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In addition to the general Master's programme in Political Science, you have the opportunity to focus on one of the following five tracks:
In order to graduate in a major, you must complete at least 42 ECTS (major) or 54 ECTS (mono) in the corresponding module group, including the track research seminar and the corresponding preparation for the track research seminar. These are designated as compulsory elective modules.
You can only select one track. However, you can still change this or drop it altogether up to the last semester of your studies.
In the general specialisation 'Political Science', you can attend courses from all module groups, but you must acquire at least 12 ECTS (major) or 18 ECTS (mono) in each of two module groups. Details are regulated by the study regulations.
The Master's degree with a concentration in general political science offers the opportunity to set a personal study focus according to one's own interests. Since the offerings in this area cover the entire spectrum of the subject, it allows the best option for an individualised degree.
The track "Democracy, Development and International Relations" focuses on questions of democratization, development politics and international relations in a comparative perspective. The focus is on the functioning and quality of different democracy models, democratization and development processes, interethnic and international conflicts, as well as the general problems of policy-making in international relations. The focus is on the understanding of ideas, structures and institutions on the basis of which democratic and economic developments take place. It enables students to comprehensively assess current processes, both nationally and internationally.
The track Political Economy and Philosophy focusses on the complexity of political decisions. Numerous political decisions affect our future in the long term, are characterized by uncertain knowledge, usually involve contradictory valuations and are of great social significance. In order to understand political decision-making processes - and in order to be able to prepare appropriate shifts in direction in a well-informed manner - various disciplinary and methodological perspectives are connected with each other.
Politics essentially means the struggle of collectively assigning goods, rights and obligations. Political decision-making processes, their conditions, mechanisms and consequences, as well as the associated conflicts between different social groups are thus the central object of Political Science. In order to understand these processes, political phenomena within the framework of the track are considered alongside the central Political Science perspective - especially comparative Political Science and policy analysis, from the perspectives of political economy, political sociology and philosophy. In this context, the political-economic teaching events provide specific competences in the analysis of socioeconomic conflicts and the functioning and impact of institutions, in consideration of the problems of collective action under conditions of economic scarcity. Political sociology sharpens the view for the changing socio-structural conditions, under which politics takes place on the one hand and which influences politics on the other. Philosophy finally provides additional tools that enable general analyzes: to argue rigorously, to think logically, conclusively justify, critically question, historically reflect.
In this track, the students learn to comprehensively reconstruct political decision-making problems, to question their political-economic, normative and possibly ethical components and to systematically assess the quality of the decisions made. Graduates of this track are particularly well prepared for career prospects in science and in political and economic decision-making. In addition to the scientific value, the focus of Political Economy & Philosophy is a broadly oriented study of governmental decision-making that prepares leaders in politics, business and society to act diligently.
This track is all about the political system of Switzerland and its peculiarities. Its focus is lies on analytical questions, for example, on questions of socio-structural foundations, institutions, decision-making processes and actors of the Swiss consensus democracy. Political participation, change in the political system, democratic decision-making, social and economic policy. In addition to comprehensive methodical training, specific research areas such as electoral research, institution theory, policy analysis and evaluation are important elements of this course of studies. Within the main focus, you have the opportunity to get involved in a specific area (eg voting and electoral behavior, decision-making and policy processes, evaluation) or to study the whole spectrum of Swiss politics.
Graduates are particularly well prepared for professional challenges in administrations, parties, associations, journalism or policy advice, as well as in-depth Political Science skills, as well as broad and precise knowledge of the political system of Switzerland, research and application-based competences in analysis, evaluation and design of decision-making structures and policies. As the largest Political Science department in Switzerland, and with its close links with the ETH, the NCCR Democracy and the Center for Democracy in Aarau, the IPZ guarantees a wide range of topics and great flexibility in the design of your studies of Swiss politics.
With the ever easier access to economic and political data - keywords "Big Data" and "Open Data" - the breakthrough came in data journalism. Data is no longer just a source of research, but a central subject of journalism, a new narrative format adapted to the general public. The best newspapers in the world have greatly expanded their range in data journalism, The Guardian, The New York Times, Die Zeit, or Le Monde. In Switzerland, competencies in the area of data journalism are increasingly in demand. The track "Political Data Journalism" combines a deepening in Political Science with basic knowledge in the field of data journalism and is expanded with insights into classical political journalism. With the background of theories and methods of analysis, the students learn how to compile data sources as well as methods of data collection and data visualization. On the basis of practical examples, they are introduced into the communication of scientific contexts and data-based storytelling.
For graduates of the research seminar "Introduction to Data Journalism", various media offer internships. The IPZ cooperates in this area with NZZ Visuals, Sotomo, the Tagesanzeiger, SRF Data, Bayerischer Rundfunk and Spiegel Datenlese. If you have any further questions, please contact Naome Czisch.
Many of our data journalism graduates have already taken part in well-known media, science or have other very interesting jobs. A selection:
