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SEOS is an international and interdisciplinary two-year joint Master programme (4 semesters – 120 ECTS) fully delivered in English. The programme brings together internationally renowned expertise in engaged research on superdiversity from eight world-class European universities that are part of the European university alliance UNIC:
Contemporary societies are characterized by complex processes of diversification, accompanied by fundamental changes in education, organisations, and society. SEOS innovatively responds to these complex transformations by aligning theory and research with real world examples. Students explore the impact of superdiversity on education, organisations, and wider society while developing reflexive and co-creative capacities to analyse and shape the transition to an inclusive, productive, and sustainable future for superdiverse societies.
The SEOS Master is unique in its interdisciplinary and intersectional approach to superdiversity, drawing on three key disciplinary perspectives: educational sciences, social sciences, and organisational and management research. Throughout the programme, SEOS students engage with cutting-edge knowledge and methodologies on superdiversity and related concepts like inclusion and equity. The superdiversity lens recognises the growing complexity of diversity, challenging traditional ways of thinking about it - moving beyond simplified categories like ethnicity or gender while also deepening the understanding of the differences between equality, equity, and inclusion.
SEOS offers a truly transnational learning experience through an innovative hybrid learning architecture that combines physical and virtual mobility. Another distinctive feature of the programme is its engagement with the post-industrial urban contexts of all eight partner universities. SEOS students will have transdisciplinary opportunities to collaborate with local stakeholders across Europe, co-creating solutions to contemporary challenges related to superdiversity, discrimination, and exclusion.
As a SEOS student, you will actively explore the profound impact of superdiversity on education, organisations, and society. You will develop critical skills to analyse complex diversification processes and collaborate to create a future grounded in social justice and rights-based perspectives. Through inclusive practices, you will gain the 21st-century skills and knowledge needed to address the challenges of superdiverse societies.
By the end of the programme, you will:
The SEOS Joint Master Programme is offered annually and consists of four semesters delivered over two years (24 months) in a research-led curriculum. During this time, you will encounter different contexts, languages, and distinct learning environments, and profit from cutting-edge expertise from each of the eight universities.
The focus of the curriculum is on superdiversity as an increasing social complexity of diversity with a growing acknowledgement of the intersectionality of social categories like ethnicity; race; gender; sexuality; culture; religion; disability; social, economic and legal status; and many other aspects especially in a context of widening global social and economic inequality, mounting environmental crises including climate change, and resource shortages necessary for social and economic transitions.
• The programme combines different disciplines, educational approaches, and outstanding facilities in a comprehensive and value-adding way, based on the specific strengths of each partner university in the relevant fields.
• SEOS includes virtual and physical mobility options, responding to the heterogeneous expectations of a superdiverse, transnational and climate-conscious 21st-century student body.
• Learning, teaching, and research are interconnected, mutually enriching, and learner-centred, and your student journey will benefit from tailor-made flexibility, clear guidance and transparent processes.
Over the course of four semesters, students will progressively build their knowledge in stages, starting with the fundamentals, evolving to multidisciplinary perspectives, and advancing to in-depth studies before mastering their research topic and delivering a master’s thesis in the SEOS programme.
All information and details about targeted learning outcomes of modules and their overall integration into the study programme are explicitly stated in the Joint Programme and Module Handbook which will be published here soon.
Following the European Standards for Quality Assurance, each module listed in the Handbook has a concise profile, explaining the relevance of the module to superdiversity as well as the intended learning outcomes, the teaching methods and learning formats, programme and training activities, workload and corresponding ECTS-credits, modes of assessment, and any other necessary information.
The SEOS Master programme structure and its curriculum include modules with specific learning outcomes and competence-oriented examination formats. The programme is aligned with both the national and international qualification frameworks described in the latest European Qualification Framework standards for higher education (EQF-LLL). Graduates of the SEOS programme will have acquired the competencies detailed below:
The programme is accredited by the AQAS “Agentur für Qualitätssicherung durch Akkreditierung von Studiengängen e.V” of Germany www.aqas.de. It complies with the requirements defined by the criteria and Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) and the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
We welcome students from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. Each year, a maximum of 53 students can be accepted into the SEOS programme. All selected students meet the necessary entry requirements and admission criteria listed below. If you have any questions about general admission, please feel free to contact our team.
To apply, candidates need to demonstrate proficiency in English at a minimum of level B2, as defined in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), and hold a Bachelor’s degree (university first cycle, Bachelor, EQF level 6) or an equivalent degree in a discipline relevant to SEOS. Additionally, candidates should have demonstrable experience in themes related to superdiversity in educational, organisational, or societal contexts, including but not limited to the following fields:
Selection is based on grades, documented prior knowledge and experience in the field, the persuasiveness of the motivation letter, and language skills.
We are pleased to announce that the RUB foundation (RUB Stiftung) will be able to offer up to two tuition scholarships for SEOS master students enrolling at Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. The scholarships cover tuition costs for the regular study period of 4 semesters, excluding social contributions.
This funding option is available to SEOS students beginning their studies in the Autumn of 2025 (1st cohort). The scholarships will be awarded primarily on the basis of prior academic and professional merit, which will be judged based on applicant’s SEOS application documents.
A separate application for the scholarships is not necessary. Prospective students’ regular application to the SEOS programme simultaneously functions as an application for the RUB scholarships. Potential recipients will be contacted shortly after they have been accepted as students in the SEOS programme.
The scholarships may only be awarded to SEOS students who are continually enrolled in the SEOS master degree at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, for the whole study period. Since physical student mobility is central to several SEOS study paths, the recipients will still be able study at our other SEOS partner universities during this time. They must register as on leave at RUB during these semesters.
Apart from using your savings or a sponsor’s support (employer, sponsorship organisations, GoFundMe campaigns), there are other ways to finance your studies in the SEOS programme.
Applying for a scholarship, grant or educational loan that you are eligible for in your own country of citizenship or residence are possible ways too. Below is a list of possible scholarship or educational loan information resources:
• Students from Europe can use the European Funding Guide to search for financial support for studies in one of the EU-member states
• Students from outside of Europe can use the International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search online database that lists scholarships, grants, international student loan programmes and other information to promote study abroad
• Canadian loan schemes: we may accept students with Canadian loan schemes. For more information please contact seos@rub.de
• US student finance: we may accept students with US federal loan programmes. For more information please contact seos@rub.de
In addition to the annual tuition fees, other administrative and social fees (such as stamp and certification fees, library and laboratory costs, social contribution fees, examination fees) and any other mandatory costs charged by the Partner institutions are to be paid by the students.
Students also must cover sustenance, accommodation, travel to and from partner universities, visa costs, etc. Any costs arising from unjustified prolongation of studies beyond the standard duration of the programme (four semesters) shall be charged at the publicly published standard rates of the partner institution involved.
