One-subject master's programs consist only of the chosen field of study and cannot be combined with others.

A two-subject master's program is a combined program in which two subjects are studied equivalently. This means that the same number of credit points are earned in both subjects.

Students have the opportunity to obtain a degree from a partner university in addition to the master's degree from the Ruhr-University Bochum. This requires a stay abroad of one to two semesters. The following specializations of the one-subject master's program of social science offer this:

• Globalization, Transnationalization and Governance with the University of Wroclaw, Poland
• Management and Regulation of Labor, Economy and Organization with BUAP University, Mexico

Before enrollment in a master's program, an obligatory consultation must be held. This is a central information event at which structures, contents and procedures of the respective degree programs are explained. Afterwards the obligatory consultation will be put into the system, which is required for enrollment.

In the two-subject master's program, there is an application deadline for the obligatory consultation of March 1 for the summer semester and September 1 for the winter semester. Although the program is admission-free, the consultation will check whether you have acquired the necessary basics for the master's program in previous studies. Applications after the above-mentioned deadline can only be accepted in exceptional cases, as it cannot be guaranteed that the consultation will be held if applications are received later.
When will an invitation to the obligatory consultation be sent?

Usually, appointments for the obligatory consultation at RUB are made after the admission procedure in August or March.

• the one-subject master's program?
  • A bachelor's degree in a social science field of study.
  • With an academic performance in the social science comprising 40 CP in at least three of four disciplines (political science, sociology, social psychology and social anthropology, social economics and politics) and 10 CP in methods of empirical social research and statistics. If the academic performance is only partially available, parts can be made up if necessary (cf. examination regulations §4, para. 5b).
  • There is a local admission restriction (NC) for the one-subject master's program.

• the two-subject master's program?
  • No specific grade is required for admission (regardless of GPA).
  • However, a bachelor's degree in social science with social science credits totaling at least 50 CP, where at least 15 CP must be from the chosen field of study (sociology, political science, social theory and cultural psychology).

Bachelor students of social science at RUB who are in the final phase of their studies have the possibility to take a transition semester. During the transition semester, you remain enrolled in the bachelor's program, but can already take master's courses. Such a transition semester does not secure an admission to the master's program.
A regular application to the master's program must be received in the following semester.
Master's courses from the transition semester will only be accepted for the master's program if the work was completed in the semester prior to the first regular master's semester.

It is possible to enroll provisionally in the one-subject master's program in social science even though you have not yet received your bachelor's degree certificate. This can be submitted to the registrar's office during the first master's semester. There is an automatic re-registration block until the bachelor's degree certificate is received, therefore the certificate must be submitted in such a way that there is still time for re-registration afterwards. If the certificate is not submitted during the first master's semester, the student will be automatically exmatriculated without notice. This cannot be reversed; a new application would then be required to continue the master's program.

If you apply with a preliminary grade, i.e. your transcript of records, only the preliminary grade will be included in the application process. Subsequent deteriorations or improvements of the bachelor's degree grade due to the bachelor's thesis will not be taken into account.

If you have been admitted to the one-subject master's program, you will find your personal enrollment deadline on your admission letter. For the two-subject master's program you can enroll at the times stated on the homepage.

Generally, enrollment should be done in person. According to the registrar's office, however, representation by an authorized person with written power of attorney is possible in exceptional cases.

For a placement in a higher semester, at least 30 CP of creditable achievements from another social science master's program must be proven. The contact person for placement at the Faculty of Social Science is the dean of students/ dean for academic affairs Dr. Jan Schedler.

A change of the program of specialization is possible at any time. To do so, simply send the master's degree counseling the registration form for the obligatory consultation with a note "change of program of specialization" as well as a transcript of records from the bachelor's degree program. Afterwards, another obligatory consultation will take place with the new program advisor and, if necessary, new certificates of requirements will be distributed. As soon as this has been submitted to the examination office, the change of the program of specialization is complete. Notification to the registrar's office is no longer required.

To be able to register the master's thesis, 70 CP are required. In addition, a foreign language or bilingual course must have been completed. The registration of the master's thesis is done by writing to the examination office of the Faculty of Social Science. The processing time of the master's thesis starts from the date of the examiner's signature. From this date you will have four to six months of processing time, depending on the type of work. The following must be brought to the registration:

• A proof of the fulfillment of the admission requirement (ToR)
• Certificate of enrollment
• The application form with the signature of the two reviewers

The master's thesis must be supervised by two reviewers of the university. Both must be university lecturers (Prof. or PD) and should belong to different sections for the thesis to reflect the interdisciplinary character of the degree program.