy
- Internship for the Master’s Programme in Political Science.
Why choose the Konstanz University double degree option?
This is a top education offering mind-opening courses at two high calibre universities. It is extra demanding but also extra rewarding. It prepare you for a career politics, public administration, private sector or civil society. Teaching is firmly rooted in cutting-edge international research, and favors students’ initiatives, choice, and activities. Benefiting from dedicated research in quantitative political science at both departments, you will be very competitive when applying for doctoral positions, exemplified by that more than a handful of graduates from this track double degree option have made it all the way to attractive doctoral programmes.
Besides the academic rewards, you will also learn and enrich personally and professionally since you will study in two international study environments with students from many different countries. You will meet competent teachers dedicated to bring the best out of every individual’s talents.
Programme Structure and Content
The first year courses are organized by the Department of Politics and Public Administration, at University of Konstanz, Germany. You study together with students from many European countries and overseas, and devote much time to learn research design and methodological techniques.
The second year courses are organized by the Department of Political Science and Masters’ Programme in Political Science (MaPS) at the University of Gothenburg. You will enroll in the MaPS-programme, and study together with students from all over the world. During the fourth semester, you will write the master’s thesis, with seminars and peer review to assist you, along with individual supervision.
Entrance requirements and selection
To study the University of Gothenburg – University of Konstanz option, you apply to the Master's Programme in Political Science, location Konstanz/Germany, on universityadmissions.se by mid-January. More information about the programme including the application.
The entrance requirements and selection criteria to this double degree option are the same as applies to the regular Master’s Programme in Political Science. Note that your application should include a Statement of Intent. For information on the selection as well as the Statement of intent, follow the link below.
International study environments and collaboration
This double degree option is part of two genuinely international study environments. You will meet other students from many different countries around the world, enrolled in several different programmes. You will meet teachers who are involved in successful international research collaborations, including:
- Quality of Government (QoG)
- Performance of Democracies (PerDem)
- Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem)