Today "thinking globally" is not a revelation anymore but almost a triviality. Yet, the question remains: how does one think globally?
The Master course 'Global Studies – A European Perspective' treats globalisation as a complex process involving various interconnected factors, including power, welfare, religion, law, tradition and profit. The Leipzig programme unifies a broad spectrum of academic disciplines and emphasis is placed upon "area studies".
The Master Course 'Global Studies' aims at excellent students with a first degree in social sciences and humanities with an interest in issues of globalisation.
The Master is offered by a consortium of four European universities:
- University of Leipzig (Germany)
- London School of Economics and Political science (United Kingdom)
- University of Vienna (Austria)
- University of Wroclaw (Poland)
The course is a two-year master. The academic year starts in October. It is modularised and integrated: It has to be studied for one year at one of the European partner institutions, and for the second year at a different European university. In the application preferences for the study places can be made; but the final decision is taken by the Erasmus Mundus Global Studies Consortium. The members of the Consortium decide in every single case taking into account: the preferences expressed by the applicants, the common policy of the consortium regarding the available places at each partner university, the relationship between interests of the students and the research focus of the respective university.
The credit recognition and transfer is based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The Consortium awards a double degree and a Diploma Supplement. According to the emphasis upon certain fields within the participating universities and its already existing Master programmes - which the European MA in 'Global Studies - a European Perspective' is drawing upon -, students can specialise in particular areas of globalisation research:
- in Leipzig on comparative analysis of global entanglements, focusing on Eastern Europe, Western Europe, East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Northern Africa and the Middle East, Latin America and Northern America
- in London on the economic and social history and analysis of globalisation
- in Vienna on methods of global history, as well as the cultural and social history and analysis of East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Central Europe and Latin America
- and in Wroclaw on the analysis of transformation processes in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as on US-European relations, with a special focus on communications and the media.
All modules comprise history, cultural, area studies, social or political based approaches upon historical and contemporary patterns of globalisation and different societal responses, since the 19th century, towards these processes.
The study programme is partly offered in English. Approximately 60-70% of all lectures and classes are in English, the other part of the programme is in German. Against this background excellent English and at least good German skills are preconditions for the application.
European Master 'Global Studies – A European Perspective’ is part of the ERASMUS MUNDUS programme that is a co-operation and mobility programme in the field of higher education. It aims to enhance quality in European higher education and to promote intercultural understanding through co-operation with third countries. Therefore each academic year some 26 scholarships for highly qualified Non-European students from the EU are available. This scholarship amounts to €21,000 per selected student (i.e. € 1,600 per month for a ten-month period plus €5,000 for tuition fees, registration fee, summer courses, language classes, teaching material, etc.).
All students that are not awarded for a ERASMUS MUNDUS scholarship are charged personally with a common tuition fee of € 5.000. But the Consortium of the European Master in 'Global Stuidies' is pleased to provide applications from all over the world a limited number of fee-waivers (20 waivers à 2.500€).
If you want to apply for the Master course you should fulfil the following requirements:
- A bachelors degree or recognised equivalent from an accredited institution
- A sufficient undergraduate training to do graduate work in chosen field
- Outstanding academic performance
- Excellent English and at least basic German skills
Applications should include:
- Application form (see website)
- CV in English
- A letter of motivation
- proof of an excellent BA in the social sciences or humanities and transcripts of all previous university
studies
- proof of excellent English and / or German language skills
- two academic references (with e-mail address of referee)
- A photocopy of passport or ID
- A passport photo
All documents must be included as certified copies both in German or English or French and in the original language.
All applications should be send to:
European Master ‘Global Studies – A European Perspective’
c/o Zentrum für Höhere Studien
Universität Leipzig
Emil-Fuchs-Str. 1, D-04105 Leipzig, Germany
The application deadline is 15th December 2006.
For further information please refer to:
http://wwwm.uni-leipzig.de/zhs/index.php option=com_content&task=section&id=18&Itemid=359?=english
or send an email to em@uni-leipzig.de .