Faculty of PhilosophyDevelopment, Environment, Societies, and History of South Asia – Master
Students in the academic programme “Development, Environment, Societies, and History of South Asia” focus on historical, societal and current political and economic developments and events, as well as physiogeographical processes, in the countries of South-East Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka as well as Tibet and the regions surrounding the Himalayas.
Facts & Formalities
| Degree | Master of Arts |
| Type of programme | Consecutive |
| Start of programme | Winter and summer semester |
| Standard period of study | 4 semesters |
| Language(s) of instruction | English |
| Fees and contributions | 186.35 € / Semester |
| Application procedure | Consecutive master’s programmes with access restriction |
| Application deadlines | Information about deadlines can be obtained after you have put together a degree program. |
| Part-time option | Yes |
| May be studied as a minor subject | Yes |
| Can be completed entirely in English | Yes |
Course Content
The degree programme introduces students to multi- and interdisciplinary approaches and enables them to independently and critically work in multicultural environments. To this end, the students select at least one area of specialisation in which they acquire advanced scientific expertise that will then be applied during completion of the Master's thesis. In addition, students also combine this special field with subject modules from other disciplines (supplementary modules).
Students can learn a South Asian language or increase their knowledge of a South Asian language by combing the course with a minor subject from the range of Master’s courses offered in the linguistics department of the South Asia Institute.
Course Structure
The Master’s degree programme provides students with numerous possible combinations and simultaneously emphasises a sound, disciplinary education in a chosen area of specialisation. The option of pursuing a doctorate after the academic programme is ensured by the choice of specialisation. The chosen (first) specialisation and the examination module (Master's thesis and final oral examinations) constitute the study focus.
The academic programme in the major subject is generally divided into
- compulsory courses that must be taken by all students
- elective courses that students can freely select from the range of subject modules (a second specialisation or two supplementary fields).
The modules in the specialisations build on one another. In general, the first module covers the basics learned in the Bachelor’s programme in more detail. The aim is to ensure that all students, irrespective of their academic background, are at the same level.
Modules 2 and 3 consolidate the skills and knowledge. Furthermore, they lay the foundation for the research work and subsequent Master's thesis in the fourth semester.
The degree programme is offered as a
- Major subject
- Major subject in combination with a minor subject
- Minor subject