Academic environment

Which disciplines should we draw on to best understand a particular social challenge? This question will always be our starting point. For each challenge, you will scrupulously choose an appropriate approach to increase our understanding of it, whether it is multi-, inter-, trans- or monodisciplinary.

You will learn to use a combination of scientific perspectives from the behavioural and social sciences, in particular psychology and sociology, and perspectives from public administration. The combination of social science and policymaking with behavioural science and interventions is what makes this Master’s programme unique.

You will learn how to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions for social challenges systematically. Uniquely, we will explore questions such as:
 

• How can we best understand the influence of different contexts (e.g. social, policy, country, neighbourhood) on people’s behaviour?
• How can we create equal opportunities for people to contribute to solving social challenges?
• How can we leave no one behind with regard to the changes taking place in society?

Would you like to contribute to solving social challenges? In our lectures, we will be using real-life case studies. Professionals from the field will teach guest lectures and present us with their latest social challenges. You can gain further practical experience through your practice-based internship. With its strong focus on co-creation and on building professional communication skills, the Master’s programme trains students to build bridges between science and practice and between different perspectives and fields.

Many of the challenges we focus on have a strong European or global dimension, such as: ageing and care, migration and ethnic relationships, individualisation and solidarity, gender and sexual diversity, and the environment and health. Our teaching staff will introduce you to state-of-the-art international literature to study these issues. Moreover, through the international students joining our programme each year, you will be introduced to various perspectives on understanding and making interventions regarding these challenges.