The Changing Societies master’s degree program consists of the foundational module "Theories and Methods of Changing Societies” (12 CP) and the three thematic modules “Bodies, Objects, Circulation” (24 CP), “Sustainable Societies: Inequality, Power, Conflict” (24 CP), and “Global Modernity and Difference” (24 CP). 

To complete the program, students must select two of the three thematic modules. A seminar paper must be written in each of the two selected modules.

The program underwent a fundamental reform in the fall semester of 2026. For information on the content under the old curriculum, please click here.

The foundational module “Theories and Methods of Changing Societies” comprises the courses Fundamentals of Qualitative Research, Fundamentals of Quantitative Research, and the Theory Colloquium. The two methodology courses provide, on the one hand, fundamental knowledge in quantitative and qualitative social research and, on the other hand, guide students in research-oriented reflection on theoretical perspectives and concepts. In the theory colloquium, students are guided in discussing and reflecting on theoretical perspectives and concepts as they apply to changing societies. It is recommended that students complete the methods training (course plus tutorial in qualitative and quantitative research) in the first year of study and take the theory colloquium in the second year, alongside the preparation of the master’s thesis.

The module introduces students to key social science approaches for understanding bodies and objects as powerful political and social entities. Drawing on anthropology, feminist and queer theories, theories of materiality, and the studies of science and technology, it examines how bodies and objects emerge through their relationships to images and infrastructures within systems of capital and control. Topics include migration and displacement, global tourism, humanitarian interventions, commodity and pop cultures, as well as museum and cultural heritage policies. Students also examine how objects, ranging from consumer goods to technical and cultural artifacts, from living entities and inert matter to technological and epistemic instruments, mediate relationships between individuals, states, markets, and institutions. Throughout the module, attention is paid to how ideas, capital, and governance practices such as surveillance and militarization circulate both globally and locally. The courses in this module provide a clear conceptual and methodological foundation for critically engaging with mobility, materialization, and power, and prepare students to analyze current social issues in an interconnected world.

This module offers courses on the key topics of inequality, resources, and conflict. The courses cover theories and approaches from political science, international relations, and sustainability research. Additionally, the courses provide an intensive engagement with and application of empirical social science methods. The focus is on questions of political and social inequality, political representation, the functioning of political institutions, as well as intra- and inter-state conflicts and peacebuilding. Furthermore, the courses discuss issues related to the equitable distribution of resources, sustainable political and economic processes, and the consequences of climate change. The module combines an introduction to fundamental theoretical approaches with an overview of current research on the subject areas mentioned. 

The module addresses the global dimensions of modernity and places a special focus on the interplay between integration and difference. It covers central theories of modernity and modernization, as well as critiques of these theories and current developments. It covers both historical and contemporary processes of social (de)differentiation, different paths of modernization in Western and non-Western contexts, as well as the significance of culture, gender, class, and ethnicity for the structuring of global inequalities. Students engage with theoretical approaches and empirical case studies to understand global transformation processes. The aim is to shed light on the global diversity of manifestations of modernity and to critically reflect on how modernity and difference are interwoven. Global power relations and their influence on knowledge production and collective identities are also discussed. The module promotes the ability to assess complex and social dynamics analytically and evaluate them normatively. 

Further information on the structure of the program and all modules can be found in the degree program guidelines.

The study program provides an overview of the program structure and structure of the degree programs: