Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen Institute of Political Science

The Master Program in International Relations

I. The Master Program in International Relations

The Institute of Political Science at the University of Tübingen, Germany, offers a program for graduate students in International Studies. The program includes concentrations in Peace and Conflict Studies and International Relations.

Graduate students are invited to

• either spend one year at the Institute as an exchange student and take some of the courses offered by the program;
• or take the Master in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations (which requires a second major or two minors) in a period of two years (see details in section III below!)

Teaching is in German . Language Courses are offered for exchange students by the University of Tübingen, but students are expected to have sufficient knowledge of German to be able to follow the courses.

II. Courses Offered

Lectures and seminars offered cover the following range of topics:

• "Methodenprobleme der Wissenschaft von den Internationalen Beziehungen einschließlich Friedens- und Konfliktforschung" (Methods in the Study of International Relations including Peace and Conflict Studies);
• "Theorien über internationale Beziehungen einschließlich Friedens- und Konfliktforschung" (International Relations Theory including Peace and Conflict Studies);
• "Analyse der Außenbeziehungen eines Landes"/ "Analyse der internationalen Beziehungen einer Region" (Comparative Foreign Policy Analysis);
• "Internationale Ordnungsprobleme" (Issues in International Order);
• "Internationale Institutionen und Organisationen" (International Institutions and Organizations);
• "Psychologische und/oder gesellschaftliche Aspekte von Frieden und Friedlosigkeit" (Psychological and/or Social Aspects in Peace and Conflict Issues);
• Research Seminar in International Relations/Peace and Conflict Studies.

The specific contents of the courses vary each term; as an example, the program for the academic year 1995/96 was as follows (or see the up-to-date list in German ):

• Einführung in die Internationalen Beziehungen" (Introduction to the study of International Relations);
• "Geschichte der Theorie der Internationalen Beziehungen" (History of International Relations Theory);
• "Die Theorie internationaler Beziehungen im Zeichen der Postmoderne" (International Relations Theory and Postmodernism);
• "Methodenprobleme der Wissenschaft von den Internationalen Beziehungen/Friedens und Konfliktforschung" (Methods in the Study of International Relations including Peace and Conflict Studies);
• "Theorie und Praxis des Friedenshandelns" (Theory and Practice of Peace Movements);
• "Frieden: Theorien, Strategien, Praxis" (Peace: Theories, Strategies, Practice);
• "Kriege: Ursachen, Beendigungs- und Vermeidungsstrategien" (War: Causes, Resolutions and Prevention Strategies);
• "Der Nahostkonflikt" (Conflict in the Middle East);
• "Internationale Menschenrechtspolitik" (International Human Rights Policy);
• "Internationale Gemeinschaftsbildung: die westliche Staatengemeinschaft und Osteuropa" (Formation of the International Community: Western States and Eastern Europe);
• "Konzepte der Regierungskonferenz 1996 zur Reform und Entwicklung der EU" (Concepts for the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference on Reform and Development of the European Union);
• "Integrationstheorien und der EG/EU-Integrationsprozeß" (Integration Theory and the Process of European Integration);
• "Probleme der EU-Integration" (Issues in European Integration);
• "Vergleichende Außenpolitikanalyse am Beispiel der OECD-Staaten" (Comparative Foreign Policy Analysis: the Example of the OECD-Countries);
• Research Seminar.

a) Exchange students may freely choose among the courses.

b) For students taking the Master's , some of the courses are obligatory (see section III below!).

III. Requirements of the Master Degree

Following specific guidelines of the Ministry of Science and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg, the degree conferred by the University of Tübingen is the "Magister in Politikwissenschaft mit dem Schwerpunkt Internationale Beziehungen" (Master in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations).

The German Master degree requires two majors or one major and two minors. Students wishing to obtain a Master degree in "Political Science with a concentration in International Relations" will study this as their first major. The second major or the additional two minors are chosen from one or two branches of study outside the Institute of Political Science. For example, a student with a first major in International Relations might have a second major in Economics or minors in Public Law and Philosophy.

Students following the Master's program have to fulfill the following requirements:

• take five seminars and obtain a "Schein". Obligatory seminars are:
  • "Methodenprobleme der Wissenschaft von den Internationalen Beziehungen (einschließlich Friedens- und Konfliktforschung)"; and
  • "Theorien über internationale Beziehungen (einschließlich Friedens- und Konfliktforschung)"
    The remaining three seminars may be chosen from the other areas of study offered (numbers 3 to 6 above);
• attend lecture courses;
• prove language proficiency in German, English, and a third modern language;
• complete the research seminar;
• write a Master's thesis of about 100 pages;
• complete written examination (4 hours) and oral examination (1 hour); expected is an in-depth knowledge of the study of International Relations and German Foreign Policy.

IV. Application to Study International Relations

Exchange students studying for one year will be sponsored by their home universities.

Students seeking admission to the Master's Program must apply to the University of Tübingen. Information regarding the requirements can be attained at the

University of Tübingen

Dezernat IV: Studentenangelegenheiten

Nauklerstraße 14

D-72074 Tübingen

V. Further Information

More detailed information on the MA Program in International Relations is available from

• this server (though only in German):
  • Studienplan
  • Informationen zu den Prüfungen
• your local Office for International Programs;
• the ERASMUS contact person at your university; or at the

Institute of Political Science
Administration
Melanchthonstr. 36
D-72074 Tübingen
Tel: (49) 7071 / 297 54 45;
Fax: (49) 7071 / 29 2417.

• Homepage of the Center for International Relations/Peace and Conflict Studies