Roads to Democracies – Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Politics and Culture

The Master’s programme in “Roads to Democracies – Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Politics and Culture” at the University of Siegen offers interdisciplinary studies on democratic governance. It focuses on historical and contemporary perspectives from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia and reflects how political actors and institutions deal with global challenges, strengthen the resilience of democratic governance, and promote international cooperation in a multipolar world. This international programme, taught in English, equips students with analytical skills and historical insights to critically assess democratic developments worldwide. Students develop a broad, comparative understanding of the mechanisms behind democratic processes, acquire the skills to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of democratic processes at both national and transnational levels, and are empowered to critically assess the demands for legitimate and efficient political problem-solving. Students benefit from small class sizes, personalised mentorship, and access to leading experts in the fields of democracy, sociology, and political history. Furthermore, students can choose from a variety of language courses (including German) offered by the university’s Language Centre, and they can acquire important soft skills through courses in intercultural communication, academic writing, and more. In addition, the House of Young Talents, the Career Service, and the Alumni Association offer a wide range of extracurricular activities to prepare students for their future careers. In this programme, students from around the world study in an international research environment and benefit from opportunities to study abroad. The Roads to Democracies Master of Arts degree programme qualifies successful candidates for admission to doctoral studies / PhD studies. Furthermore, the programme prepares students for roles in international organisations, NGOs, international aid and development agencies, research institutions, cultural heritage institutions, publishing houses, journalism and media agencies concerned with international and intercultural communication, political parties, associations, foundations, and international and internationally operating companies. The programme comprises compulsory core modules as well as elective courses: First semester Introductory module Actors and Institutions in Historical and Contemporary Perspective Second semester Empirical Research on Democracy Political Cultures and the Public Sphere: Past and Present Third semester Global and Transnational Processes: Past and Present Democracies in Comparative Perspective Thematic module abroad  – optional Fourth semester Master’s thesis and Master’s presentation (Master's examination) Flexible elements that can be completed every semester Additional special studies module Master's thesis module One compulsory internship (eight weeks)  "Studium Generale Module" Modes of teaching are seminars, blended-learning courses, workshops, projects, and lectures. Students are expected to obtain an average of 30 credit points per semester and must acquire 120 credit points over the entire programme.