Joint Master's – Superdiversity in Education, Organisations and Society (SEOS) Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Delivered by eight European universities within the university alliance UNIC: Ruhr University Bochum (Germany, coordinating institution), University College Cork (Ireland), University of Deusto (Spain), Erasmus University Rotterdam (the Netherlands), Koç University (Türkiye), University of Liège (Belgium), University of Oulu (Finland), University of Zagreb (Croatia)

The SEOS study programme is fully delivered in English.

SEOS is an international and interdisciplinary two-year joint Master's programme (four semesters – 120 ECTS) fully delivered in English. The programme brings together internationally renowned expertise in engaged research on superdiversity from eight world-class European universities that are part of the European university alliance UNIC.

Contemporary societies are characterised by complex processes of diversification, accompanied by fundamental changes in education, organisations, and society. SEOS innovatively responds to these complex transformations by aligning theory and research with real world examples. Students explore the impact of superdiversity on education, organisations, and wider society while developing reflexive and co-creative capacities to analyse and shape the transition to an inclusive, productive, and sustainable future for superdiverse societies.

The focus of the SEOS curriculum is on superdiversity as an increasing social complexity of diversity with a growing acknowledgement of the intersectionality of social categories like ethnicity; race; gender; sexuality; culture; religion; disability; social, economic and legal status; and many other aspects especially in a context of widening global social and economic inequality, mounting environmental crises including climate change, and resource shortages necessary for social and economic transitions.

The programme combines different disciplines, educational approaches, and outstanding facilities in a comprehensive and value-adding way, based on the specific strengths of each partner university in the relevant fields.

SEOS includes virtual and physical mobility options, responding to the heterogeneous expectations of a superdiverse, transnational and climate-conscious 21st-century student body.

Learning, teaching, and research are interconnected, mutually enriching, and learner-centred, and your student journey will benefit from tailor-made flexibility, clear guidance and transparent processes.

The SEOS joint Master's programme, delivered jointly by eight European universities, consists of four semesters of study over two years (24 months). New student cohorts are taken in for the winter semester.

SEOS includes virtual and physical mobility options, responding to the heterogeneous expectations of a superdiverse, transnational and climate-conscious 21st-century student body. 

All students begin with a joint first semester in-person at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. After that, students chose one of three specialisation tracks ("study paths"). Each study path offers different combinations of in-person and remote study and takes SEOS students to a different subset of our eight partner universities. The degree of required physical mobility varies between study paths.

In this way, SEOS students can select a study experience that best fits their individual interests, needs and preferences.

Current deadlines can be found at https://unic.eu/de/seos#all.

SEOS students who are citizens of the EU, Iceland, North Macedonia, Norway, Liechtenstein, Serbia, and Turkey contribute tuition fees of EUR 2,250 per semester.

The tuition fees for SEOS students who are citizens of all other countries are EUR 4,500 per semester.

All SEOS students start their studies at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. From semester two onwards, SEOS offers three specialisation paths, allowing students to deepen their knowledge in their area of interest:

• Path 1: Specialisation in Educational Perspectives
• Path 2: Specialisation in Organisational Perspectives
• Path 3: Specialisation in Social Scientific Perspectives

In the fourth and final semester, students are required to complete a Master’s thesis, and they can choose to do so in any of the eight participating SEOS universities across Europe.

For detailed information on the specific modules offered in every study path, please see the SEOS website.

The SEOS Master's is inherently international. It is jointly delivered by eight European universities, whose teaching staff all contribute international perspectives to the curriculum.

The SEOS Master's is furthermore international in its subject matter. Research and teaching on superdiversity is commonly global in its concerns, not least given the established engagement with topics related to migration in this field.

Lastly, the strong focus on student mobility contributes to the highly international character of SEOS.

In their third semester, SEOS students complete Practice Module D. This includes the "UNIC City Lab": This practice-oriented, project-based learning format will be jointly organised by SEOS and various partners in the urban contexts of the programme's eight European partner universities.

4,500 EUR

SEOS students who are citizens of the EU, Iceland, North Macedonia, Norway, Liechtenstein, Serbia, and Turkey contribute tuition fees of EUR 2,250 per semester.

The tuition fees for SEOS students who are citizens of all other countries are EUR 4,500 per semester.

Students have to pay a social contribution fee of approx. 330 EUR per semester, including a semester ticket covering public transport in Germany (https://studium.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/re-registration-and-social-contribution).

To apply, candidates need to demonstrate proficiency in English at a minimum of level B2, as defined in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree (university first cycle, Bachelor's, EQF level 6) or an equivalent degree in a discipline relevant to SEOS. 

Additionally, candidates should have demonstrable experience in themes related to superdiversity in educational, organisational, or societal contexts, including but not limited to the following fields:

• Educational sciences
• Social sciences
• Organisational and management research
• Related fields of study (e.g. social work, cultural studies, migration studies, gender studies)

Applicants who are nationals of countries deemed English-speaking by SEOS partner institutions or who hold a Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent qualification taught entirely in English will typically be assumed to meet SEOS language requirements. All other applicants must provide evidence of sufficient English proficiency at least at level B2, as defined in the CEFR.

Current deadlines can be found at https://unic.eu/de/seos#all.

The SEOS programme or one of its individual partner universities may award a very limited number of scholarships to admitted students. Please see the SEOS website for up to date information on availability and selection criteria.

Students at Ruhr University Bochum with good academic achievements and a high degree of social responsibility can furthermore apply for the “Deutschlandstipendium” grant. They will receive a one-year scholarship of 300 EUR per month from the Ruhr-Universität Scholarship Fund: http://www.rub.de/bildungsfonds/info-studierende/en/index_en.html.