In the MA International Studies / Peace and Conflict Studies degree programme, students are familiarised with theoretically guided and normatively justified perspectives of national, transnational and global socialisation processes and acquire the ability for a differentiated analysis of intra- and inter-state conflicts as well as the reflected development of strategies for conflict control and peacebuilding.

The degree programme has an interdisciplinary character. At the centre is political science, especially international relations. In addition to political science with its various subdomains, sociology, philosophy and, via the compulsory elective modules, law and economics as well as engineering and natural sciences are also part of the master’s programme. These subjects are not minor subjects in the conventional sense but integrated into the master’s programme through specific questions and themes. This fosters intensive engagement not only with but also between different theoretical, methodological and practical approaches.

To this end, students attend a research practice course, among others, where they conduct research themselves. In this way, they can practise applying their theoretical and methodological skills to the analysis of tangible “cases”.

The consecutive and research-based MA International Studies / Peace and Conflict Research is a joint offer of Goethe University Frankfurt and the Technical University of Darmstadt in cooperation with the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), part of the Leibniz Association.

At the Institute of Political Science of the Technical University of Darmstadt, seven research groups are working on questions related to comparative politics, political theory, public management and (transnational) governance, and political science methodology. In addition to courses in Political Science in the stricter sense, seminars on natural science and technical aspects of global development are offered at TU Darmstadt on a regular basis.

Since its foundation in 1970, the work of the Leibniz Association Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), has been geared towards recognising the causes of violent international and domestic conflicts, studying the conditions of peace and spreading the notion of peace. It has participated with four principal investigators in the research network “The Formation of Normative Orders" since 2007 and been a member of the Leibniz Association since 2009. PRIF researchers offer courses in the MA International Studies / Peace and Conflict Research on a regular basis.

With 22 professors, the Institute of Political Science at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Goethe University Frankfurt is one of Germany's largest political science institutions. It offers a diverse and differentiated course portfolio with a strong focus on research in all subdomains of the discipline. Current research priorities are Comparative Capitalism, Justice and Legitimacy in a Transnational Perspective, Comparative Democracy Research and Politics of Competing International Order(s).

MA International Studies / Peace and Conflict Research students attend at least six courses at Goethe University Frankfurt and at least four at the Technical University of Darmstadt.

In line with the degree programme's international focus, courses are regularly held in English. It is also possible to spend a semester abroad at a partner university. Students can apply via the Erasmus+ programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Goethe University Frankfurt and the Institute of Political Science of TU Darmstadt.

Faculty of Social Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt 

Department of History and Social Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt 

Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), Leibniz Association

As a quality assurance process, accreditation at Goethe University Frankfurt aims to ensure high-quality degree programmes. In Hesse, degree programmes are generally accredited, in accordance with Section 12 (2) Hessian Higher Education Act, before teaching operations commence. Since the university was accepted for system accreditation, accreditation has been conducted as an internal (re)accreditation process when degree programmes are established or continued.