University College Dublin (UCD)
The programme can be studied completely in English. Some courses may be taken in German as well.
Classes during UP's winter semester start in mid-October and run through February. The summer semester is taught from April to July. Students then go up to UCD in early September to spend their second academic year in Dublin.
Rolling application process, admission only for winter semester
No tuition is charged for studying at the University of Potsdam.
For the University College Dublin, the following fees apply:
The International War Studies degree programme examines the causes, dynamics, and contexts of violent conflicts at a national and international level as well as their pre-history, course of events, and consequences. The programme focuses primarily on military history, the cultural history of political violence, and military sociology, with each field's respective methodologies and theories. The interrelationships between the state, society, and military are analysed from the beginning of the Early Modern period to the present day. The programme concentrates on modern history (the 19th and 20th centuries).
Students will acquire abilities and competences that enable them to analyse historical and current conflicts. They will deepen and expand their subject-specific competences to include essential content from military sociology, the history of violence, and military history. Students will refine their use of methodologies in the social sciences and humanities, become capable of discussing various subjects in a critical manner, and learn how to present the findings of their work in an appropriate way.
The programme's international orientation, as well as the location of studies in Dublin and Potsdam, offer students global career opportunities. There are also no limits when it comes to fields of work. Opportunities abound in international organisations and NGOs, academia, the media, subjects related to politics and policy, think tanks, museums, foundations, and the area of cultural management and communications.
The international orientation of the programme enables a broad array of scholarly opportunities for creating your own profile. Dublin and Potsdam, as places to do research, offer diverse cultural and political institutions that constitute a unique environment for research and teaching.
The programme offers an international environment for university studies and global career opportunities. By working together with several partners in Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, there are established cooperative agreements for internships in German ministries, media firms, museums, and think tanks.
Students take all compulsory courses during the first Potsdam semester. It combines lectures, seminars and workshops, i.e. an introductory core course and a methods course as well as a lecture on total war from 1792-1945.
The second Potsdam semester consists of four elective courses on a wide range of topics, ranging from history to the most recent developments, from security and defence policy to area studies, sociology, war theory and international relations.
The first half of the Dublin year includes three elective courses, again from a wide range of topics, from diplomatic studies to civil wars.
The remaining half of the Dublin year is then reserved for writing the MA thesis.
PDF DownloadYear One (October to July) is spent at the University of Potsdam, while Year Two (September to July) is spent at University College Dublin. The MA thesis is written at and supervised by UCD. The integrated study abroad units allow students to earn two MA degrees, one from UP and one from UCD.
No tuition is charged for studying at the University of Potsdam.
For the University College Dublin, the following fees apply:
There is an administrative fee, which is currently 292 EUR. This semester contribution includes the "Deutschland-Semester-Ticket", which entitles you to free use of local public transport all over Germany.
The average monthly living expenditures of students at the University of Potsdam are 935 EUR, but this can vary between 600 and 1,100 EUR, largely depending on accommodation. A more detailed list of the average monthly expenditures of our students can be found here.
The Chair of War Studies usually offers one or two merit scholarships of 7,500 EUR each, awarded to the best IWS students after the first year of study. During the second semester at UP, the Chair facilitates applications to relevant foundations for scholarships on social grounds as well.
Applying for a Master's degree requires that you hold an undergraduate degree, such as a Bachelor's degree, from a field relevant to International War Studies, such as history, political science, sociology, or a related subject. Proof of 40 credit points in one of these subject areas is sufficient. If your transcript comes from a system that does not use credit points, the joint examining board will make a decision about the equivalence of academic performance.
You can read more about the subject-specific admission requirements in the respective admission regulations.
We require proof of English language skills that correspond at least to level C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Rolling application process, admission only for winter semester
Job opportunities for students alongside their studies are numerous. Depending on personal and professional skills, students can find jobs in the service sector (e.g. in restaurants, supermarkets, cinemas, museums, theatres, etc.) or work as student research assistants at the University of Potsdam or at one of the many non-university research institutions located in the area. Berlin, the capital city of Germany, is located just around the corner, and students can also find jobs there. Please see this website for further information.
There are several student dormitories in Potsdam. These are administered exclusively by Potsdam's Association for Student Affairs ("Studentenwerk Potsdam"). You can apply for a room in one of these dormitories if you are under the age of 30. If you are a Master's student, you can only apply if the degree at the University of Potsdam is your first Master's programme. Additionally, there are also a few private dormitories in Potsdam, to which these conditions do not apply. However, many students prefer to find an apartment in Potsdam or Berlin, which they often share with fellow students. The housing market is very tight, so please start looking for an accommodation as early as possible.
For information on how to register for a dorm room or find accommodation elsewhere, please click here.
The Career Service of the University of Potsdam supports students and graduates who want to actively shape their careers. The aim is to ensure comprehensive career orientation and to provide opportunities for the development of professional skills. The Career Service offers workshops, seminars, and individual counselling. There are information pages on a wide range of occupational fields as well as a database of internships and jobs. Many of the services are also available in English.
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