Urban Culture, Society and Space

It is our goal to enable our students to understand complex urban issues which are new to them. Working with interdisciplinary approaches, our students will be enabled to independently identify specific problems and describe and analyse them in a methodologically sound manner with the goal of developing creative solutions.

• Fundamentals of urban semiotics and urban hermeneutics
• Methods for analysing and contextualising cultural forms of expression
• History of city/urban spaces
• Image building for cities and regions, location factors
• Neighbourhood management
• Moderation and mediation techniques (for urban planning processes)
• Methodologies of quantitative and qualitative studies, use of statistical methods, use of SPSS
• Intercultural competencies

Educational organisation

This Master's course and its twin course "Sustainable Urban Technologies" are modularly structured and include disciplinary introductory, intermediate and advanced-level modules. The focus in the "Sustainable Urban Technologies" course is on engineering and natural sciences, and the focus in the "Urban Culture, Society and Space" course is on the social sciences and humanities.
Both programmes also overlap considerably in terms of interdisciplinary approaches and content. These overlaps are primarily placed in the integrative modules and the complementary modules in the first and second semesters of study as well as in the practical project in the third semester. In particular, the complementary modules and the practical project both impart special knowledge of the subject areas focused on in the parallel programmes.
The fourth semester is devoted to the writing of a Master's thesis. The thesis is of crucial importance to the entire course of studies, as it demonstrates a student's ability to productively address central urban issues while applying academic/scientific expertise with a clear view towards creating interdisciplinary connections and links to other areas related to urban systems.

Study abroad unit(s)

Possible

Internships

During their course of studies, students do an internship of at least three months (Module 7) to prepare them for future professional work.
The internship project presents students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in transdisciplinary project work while also enabling them to reflect on real-world praxis from an academic/scientific perspective through work on exemplary large-scale urban projects (urban development, design, and restructuring, city planning, city management, infrastructure projects, city administration, urban research, etc.).
Students will receive intensive guidance in looking for appropriate internships. This guidance will be provided by the Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU) and the Centre for Logistics and Traffic (ZLV) (both part of the Main Research Area Urban Systems), both of which have long-standing contacts to companies and authorities.

Forms of assessment

Written and oral exam, written report, presentation

Course objectives

The goal of the Master's programme Urban Culture, Society, and Space (and Sustainable Urban Technologies) is to educate future experts for urban developments and projects who are able to effectively communicate and take action. Our interdisciplinary expert profile is to be implemented through two discrete courses of study, which are nevertheless integrated in terms of content and subject matter. This means that there are significant overlaps between the two programmes, one focusing on engineering, urban planning and design and the other on the humanities, social sciences and education. This dual approach is rooted in acknowledgement of the importance of specialisation in particular fields despite the necessity of promoting interdisciplinary qualifications.

Language requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of English need a proof of English skills according to level C1 of the Common European Framework (CEF) for languages
Students who are non-native speakers of German or who do not hold a degree from a German-speaking university, need to present a DSH certificate of level 2

Required DSH / TestDaF

Yes

Academic requirements

The admissions requirement for the "Urban Culture, Society and Space" Master's programme is a BA (Bachelor's degree) in the humanities, social sciences, education, or geography from a degree-granting institution of higher education. Comparative degrees will be accepted if the board of examiners can verify that the degree is equivalent to a BA. Candidates must also take an aptitude test (for more information, consult the Applications page) and certify their English and German skills.
Additional information is given on http://www.uni-due.de/urbane-systeme/.

Enrolment fees

There are enrolment fees of approx. 250 EUR per semester. These include

• a public transport ticket for the entire region of North Rhine-Westphalia
• fees for providing social, financial and cultural support services ("Studentenwerk")

Costs of living

Approx. 1,000 EUR per month to cover personal expenses