Study Programme
Information for Prospective Students
Before applying, please carefully review the admission requirements and characteristics of this programme.
While this programme is open to all students who meet the admission criteria, it is specifically designed for students from the Middle East. As a result, we expect that the majority of our participants will come from this region.
Programme Structure & Content
The programme is divided into two semesters.
In the Winter Semester, students start with an Orientation Module (4 CP), including an introduction meeting and a German language course. The Governance Module (12 CP) covers EU foreign policy, EU policy-making, democratic legitimacy, and the Political Economy of European integration, with an oral exam. The Integration Module (12 CP) explores European social integration, with a choice of European history, culture, or law, and is assessed via one oral exam. Research Module 1 (12 CP) involves a group project, where students collaborate on research and finally present findings in the Master Meeting . Research Methods and Academic Skills are taught in the weekly Master Forum . Over the course of the two semesters students take part in three excursions, visiting European institutions and engaging with EU political actors.
In the Summer Semester, the Governance Module (12 CP) focuses on Business and European integration. The Integration Module (12 CP) examines social and political actors and social change in Europe, alongside further study of European history, culture, or law. In Research Module 2 (20 CP), students write a Master’s thesis, supported by the Master Forum, which provides feedback on research and methodology.
Credit Points indicate the student workload according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). 1 CP corresponds to a 30 hour workload.
The ECTS is based on the allocation and transfer of academic credits. The system was successfully tested in 145 European institutions of higher education in all EU states and EFTA countries. It was developed as an instrument to improve academic co-operation between European universities by means of an effective and common procedure. ECTS serves as a modul of academic recognition, as it provides a greater transparency in regard to study programmes and student achievements. ECTS in no way regulates the content, structure and/or equivalence of study programmes. These are issues of quality which are to be determined by the individual higher education institutions.
ECTS-Credits are allocated to each course unit. 60 credits represent the workload of an academic year of study. Each institution produces an information package as a guide to all courses available to ECTS students. Students receive a transcript of records listing all successfully completed courses, together with a diploma supplement. The diploma supplement comprises all information about the structure and contend of the study programme which is relevant for academic exchange and academic or vocational applications.
The Semester Periods per Week indicate the number of teaching units required per course. A course usually involves 2 SWS.
For more information on each course's SWS, please take a look at the module handbook.
The Academic Year of 2025/26 at HHU
| Winter Semester 2025/26 | Summer Semester 2026 | |
| Start of Semester | 1 October 2025 | 1 April 2026 |
| End of Semester | 31 March 2026 | 30 September 2026 |
| Start of lectures | 13 October 2025 | 13 April 2026 |
| Last day of lectures | 6 February 2026 | 24 July 2026 |
| Lectures are not held on | 22 December 2025 until 2 January 2026 (Christmas holidays) | 1 May 2026 (May Day) 14 May 2026 (Ascension Day) 25 May 2026 (Whit Monday) 4 June 2026 (Corpus Christi) |
The letter of de-registration is a paper which is issued by the Student Services Centre (building 21.02) and which contains the date you have completed your studies.
To receive the letter of de-registration you need to fill in the de-registration form (in German only), which can be found here. In order to fill in the de-registration form, please go to the library and close your account. You will then get a confirmation about the closure of your library account on the de-registration form. Please hand in the deregistration form together with your record of study (a blue folder which you have received at the beginning of your studies) at the Student Services Centre.
Further information regarding the Study Programme
The Module Handbook
The Module Handbook documents the current MA in European Studies programme. The programme is structured into modules combining courses and other events under a common motive. The handbook details choices, teachers, student assignments, exams, and is updated regularly.