Social Sciences and Educational Sciences

Education's importance for individual life chances and societal development continues to rise worldwide. Changes in schooling, vocational training and higher education as well as informal, inclusive and lifelong learning emphasize this growing significance.

This international, multidisciplinary, research-based Master in Social Sciences and Educational Sciences addresses topics at the nexus of education and society and key challenges facing contemporary societies and welfare states.

Programme scope

English-language-based, the programme distinctively unites social scientific analysis of education and social systems and policies at local, national, European, and global levels. It combines historical, cultural, political, educational and sociological perspectives on educational institutions and organizations as well as their conditions and their consequences.

As a student, you will analyse changes in ideas, institutions and organizations caused by social, economic and political integration and compare the development of educational and social policies, schooling and social services across time and space. Particular emphasis is on Luxembourg, its neighbouring countires Germany, France and Belgium, and Europe within the context of internationalization. Innovatively, the approaches and methodologies of a variety of academic disciplines, including educational science, history and sociology, are jointly utilized in analysis and problem-solving.

Career opportunities

Students will be prepared to either continue their academic career in the University of Luxembourg’s intensive doctoral programmes or transition to a wide variety of national or international organisations, governments, foundations or associations throughout Europe and beyond.

The programme runs for four semesters, with the last semester devoted to the writing of an original thesis of high academic standard (120 ECTS). Courses are taught in English, but credits are also given for German and French language courses. Intensive seminars andmentoring will be provided by internationally-known scholars in the social and educational sciences.

Semester 1

• Philosophical foundations of the social and educational sciences

• Introduction to research methods

• International comparison of educational systems and welfare states

• Social inequalities and differentiation

• Languages & transferable skills

Semester 2

• Historicizing and theorizing education

• Advanced research methods

• Advanced seminar in educational research

• Advanced seminar in social science research

• Languages & transferable skills

Semester 3

• Research strategies and design

• Advanced seminar in educational research

• Advanced seminar in social science research

Semester 4

• Research strategies and design

• Presentation of research project and findings

• MA thesis writing

Research

Within the Faculty, students have opportunities to contribute to on-going research projects and collaborate with professors and researchers. Centred in the Institute of Education & Society (InES), the programme provides links to all three research units in the Faculty: Education, Culture, Cognition and Society (ECCS), Integrative Research Unit on Social and Individual Development (INSIDE), and Identités. Politiques, Sociétés, Espaces (IPSE).

Professional partnerships within Luxembourg include research centres such as CEPS/INSTEAD and the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) as well as an array of (non-)governmental organisations. Internationally, academic collaborations and exchanges exist with universities in the United States (Stanford University, University of Wisconsin–Madison), Canada (University of British Columbia at Vancouver), Switzerland (University of Bern) and Germany (University of Mannheim, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung), among others.

Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (180 ECTS) in an educational or social science (or multiple disciplines) and have a strong interest in theoretical perspectives and excellent methodological skills.Because courses are taught in English, advanced command of English (both written and oral) is required. Competence in German and/or French is considered beneficial for students on the University’s multilingual campus.Admission is limited to 25 students per cohort. Selection is based on the application documents and a personal interview. The application must include:letter of motivation (2 pages describing your academic preparation and interests)curriculum vitaetranscripts of prior academic workcontact details of a referee and/or a letter of reference