Economics, Law and Social Sciences – Social Sciences concentration

Orientation phase (1st - 2nd semester)

If you combine the subject of Social Sciences with a focus on Political Science and Sociology with a minor from the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Law concentration (International Relations, Management, Law or Economics), you will take part in the joint orientation phase of Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Social Science concentration.

Compulsory modules:

• Fundamentals of Law I (6 CP)
• Constitutional Law (6 CP)
• Civil Law I (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: International Relations (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: Introduction to the Social Sciences (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: Statistics (6 CP)
• Introduction to Business Administration (6 CP)
• Introduction to Microeconomics (6 CP)
• Introduction to Macroeconomics and Economic Policy (6 CP)

and a Q-phase module of the major or minor subject (open for the O-phase)

If you have combined the subject Social Sciences with a minor outside the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Law concentration (not International Relations, Management, Law or Economics):

Compulsory modules:

• Constitutional Law (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: International Relations (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: Introduction to the Social Sciences (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: Statistics (6 CP)

Compulsory elective modules:

• Fundamentals of Law I (6 CP)
• Civil Law I (6 CP)
• Introduction to Business Administration (6 CP)
• Introduction to Microeconomics (6 CP)
• Introduction to Macroeconomics and Economic Policy (6 CP)

Qualification phase (3rd-6th semester)

In the qualification phase of the degree programme in Economics, Law and Social Sciences modules totalling 90 credit points (LP/ECTS) must be completed.

Compulsory modules:

• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: Theory of Democracy (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: Applied Statistics and Data Collection (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: Sociology (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: The German Political System (6 CP)
• Final module - Social Sciences (12 CP)

Compulsory elective modules:

• Professional field (6 CP)
• Practical studies - secondary schools (6 CP)
• International Political Economy (6 CP)
• Normative Foundations of World Politics (6 CP)
• Foreign Policy and Security (6 CP)
• Quantitative Methods (6 CP)
• Qualitative Methods (6 CP)
• Research Seminar (6 CP)
• History of Political Ideas (6 CP)
• Basic concepts of political theory (6 CP)
• Political Theories of the Present (6 CP)
• Social Structure Analysis (6 CP)
• Sociological Theory (6 CP)
• Political Sociology (6 CP)
• Political Field Analysis (6 CP)
• Political Institutions (6 CP)
• Analysis of political systems (6 CP)
• Additional module: Fields of research (6 CP)
• Additional module: Fundamentals of Political Education (6 CP)

and three compulsory elective modules in the area of Studium Fundamentale (18 CP).

Orientation phase (1st - 2nd semester)

If you combine the subject of Social Sciences with a focus on Political Science and Sociology with a minor from the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Law concentration (International Relations, Management, Law or Economics), you will take part in the joint orientation phase of Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Social Science concentration.

Compulsory modules:

• Fundamentals of Law I (6 CP)
• Constitutional Law (6 CP)
• Civil Law I (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: International Relations (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: Introduction to the Social Sciences (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: Statistics (6 CP)
• Introduction to Business Administration (6 CP)
• Introduction to Microeconomics (6 CP)
• Introduction to Macroeconomics and Economic Policy (6 CP)

and a Q-phase module of the major or minor subject (open for the O-phase)

If you have combined the subject Social Sciences with a minor outside the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Law concentration (not International Relations, Management, Law or Economics):

Compulsory modules:

• Constitutional Law (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: International Relations (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: Introduction to the Social Sciences (6 CP)
• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: Statistics (6 CP)

Compulsory elective modules:

• Fundamentals of Law I (6 CP)
• Civil Law I (6 CP)
• Introduction to Business Administration (6 CP)
• Introduction to Microeconomics (6 CP)
• Introduction to Macroeconomics and Economic Policy (6 CP)

Qualification phase (3rd-6th semester)

Basic modules:

• Fundamentals of Social Sciences: Theory of Democracy (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: Applied Statistics and Data Collection (6 CP)
• Social Science Foundations: Sociology (6 CP)
• Social Science Basics: The German Political System (6 CP)

Specialisation modules:

• International Political Economy (6 CP)
• Normative Foundations of World Politics (6 CP)
• Foreign Policy and Security (6 CP)
• Quantitative Methods (6 CP)
• Qualitative Methods (6 CP)
• Research Seminar (6 CP)
• History of Political Ideas (6 CP)
• Basic concepts of political theory (6 CP)
• Political Theories of the Present (6 CP)
• Social Structure Analysis (6 CP)
• Sociological Theory (6 CP)
• Political Sociology (6 CP)
• Political Field Analysis (6 CP)
• Political Institutions (6 CP)
• Analysis of political systems (6 CP)
• Additional module: Fields of research (6 CP)
• Additional module: Fundamentals of Political Education (6 CP)

Possible combinations

At the University of Erfurt, you will study a major subject and a minor subject (two-subject Bachelor's programme). You may have to observe combination rules.

Combination rule:

• Social sciences (political science and sociology) can be combined with all subjects.
• If you combine Social Sciences with another Economics, Law and Social Sciences – Law concentration (International Relations, Management, Law or Economics), you will take part in the joint orientation phase of the Economics programme.

Special combination rules apply to the teacher training programme. You can find these under the teaching degree programme.

Sample study plans

Sample study plan for the major in Social Sciences with a minor in Economics, Law, and Social Sciences and without a minor in Economics, Law, and Social Sciences and sample study plan for the minor in Social Sciences (pdf)

Internships during your studies

• Interdisciplinary internship for vocational field
• Optional: career-orientated internship

Further internships for students with the career goal of a teaching profession:

• Two school-related internships in the Bachelor's programme

More information on internships

Study social studies as a teaching profession

If you go on to complete a Master's degree programme in the teaching profession, you will be qualified to teach social studies at the following schools:

• secondary schools
• vocational schools

Study to become a teaching profession for vocational schools

If you would like to teach social studies at vocational schools, choose social sciences (political science and sociology) as a general education subject on the Master of Education Vocational Schools programme. In the event that you only have the vocational subject specialisation but not the requirements for a general education subject, you can catch up on the subject-specific basics parallel to the master's programme .

Study teaching profession vocational schools

Studying for a teaching profession in Special Needs Pedagogy

If you would like to work as a special education teacher, you must choose Special Education and Inclusive Pedagogy (formerly Special Needs Pedagogy) as your major subject and Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Social Science concentration (Political Science & Sociology) as your minor subject in your Bachelor's degree. You then go on to study the Master of Education Special Needs Pedagogy.

Study Special Needs Pedagogy as a teaching profession

Study to become a secondary schools teaching profession

If you would like to teach at secondary schools, you must choose Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Social Science (Political Science and Sociology) as well as a subject relevant to teaching such as English and American Studies (major or minor subject), German Studies (major or minor subject), Arts (major or minor subject), Mathematics (minor subject), Music (major or minor subject), Romance Studies (minor subject), Slavic Studies (minor subject), Sports and Movement Education (minor subject) or Technology (major subject) in your Bachelor's degree. You will then go on to study for a Master of Education secondary schools.

Download flyer "How do I become a mainstream school teacher?"

Study to become a secondary schools teaching profession

Further Master's programmes at the University of Erfurt

You can follow the Bachelor's programme in Social Sciences (Sociology and Political Science) with the following Master's programmes:

Master's programme Democracy and Economy

Master's programme in Public Policy

Master's programme Economics, Law and Social Sciences

Master of Education in Vocational Schools

Master of Education Special Needs Pedagogy

Master of Education Secondary Schools

You may also be interested in these degree programmes:

Bachelor's programmes in the fields of society, politics, law and economics:

Bachelor's programme in International Relations

Bachelor's programme Management

Bachelor's programme Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Law concentration

Bachelor's programme Economics, Law and Social Sciences - Economics concentration

Studying with A-levels

• General higher education entrance qualification or subject-specific higher education entrance qualification or comparable previous education

General information on the admission requirements (studying without Abitur)

Language requirements for the social sciences degree programme

Before starting the programme:

• English language level B2

Language Centre

The Language Centre offers around 140 language courses per semester in 16 modern and old (foreign) languages. It supports you in acquiring and improving your language skills.

Language Centre

International applications

Applicants whose native language is not German must provide proof of German language skills (level B1) at the time of application.

Information on required German language skills and the German language exam for admission to higher education (DSH):

Language skills and admission requirements

Study social sciences without NC

There are currently no admission restrictions (without admissions restricted courses) for Social Sciences with a major in Political Science and Sociology (Economics, Law and Social Sciences). If you meet the admission requirements, you can enrol directly in the degree programme or apply to combine it with a major or minor subject with admission restrictions (see application).