University of Granada, Spain
University of Graz, Austria
Leipzig University, Germany
Vilnius University, Lithuania

Arqus Joint Master’s Programme in European Studies

The Joint Master’s Programme in European Studies of the Arqus European University Alliance was established to provide a multidisciplinary understanding of Europe’s role in the world. It provides an assessment of the relationship between Europeanisation and globalization, the impact of global developments on Europe, and the changing role of the continent in the new world order.

• Degree Awarded: Master of Arts (M.A.)* (Joint Degree issued by all partner universities)
• Programme Duration: 4 semesters, 120 ECTS
• Language of Instruction: English
• Starting Date: October
• Mode of attendance: Full-time

The Arqus Joint Master’s Programme in European Studies is jointly developed and offered by four participating universities-Granada, Graz, Leipzig and Vilnius - and it is centrally coordinated, by Leipzig University.

Students can choose one of the four participating institutions as their entrance university. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in physical mobility at one of the three remaining partner universities by choosing a mobility institution’s specialisation and its accompanying modules that match their academic preferences. A one-semester mobility scheme is guaranteed for all students and is financially supported through existing mobility schemes. This allows students to gain significant international experience through mobility and to focus their studies on specific specialisation modules offered by the host universities.

The consortium of four partner universities provides an ideal environment for this programme due to its diverse and complementary research strengths and regional foci. The Programme, focusing on Europe as a global actor, trains students for policy advisory and research roles in Europe and beyond. It prepares students for professional fields both inside and outside academia.

This Master’s Programme aims to advance a multidisciplinary understanding of Europe’s role in the world by drawing on a range of approaches in the humanities and social sciences. The programme considers European people, governments, and companies as well civil society as global actors. Through research-based analysis, students will be able to make independent contributions to analysing and shaping future-oriented projects and the related scientific and political debates. The Arqus Alliance, as one of the first-generation European university alliances, is the appropriate home for such a programme since its member universities come from the Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern as well as Central European regions and have foci in their research-based teaching that complement each other perfectly.

The programme addresses the complex role of Europe as a global actor and employs a multi- and interdisciplinary approach that enables students to analyze and design political, economic, social, and cultural policies and programmes. It leverages the combined expertise of universities from various European regions within a collaborative consortium. In their courses, students explore different processes of Europeanisation, considering the perspectives of both EU member states and non-EU European countries. Through a research-based approach, students will learn to contribute independently to future-oriented projects as well as related policy and scientific debates.

Upon graduation, the four participating universities will award a jointly conferred degree “Master of Arts in European Studies”. For more details about the program structure, visit the website of the programme and the Student Handbook here: https://arqus-alliance.eu/study-in-arqus/joint-masters-programmes/master-european-studies/about/

The programme is divided into modules of 10 ECTS each. There are two types of modules.

1.- There are modules that are offered jointly by the partner institutions. Students come together for joint classes, and lecturers from all participating universities teach on topics they are particularly qualified for. These modules consist of one jointly offered online course and one offline course. The offline course is taught by local lecturers.

2.- There are modules that are the responsibility of the individual study places, providing an incentive to the students to follow the physical mobility track by emphasizing – within a common thematic framework for these specialization modules – the particular subject-related strengths of the individual study places and by allowing students to prepare for their theses in a specialized manner.

Table 1. Module Overview across Semesters

YEAR 1	First semester BASICS – Entrance University	Second semester SPECIALISATION – Entrance or Mobility University (e.g. if Leipzig is your entrance university, this semester has to be completed in Leipzig)
	Module 1: blended (with a virtual mobility component) - comprising a Joint Online Lecture and a local course requiring physical presence	Module 4: blended (with a virtual mobility component) - comprising a Joint Online Lecture and a local course requiring physical presence
	Module 2: blended (with a virtual mobility component) - comprising a Joint Online Lecture and a local course requiring physical presence	Module 5: physical-this is a Specialisation Module comprising only local courses requiring physical presence
	Module 3: blended (with a virtual mobility component) - comprising a Joint Online Lecture and a local course requiring physical presence	Module 6: physical-this is a Specialisation Module comprising only local courses requiring physical presence
YEAR 2	Third semester SPECIALISATION – Mobility or Entrance University	Fourth semester MASTER THESIS DEVELOPMENT
	Module 7: blended (with a virtual mobility component) - comprising a Joint Online Lecture and a local course requiring physical presence	Module 10 (can be flexible location-wise): Specialisation module comprising a local course requiring physical presence OR an internship programme (according to the rules of the entrance university)
	Module 8: physical-this is a Specialisation Module comprising only local courses requiring physical presence	Module 11: online colloquium "Europe as a global actor", as the support for master thesis development
	Module 9: physical-this is a Specialisation Module comprising only local courses requiring physical presence *At Universities of Granada and Leipzig one course can be substituted with an internship programme (according to the rules of these universities)	Master thesis

 

Specialisation Areas of Partner Universities: In addition to specific field specialisations, partner universities have their regional foci:

• University of Granada: Internal and External Regions of Europe; Maghreb and
• the Middle East
• University of Graz: Southeast Europe
• Leipzig University: Between East and West; East-Central Europe
• Vilnius University: Northern and Eastern perspective (Central and Ester Europe,
• Nordic and Baltics).

Table 2. Specialisation Areas of Partner Universities across Modules and Semesters

	Semester II	Semester III	Semester IV
	Module 5: Regions in Europe	Module 8: Global Challenges and European Answers	Module 10:
Granada	Geographical Perspectives	Public-Private Approaches to Climate Change	The European Approach to Migration
Graz	Southeastern Europe	Peace, Migration, and Climate Change	Human Rights and Diversity Management II
Leipzig	Between East and West	Global Conflict Management	Europeanisation and Globalisation
Vilnius	A Northern and Eastern Perspective	Eastern Europe and the Global Challenges	Practical Skills and Knowledge on Governance and Security
	Module 6: Social Transformations in Europe	Module 9: Cultural Representation in Current European Societies
Granada	Socio-Economic Processes and Critical Views of Europe	Beyond Europe: Conflicts, Actors, and Scenarios of change
Graz	Socio-Economic Development and Social Change	Human Rights and Diversity Management I
Leipzig	Transnational Perspectives	Cultural Representation in Current European Societies
		Religion in Contemporary European Societies
		European Cultural History of the Jews
Vilnius	Nationalism and Civic Resistance	Practical Skills and Knowledge on Eastern Europe // Europe: Politics and History

The Arqus European University Alliance

The Arqus European University Alliance brings together the universities of Granada, Graz, Leipzig, Lyon 1, Maynooth, Minho, Padua, Vilnius and Wroclaw, nine longstanding comprehensive research universities who share extensive experience in joint projects and a common profile as internationalized institutions with deep regional engagement in medium-sized cities. The Alliance - Arqus

Leipzig University was founded in 1409 and is one of Germany’s leading universities when it comes to top-class research and medical expertise. It offers a unique variety of subjects, from the humanities and social sciences to the natural and life sciences. https://www.uni-leipzig.de/en/university

The University of Graz was established in 1585. It has 6 faculties, with the dozens of institutes and centers belonging to faculties, and includes 16 university, faculty-wide, and inter-faculty service areas, incl. Centre for Southeast European Studies. In 2023/24, there were around 30,000 students enrolled, out of which 62% are women and 18% international students. For more information: https://www.uni-graz.at/en/

The University of Granada (UGR) is a public university situated in the historical city of Granada. The University was officially founded by the Emperor Charles V in the year 1531, and built on a centuries-old teaching tradition dating back to the madrasahs of the Nasrid dynasty of Granada. Accordingly, it is one of the most significant universities in Europe in terms of its historical importance. The UGR is recognised internationally for its quality in higher education, teaching, research and outreach. National and international rankings reflect the UGR’s position among the top universities in Spain and among the best in the world. https://www.ugr.es/en/

Since its establishment in the 16th century, Vilnius University, as integral part of European science and culture has embodied the concept¬ of a classical university and the unity of studies and research.

Vilnius University is an active participant in international scientific and academic activities and boasts many prominent scientists, professors and graduates. https://www.vu.lt/en/about-vu