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| Detailed information |
| Original study plan |
Master's programme Comparative Social Policy and Welfare 2025W |
| Learning Outcomes |
Competences |
- Students will be able to critically assess the quality of theoretical arguments and empirical evidence in comparative welfare state research.
- They can design and organise their own comparative research projects, demonstrating an understanding of methodological and theoretical considerations.
- They will be able to evaluate and responsibly utilise comparative data and AI tools to support sound and ethically sound knowledge claims.
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| Skills |
Knowledge |
- Distinguish persuasive theoretical arguments from weak ones and strong empirical evidence from superficial descriptions. (K5)
- Assess how similarities and differences across time and place contribute to theoretical arguments in empirical studies. (K4)
- Design and organise comparative research projects with a focus on policy learning and institutional innovation. (K6)
- Use comparison as a tool to support knowledge claims based on theoretical and empirical reasoning. (K3)
- Critically judge the quality and validity of comparative evidence, ensuring academic rigor and ethical responsibility. (K5)
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- The theoretical building blocks and structural relationships that underpin social science arguments in comparative welfare state research.
- The principles of theory-building, concept formation, and their interface with comparative empirical inquiry.
- Key methodological and conceptual decisions in comparative welfare state analysis, including limits of comparative reasoning.
- Quality criteria for theoretically oriented empirical studies, including the role of literature reviews, theoretical arguments, research design, and empirical evidence.
- The potential and limitations of comparative analysis for generating valid generalisations and fostering policy learning.
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| Criteria for evaluation |
Active participation during the Intensive Program and, depending on the teaching methods, a combination of individual written assignments and/or exams and teamwork and/or interactive tasks.
In the retake-option evaluation is based on a written or oral exam.
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| Methods |
Class discussion and presentations during the Intensive Program at the beginning of the semester; during the long-distance learning phase students will read methodological texts and examples of the different kinds of comparative inquiry and interrogate the theory-empirics-interface in each of them.
The retake option consists of an independent study of a reading list provided by the instructor.
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| Language |
English |
| Study material |
Readings and Assignments are provided by the instructor.
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| Changing subject? |
No |
| Further information |
Students who have received a failing grade, or who wish to retake the course to improve their grade, must declare their intention to retake the course before the next semester so that a retake opportunity can be offered. They will then repeat the course through independent study, studying the literature independently from a specially prepared reading list, and demonstrating their competence in a written or oral examination at the end of the semester. The retake option is not a substitute for the regular course. It is only offered to students who have received a grade in the regular course.
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