Content:

Master’s level introduction to research in comparative democracy:

• Introduction and overview of course content for the degree MA Comparative Democracy
• Historical and intellectual development of democracies
• Democracy and autocracy as political systems
• Variations in different forms of democracy, and the roots and consequences thereof
• Paradigms of political science, key approaches and debates in the field, subject history

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

The course "Introduction to Comparative Democracy" (3 CP) must be attended. The module ends with a written exam (5 CP) following the course.

The module is completed with a total of 8 credit points.

Content:

Attendance of 2 classes in the area “Concepts of Democracy – Past, present, future“.

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

Students must prove active participation in two seminars (3 CP each). The module concludes with a written exam or term paper (5 CP) following one of the seminars attended.

The module is completed with a total of 11 credit points.

Content:

Attendance of 2 seminars in the area of “Research Design” (one with a focus on qualitative and one on quantitative designs)

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

Students must prove active participation in one seminar on qualitative research designs (3 CP) and one seminar on quantitative research designs (3 CP). One partial module examination (2.5 CP each) must be taken after each seminar in the form of written examinations of 60 minutes each. The overall grade is composed of the average of both written exams. Both exams must be evaluated with at least sufficient in order to pass the module.

 The module is completed with a total of 11 credit points.

Content:

Attendance of 2 seminars in the area “D1 - Citizens: Perceptions, Preferences, & Behaviour.

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

Students must prove active participation in two seminars (3 CP each). The module concludes with a written exam or term paper (5 CP) following one of the seminars attended.

The module is completed with a total of 11 credit points.

Content:

Attendance of 2 classes in the area “D2 - Interest Aggregation and Representation”.

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

Students must prove active participation in two seminars (3 CP each). The module concludes with a written exam or term paper (5 CP) following one of the seminars attended.

The module is completed with a total of 11 credit points.

Content:

Attendance of 2 classes in the area “D3 - Public Policy-Making”

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

Students must prove active participation in two seminars (3 CP each). The module concludes with a written exam or term paper (5 CP) following one of the seminars attended.

The module is completed with a total of 11 credit points.

Content:

Students will gain insights into the procedures and organisations of the institution where they have their internship, and will actively contribute to the work carried out by the institution. This internship is to be undertaken in an institu[1]tion involved in work relevant (in the broadest sense) to politics and policy processes, such as a public body, association, non-governmental organisation, private sector businesses etc. Students are expected to find a suitable work placement for themselves; teachers and administration are available to provide support to students in their efforts to find such a placement. Students may carry out their internship either alongside their studies or in their holidays, in either part-time or full-time working patterns.

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

At least 300 hours must be completed in the internship. Longer internships are always possible in principle. Students receive 10 credit points for completing the hours. Students receive 1 credit point for successful participation in the study day.

The internship does not have to be registered with the department in advance. There is no electronic exam registration for the internship. It is accounted for via the module sheet for the internship.

The module is completed with a total of 11 credit points. There is no grade in the internship module.

Content:

This research internship relates to the topics of comparative democracy research. 

Module final examinations, course credits, and proof of participation:

The research internship can be attended as a one-semester seminar with 4 SWS or as a two-semester seminar with 2 SWS each (6 CP).

The module concludes with a term paper (8 CP).

The module is completed with a total of 14 credit points.

Content:

• Students are to produce a Master’s thesis on a topic of their own choosing.
• Students will carry out a presentation, discussion, and reflection on their own research project in a colloquium, to take place either before or while they are completing their Master’s thesis, and will undertake a defence of their thesis following its completion.

Students will be called upon to prove their capacity to formulate, represent, and respond to critical arguments and as[1]sessments of a comprehensive research project of their own design. The Master’s thesis is typically empirical-analytical in design.

Thesis and Proof of Attendance:

In order to register for the master's thesis, at least 56 CP must be proven, of which 19 CP in modules A and C. This means that modules A and C must have been completed.

In the colloquium, students provide proof of participation and receive 3 CP for this. If possible, we recommend that the colloquium is taken in the semester before the thesis is written or in parallel to it. If possible, students should take the colloquium with the person who also supervises the thesis.

Students receive 26 credit points for the thesis. The thesis is not registered via the electronic exam registration. Students use the master thesis registration form. Students independently search for a supervisor at least one semester in advance. The second examiner can also be assigned by the examination office if desired.

From the time of registration, students have 5 months to prepare the thesis.

Students take the oral examination (defense of the master's thesis) after the thesis has been corrected. Students coordinate the date with the supervisor. Students receive 3 credit points for the oral examination.

The entire module is completed with 32 credit points.