Master of Arts Programme in Ethics – Economics, Law and Politics Ruhr-Universität Bochum

The Master's programme in Ethics – Economics, Law and Politics (EELP) is an interdisciplinary and research-focused degree programme. In the style of very successful similar study courses in the English-speaking world, four faculties carry out the programme: philosophy, law, economics and social science. The theoretical and empirical insights of the three socio-scientific disciplines is combined with the explicitly normative orientation of philosophy.

The content of the programme consists of six main topics, each with a normative and a descriptive and/or analytic emphasis (for details, see EELP programme website):

• Globalisation and Justice
• Markets and Morality
• Climate Change and Responsibility
• Welfare and Dignity
• Migration and Rights
• Digitalisation and Self-Determination

A competent approach to these topics demands knowledge about the frameworks of law and political circumstances as well as economic expertise and competence for normative reflection. Students are able to comprehend the full extent of current economic challenges, such as the financial crisis, global poverty, migration, climate change, etc.

The programme is aimed at excellent Bachelor's degree holders and young professionals who wish to tackle major issues in politics or the economy as well as those who aspire to an outstanding and future-oriented research activity.

In the first year of their studies, students acquire basic knowledge, and in the second year, they develop their own projects. Applied projects can be combined with an internship abroad, while research-oriented projects can be carried out at our international partner institutes:

• University of Graz/Austria (double degree with MA Political, Legal and Economic Philosophy)
• ERASMUS + (University of Bari Aldo Moro/Italy; University of Catania/Italy; University of Zagreb/Croatia)

The degree programme Ethics – Economics, Law and Politics (EELP) is regularly studied over a period of four semesters (two years of study). It is conceived as a project-oriented programme.

INTERDISCIPLINARY ORIENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME
The Master's programme Ethics – Economics, Politics and Law (EELP) offers a broad and interdisciplinary course of study: it combines knowledge and skills of normatively oriented, practical philosophy with those of empirically oriented social science. It focuses in particular on qualifying students for independent, normative reflection and rational analysis with regard to current normative problems.
This special qualification constitutes the attractive, core principle of combining ethics with economics, law and politics. The six main topics of the programme are decidedly interdisciplinary: Globalisation and Justice, Market and Morality, Climate Change and Responsibility, Welfare and Dignity, Migration and Rights and Digitalisation and Self-Determination.

PROJECT-ORIENTED STUDIES
The first year of studies focuses on fundamental, specialised knowledge of ethics, politics, law and economics. In the second year, the individual interests of each student, in practical experience and research, are improved and expanded upon in their own projects. These projects are systematically directed towards the completion of a Master's thesis in the fourth semester.
Applied projects are combined with an internship in business or an area related to politics, which lasts for four to six months. For instance, the internship can be completed at one of our partner corporations and the Master's thesis can be written about the ethical deficiencies of corporate communications.
Research-oriented projects do not have to be combined with an internship. They are more closely related to research carried out by the EELP faculty. Research and studying abroad is possible, for example, at the University of Graz/Austria (double degree programme with MA Political, Legal and Economic Philosophy).

COURSE OF STUDIES
The programme offers nine modules; seven have to be completed by the students. Standard time to degree: four semesters; workload: overall 96 ECTS - 120 ECTS for certified modules, 20 ECTS for the Master's thesis, six ECTS for the oral Master's colloquium

MODULES
EELP I: Interdisciplinary Research and Methodology (20 ECTS); EELP II: Practical Philosophy (10 ECTS); EELP III: Applied Ethics (10 ECTS); EELP IVa Economics, EELP IVb Law, EELP IVc Political Science (each with 10 ECTS, two of them have to be studied); EELP Va or b Research or Practical Project (30 ECTS); EELP VI Final Module (30 ECTS)

It is possible to do an internship during the third semester. Students are responsible to look for an internship on their own. Programme advisers can assist students in finding an internship. The internship of approximately four months has to be related to one of the focus topics of the study programme. It can be done with an international company, international institution or organisation, an NGO, a political party, a foundation, etc.

For admission to the programme, a first degree (university or college of higher education, e.g. Bachelor's degree, licentiate degree, state examination) in philosophy, economics, law or political science is required. If the Bachelor's programme consisted of two subjects, 65 ECTS must have been acquired in one of the subjects relevant to the EELP programme.

In addition an admission essay is required. The essay (maximum six pages) must be divided into two sections: 1) content-related essay (four to five pages), 2) letter of motivation (one page).

The content-related essay is supposed to show that you can independently discuss one of the focus topics of the degree programme (globalisation and justice, market and morality, climate change and responsibility, welfare and dignity, migration and rights as well as digitalisation and self-determination). The essay serves to determine whether you have a special aptitude for the EELP programme. Special attention is paid to whether you are able to develop your own problem in one of the focus topics of the programme, whether you can take into account and connect normative and analytic-descriptive aspects, whether you are able to structure your own essay in an easily accessible format and to articulate the essay both in generally comprehensible and academically adequate language, and whether generally accepted academic standards are observed. The arguments and analyses presented must be clearly substantiated by citing sources! 

In the letter of motivation, applicants should briefly and precisely explain why they would like to study in the EELP interdisciplinary MA programme.

Students have to pay a social contribution fee of approx. 380 EUR per semester, including a semester ticket covering public transport in Germany (https://studium.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/re-registration-and-social-contribution).

Minimum of 950 EUR per month to cover personal and living expenses in Germany

Students with outstanding academic performance who are involved in special social activities can receive 300 EUR per month for a year from the RUB Scholarship Fund “Deutschlandstipendium”: http://www.rub.de/bildungsfonds/info-studierende/en/index_en.html.

International students with outstanding academic performance who need financial support during the final phase of study can receive a graduation grant of 400 EUR per month for four months from the International Office/ RUB: https://international.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/scholarships-international-office.

More information: https://international.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/financing-international-degree-seeking-students

Once a year, the EELP MA study programme organises a Career Day with EELP alumni. At this event, our students network with the alumni and get to know their work.

The Career Service for International Students offers:

• Events & workshops: From networking events to online seminars– learn the best tips from career experts and meet start-ups from the region.
• Digital Career Guide: The Moodle course “Career Service for International Students” prepares you for starting a job in Germany.
• FIT4Job – Mentoring for Internationals: RUB alumni share their professional expertise and good practices 1:1 with you.
• Counselling services: Identify your talents and career goals in a personal counselling session. Our RUB Career Service team provides support in preparing application documents and interviews.

In the city of Bochum, you can find different types of accommodation. On average, students in Bochum pay approximately 400 to 800 EUR per month for a single apartment, which is below the average rent in Germany. A room in a shared apartment is usually less expensive.

About 5,000 students in Bochum live in multiple student halls close to the campus, which are run by the Akademisches Förderungswerk (AKAFÖ). In the halls, each student has a single room and shares a kitchen and bathroom with other students, rents an apartment with a private bathroom and kitchen, or shares an apartment with one or several flatmates. 

More information on the student halls can be found at https://studium.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/de/wohnen.

In addition, private and church-affiliated student halls accommodate up to 1,000 students: http://www.stuwo.de/wohnheim-region/bochum/.