Master European Studies

Deadline for applications for the academic year 2024/25: 1 June 2024

Please note: There is no official starting date for the application period, so you can send us your documents at any time before June 1. Since we assess all applications on a competitive basis, though, you will not be notified about your admission status until after the deadline. Our study programme begins once a year in the winter term, so there is only one application deadline.

Requirements:

• Applicants are required to hold a first academic degree (usually a B.A. or equivalent or higher) in the humanities, the social sciences, economics, or law. The final or preliminary final grade of your first degree must be 2,5 or better  according to the German grading system to be eligible to apply.
• Applicants need to possess an excellent command of the English language at level C1 or higher (or equivalent) according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). We accept all the usual certificates as proof of English proficiency (e.g. TOEFL [iBT at least 95 points] or IELTS [band score at least 7,0]).

Application documents:

• your CV (including your name, address, email address, the exact titles + grades of your qualifications, and the full name of your university)
• a cover letter in English (approx. 1-2 pages) outlining your motivation for applying for the M.A. programme as well as the relevance of this programme for your professional and academic plans/goals
• APS-certificate (all applicants who did their first degree in China, India, or Vietnam)
• copy of your passport (only for international applicants)
• English-language certificate (level C1 or higher or equiv.)
• Bachelor's certificate or higher; or equiv. - please note: if you're in the last semester of your undergraduate degree when applying for our programme and therefore don't have your certificate yet, you can apply with only your current transcipt of records.
• transcript of academic records, citing your attended courses and documenting your hitherto achieved credit points (at least 150 credit points ECTS) and your average grade
• secondary school-leaving certificate (high-school or equiv.)

Please note:

• This M.A. is an English-taught programme. However, students without prior knowledge of the German language have to reach a level of A1+ (according to CEFR) in German until the end of their first year.
• All documents must be in either English or German. Simple copies of certificates and certified translations are sufficient for the application. However, all original documents must be shown at the Registrar's Office for enrolment.
• Recommendation letters are not required.

Application process:

Please send your application documents as one PDF-file to european.studies@ur.de until June 1 (deadline). Applicants with a final or preliminary final grade between 1,61 and 2,50 in their first academic degree (according to the German grading system) will be invited to an interview in order to prove their aptitude for the M.A. programme. In case the applicant does not reside in Germany or one of its neighbouring countries, the interview can be conducted via videocall. Applicants will be notified about the time and date of their interview at least two weeks in advance.

If you want to apply for our master's programme, please follow these application guidelines. Thank you!

Q1: I am not a native speaker of English, but my undergraduate degree was taught entirely in English. Do I still need an English certificate such as the TOEFL or the IELTS?

A1: Yes, you do, except if you did your first degree in an entirely English-speaking country such as the United Kingdom.

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Q2: I come from a non-EU country and will have to apply for a visa to come to Germany. This can take some time. Can I therefore be notified about my admission status sooner?

A2: Unfortunately not. We assess all applications on a competitive basis after the deadline, so early notifications are not possible. We do our best to be quick with the selection process, though, and in almost all cases, our students got their visa in time for the beginning of the winter teaching period (usually mid-October).

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Q3: When does the application period start?

A3: We don't have an official starting date, so in principle, you can send us your application at any time during the academic year. See A2, though: even if you send us your documents early, you won't be notified about the outcome any sooner.

Overview:

• 4 semesters / 120 credit points (including M.A. thesis)
• 12 classes in Regensburg + third semester abroad (or in Regensburg) + M.A. thesis
• interdisciplinary and/or international component through a semester abroad
• degree: Master of Arts (M.A.)
• start: every winter term (October)

Module Structure:

The programme consists of eight modules (90 credit points including the master’s thesis) that have to be completed at the home university and an additional 30 CP from the partner university where students spend their third semester if they choose to go abroad (if not, they can earn the 30 CP for the third semester at Regensburg University). These 120 CP can be accumulated within four semesters. Thus, courses worth around 30 points should be selected each semester.

In your first semester, you should take the courses in Module 1, 2, and 3. This is equivalent to the desired 30 CP. In your second semester, you should do the thematic Modules 4, 5, and 6 as well as Module 7 on intercultural communication (this adds up to only 27 CP altogether - that's because your fourth semester in which you will write your thesis is worth 33). The number of courses you take during your semester abroad depends on the university you go to. You should aim for 30 CP during your third semester as well. The majority of the 30 CP students earn during the term abroad should be dedicated to thematical courses focussing on European Studies, but students will be allowed to take a limited number of language courses as well should they wish to do so. The idea behind this option is to have the chance to develop a deeper understanding of Europe's linguistic diversity. Your fourth semester should be dedicated to your master’s thesis, the academic writing course that goes with it, and the research colloquium in which you present your ongoing thesis project (the colloquium takes place once every semester in a block format). This fourth semester is worth 33 CP overall.

If you do not want to go abroad in the third term, you can choose between two different tracks. Option A is available for non-native speakers of German only and includes a taught module on "German as a foreign language" as well as another taught module on European Area Studies. Option B is available for everyone and is comprised of two taught modules on European Area Studies, one with a focus on the national and subnational level, the other one with a focus on comparative transnational Area Studies. Both options include an internships worth 10 ECTS as well. The internship has to be at least six weeks long and must be done in a company or institution relevant for our discipline.

Click here if you want to take a closer look at our course structure.

The current M.A. course catalogue will help you find the courses for the respective modules.

The M.A. European Studies currently has fourteen excellent Erasmus partner universities in thirteen different European countries:

• Charles University Prague (Czech Republic)
• University of Wrocław (Poland)
• Comenius University Bratislava (Slovakia)
• University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
• University of Pécs (Hungary)
• University of Malta
• University of Cyprus
• University of Trento (Italy)
• University of Padua (Italy)
• University of Aalborg (Denmark)
• University of Aarhus (Denmark)
• University of Lund (Sweden)
• University of Limerick (Ireland)
• Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iași (Romania)
• Panteion University, Athens (Greece)

Ideally, students write their master thesis in the fourth semester of their studies. However, as you are allowed to take up to six semesters to finish the degree programme, you can also start later in case, for example, you want to do an internship in between, or you have to re-take classes from earlier semesters, etc. There is no general deadline for when to start working on your thesis, so it's your individual decision when you do it. The steps you have to take are as follows: you think about a potential topic that you want to write about and find a supervisor who will advise you on your ongoing thesis project. The supervisor must be a professor from Regensburg University. If you can't think of anyone who would be a good supervisor for your topic of choice, feel free to contact us with your topic suggestion and we will help you find someone. You also need a second supervisor, but that person is not usually involved in the supervision process, they just read and mark the thesis once it's completed. Your supervisor will recommend someone as a second supervisor, or maybe will refer you back to us for a recommendation.

Once you have found your supervisor and have agreed on a working title for your topic, you need to register your thesis with our examination office ("Prüfungsamt Geisteswissenschaften"). There is a form on their website that you need to fill in and send back to them. You can find the form here. It is at the moment only available in German, so if you need help with it, let us know and we will assist you. (Please note: if you send the form via email, you must do so from your university email address. Also, don't forget to sign the form!) The examination office will then contact your supervisor who will inform them of the project title and the starting date you have agreed on. After that, the examination office will send you a letter confirming you have now registered your thesis and can start working on it. The letter also states your individual deadline for handing in the thesis - exactly six months after the registration date. You must register the thesis before you start working on it, so please keep that in mind and don't start the actual researching/ writing process before the registration. Of course it is okay to do some inital research in order to find a topic in the first place, though. Please also don't forget that we are offering an Academic Writing class (worth 3 credit points) every semester that you must attend as the credits you get for it are part of the 120 credits you receive for the programme as a whole. Ideally, you take the class while in the writing process; if that's not possible for whatever reason, you can also take it before you actually start working on your thesis, but not afterwards as that would make no sense - the course is designed to support you in the process of developing your thesis, after all. Also, at some point during your writing process, you will have to present your ongoing project in our research colloquium. We usually do the colloquium at least once every term as a one-or two day block event.

The thesis should be 60-80 pages long (not including title page, table of contents, bibliography, etc) and must be written in English. You can choose a topic in either of the fields that our programme consists of, or combine different fields as well if it makes sense and your supervisor agrees. The final version of the thesis that you hand in must include a plagiarism declaration as its last page that needs to be signed by you. Once you're done with the thesis, you hand it in at the examination office ("Prüfungsamt Geisteswissenschaften") either in person or via post. You must hand in three hard copies of the thesis in adhesive binding (so that it can't be taken apart). You can have your thesis bound, for example, at the copy shop on campus. You must also hand in a digital version of the thesis as a PDF file. You can either send that to the examination office via email (pa.phil@ur.de) or hand it in on a stick or CD. The digital copy must be the exact same version of the thesis as the printed ones. Once you've handed in the thesis, the examination office will pass it on to your supervisor and your second supervisor, and they have three months to mark it. Your grade will then show up in Flexnow.

Once you have received your grade for the thesis, you can request your diploma at the examination office. For that, you again need to fill in a specific form ("Antrag auf Ausstellung des Abschlusszeugnisses"), sign it and send it back to the exam office. Just like with the thesis registration form, you need to send this one from your student email address and sign it before you send it to them. This form, as well, is unfortunately only available in German at the moment, so again, if you need help, let us know. You can find the form here. It will then take a few weeks for your diploma to be printed, signed, and stamped and sent to you via post. You can also choose to pick it up in person at the exam office.

Please note: before you send the diploma request form to the examination office, please double-check that all classes you did during your degree programme have been booked into your Flexnow account, otherwise the exam office will not be able to finalise your transcript of records and your diploma! This includes the two classes that you got a "Schein" for, i.e. the Intercultural Communication class and the Academic Writing class. Please also make sure the credit points you got during your Erasmus term abroad (if you did one) are visible in your Flexnow account.

We know this whole process is quite complex and involves a lot of paperwork, so if you have any questions at any stage of the writing process or before/ afterwards, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time. We're always happy to help.

Happy writing and good luck with your thesis!

Two of the classes you attend in the course of your degree programme are offered by the ZSK (three if you choose Stay-Home-Option A in your third term), the university's Centre for Language and Communication. The ZSK is, for various reasons, not connected to Flexnow, so your grades will not be booked into your Flexnow account automatically. Instead, what you get is a so-called "Schein", i.e. a written confirmation that you have attended and passed the course. You will receive such a "Schein" for the Intercultural Communication class you attend in semester 2, the Academic Writing class you attend in semester 4 (or 5/6, depending on when you write your thesis), and the German class in semester 3 (if you do Stay-Home-Option A and are NOT on an Erasmus semester abroad). Your course instructor will inform you about when and where to pick up the "Schein" once the course is over. The way it usually works is that you are informed by the lecturer once the "Schein" is available and can then pick it up at the ZSK Service Point in the Sammelgebäude (room S0.14C) after you have booked an appointment to do so here.

Once you have received your Schein, you need to fill in a form called "Antrag auf Einbuchung von ZSK-Scheinen". You can find it here. The form is currently only available in German, so if you need help filling it in, please let us know. Please don't forget to sign the form! Once that's done, go to the examination office ("Prüfungsamt Geisteswissenschaften") and hand in the form, the original "Schein" + a copy of the Schein. You will get back the original once the course has been booked in, or when you receive your diploma at the end of your studies at the very latest.

On the form, it says "Bezeichnung des Scheins/ der Lehrveranstaltung". For Academic Writing, what you fill in here is "Academic Writing for M.A. European Studies". Right below, where it says "Zu verbuchen im Modul" you write "EUST-M113.2: Begleitkurs zum Verfassen der Masterarbeit".

For Intercultural Communication, just write "Intercultural Communication" where it says "Bezeichnung des Scheins". The correct module name is "EUST-M107.1: Bearbeitung eines Themas im Bereich interkulturelle Kommunikation".

For the German class that is part of the Stay-Home-Option A, write the title that is stated on your Schein, which will probably be something like "Deutschkurs B1.2" or similar. The module name is "EUST-M110.1: Wahlmodul Deutsch als Fremdsprache".

Please note: if you started your studies before the summer term 2021, the correct module names are "EUST-M11.2: Begleitkurs zum Verfassen der Masterarbeit" (for Academic Writing) and "EUST-M07.1: Rhetorische Grundlagen und interkulturelle Aspekte der Kommunikation, Arbeiten in multikulturellen Teams" (for Intercultural Communication) instead, as the module names have changed slightly after the summer term 2021.

There is no specific deadline until which these classes need to be booked in, but since they are mandatory classes for which you will receive credit points, they need to show up in your Flexnow account once you request your diploma at the end of your studies at the very latest. So it would be a good idea to book the classes in as soon as you receive your "Schein", just so you don't forget about it.

If you run into any problems or have any questions about the process, just let us know and we will help you.

Link to the module catalogues for the MA European Studies (in German).

Link to the study regulations ("Prüfungsordnung") for the MA European Studies (in German).

Despite its long history and medieval old town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Regensburg is a young city – every fifth inhabitant is a student. This is particularly obvious in the town centre: an abundance of bars, pubs, and restaurants make the city’s historical centre the place to be (when you’re not on campus). Countless attractions such as music festivals, concerts, theatres, and cinemas complement the recreational opportunities in this beautiful and bustling city.

The University of Regensburg is situated south of the city centre and is very easy to reach by bus. When you’re on campus, you will find it easy to get around – all the important spots are in walking distance from each other. No matter if you’re going to a lecture, the library, your professor’s office hours, or just to meet your friends for a nice cup of coffee in one of the many cafeterias, it won’t take you longer than a few minutes to get there.

In your free time at the university you can choose from a wide range of cultural and athletic activities. The University Sports Centre offers everything from A as in Acrobatics to Z as in Zumba. If you are more into the arts than sports, why not try your hand at acting? We currently have 13 (German- as well as English-language) drama groups. And we have our own theatre hall right on campus! Or if you are musically inclined, why not join one of the university’s choirs or orchestras?

No matter what you do in your free time, you certainly won’t get bored on campus. If you choose to come to the University of Regensburg, you will become one of the 25,000 students, researchers, and teachers from more than 100 different countries that make our university the great place that it is.

Talking about Europe

In our informal lecture series "Talking about Europe," we invite guests who work in a European context to talk to us about their jobs and European affairs. So far, we have had the following guests:

Winter term 2020-21:

Dr. Florian Schweyer, Deputy Head of Unit "Political Priorities, Media Policy", Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU, Brussels

Lea Pfefferle, Press Office, Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the EU, Brussels

Ismail Ertug, Member of the European Parliament for Oberpfalz and Niederbayern, Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)

Summer term 2021:

Paul Smith, OBE, Director of British Council Germany

Stefanie Ismaili-Rohleder from CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme), a programme funded by the European Commission

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Boat Trips

Once a year (in the summer term) students and lecturers of the MA European Studies come together on the River Naab for a trip on the "Navis Lusoria". This boat was built by students and staff from the Chair of Ancient History after the model of the boats that were used by the Romans on the River Danube and elsewhere in late antiquity. We always spend a very interesting morning learning how to row like Roman soldiers under the formidable command of Captain Schad!

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Transnational Excursion to the National Parks Bavarian Forest/ Šumava & to Český Krumlov

In July 2022, a group of 20 students from our MA programme, accompanied by Prof. Dr. Rainer Liedtke, Prof. Dr. Jochen Petzold, and study coordinator Gabriela Dafinger, visited the Bavarian-Bohemian borderland for a transnational weekend excursion. On Saturday, we did a guided hiking tour through the National Park and crossed the border to the Czech Republic. Our excellent tour guide was Markus Rudolfi, a sociologist from Goethe University Frankfurt (and a native of the Bavarian Forest) whose current research project is about transboundary nature protection and rewilding in the two National Parks. On Sunday, we went to the picturesque town of Český Krumlov in South Bohemia and learned about the town's Czech-German history in a guided tour. The students spent a very enjoyable weekend in a fascinating, but often overlooked European border region. The excursion was a great success and was repeated with a new group of students in the summer term 2023 who also found the weekend very informative and a great way to get to know the region. We will therefore repeat the excursion again in July 2024.