Admission requirements

Requirements to be admitted to the degree program:
— Completion of a first degree in political science, law or a comparable degree program at a university or vocational academy that is officially recognized in Germany and qualifies the degree holder for a profession
— Proof of English proficiency at the B2 level and proficiency in one other foreign language at the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. More on proof of language skills
Proof must be provided in the form of a certificate for university entrance qualification or the completion of language courses.

German language requirements

International applicants and German applicants with a foreign university entrance qualification are kindly advised to read the requirements for German-language courses.

Notes on the application process

If, at the time of application, proof of the first degree qualifying the applicant for a profession is not yet available, the application will be considered under the precondition that 80% of the credit points attainable for the degree have already been achieved based on completed module examinations or the final thesis and the colloquium (if applicable). A certification from the awarding institute of higher education (examination office) serves as proof of the above-mentioned academic achievements. You can find the appropriate form on the Admissions Office website.

General information about the degree program

Politics and the constitution are closely interrelated. Just as the constitution contains a host of ideas pertaining to government and provides a political framework, political activities feed back into the constitution.

In the Politics and the Constitution Master’s degree program, students will examine this interrelation between political processes and their governing constitutional structures in depth. Students will acquire knowledge of the wide array of legal concepts of order and various political institutions both in democratic and non-democratic states.

Students select their own interdisciplinary focus courses, enabling them to apply their knowledge of politics in a wider context.

Study contents

The program can be started each winter semester. The standard period of study is four semesters and includes on-site attendance of courses, independent study and the Master's examination.

The degree program comprises two types of courses:
the core courses, including for the Master’s thesis and colloquium, for which 90 credits are earned, and the interdisciplinary focus courses, for which 30 credits are earned.

Modules:
— Theory and Development of the Constitutional State
— Selected Problems of Constitutionalism
— Constitution and Democracy
— Comparative Historical-Social Institutional Research
— Institutional Mechanisms and Political Practice in Macro-Qualitative Comparison
— Reform and Stabilization Policy
— International Institutions

Focus course options:
— Elective Module “Advanced Knowledge”
— Elective Module “Specialization Knowledge”
— Small Module “Occupational Experience”
— Semester abroad

Beyond the knowledge and skills needed for universities and non-university research institutions, students will acquire the skills required for staffing and policy departments of organizations and institutions at the regional, national, European and international levels, in particular in administrative and policy-related bodies, as well as for application-oriented political science and academic political consulting.

Furthermore, students will gain the necessary knowledge for pursuing relevant subsequent doctoral degrees.

Students who complete the program graduate with the academic degree Master of Arts.
View the module descriptions

Structure

Core courses (90 ECTS credit points)
Focus courses (30 ECTS credit points)

For the focus courses, students can choose between

— Studying abroad
— An internship
— Interdisciplinary studies

or combine the internship with interdisciplinary studies.

Further information on the elective compulsory field of the focus courses at the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science

Stay abroad

Would you like to spend a semester abroad? Whether it is a semester of studies, an internship or a language course abroad, you will definitely benefit from the international experience. You can improve your knowledge of your subject and language skills, establish new contacts, make friends, get to know other cultures, and much more. You can find further information on the International Office’s website.

Occupational fields

The Master’s degree program in Politics and the Constitution qualifies graduates for a broad spectrum of occupations.

Graduates of this degree program are qualified for research-oriented positions at universities (such as doctoral studies) or non-university research institutions.
They will also gain skills that they can apply in staffing and policy departments of organizations and institutions at the regional, national, European and international levels, in particular in administrative and policy-related bodies. These skills are also relevant for work in application-oriented political science and academic political consulting.

Study documents

The official announcements of TU Dresden include all published regulations . Please use the search bar to find the document you need: Official proclamation

The regulations are also available on each institution’s website.

Contacts

Admissions Office

Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Science

International Office

Additional information