Integrated degree program German and French Political Science

Degree
Bachelor of Arts
Semester fee
71 Euro
Start of the program
Winter semester
Standard length of the program
6 Semester
Place of study
Eichstätt & Rennes (France)
Part-time studies possible
No
Language of instruction
German & French

With the Bachelor's degree program in Eichstätt and Rennes in the French Brittany, the world is open to you. Political Science is the main focus of the program; other details can be chosen individually. Studying political Science means activating political thinking: How do political systems work? What conflicts are there in the world? What can a good political order look like? Interdisciplinary thinking is also required: The program gives you the opportunity to analyze the big issues in business, culture, media or contemporary history.

The program in detail

Contents

The Franco-German integrated degree program in Political Science is offered jointly by the KU and the renowned political institute Sciences Po Rennes (also Institut d'Etudes Politiques, IEP) in Brittany in France. The Franco-German University provides financial support for students and guarantees the high quality of the program.

"Three plus two" leads to a double degree: The KU awards a Bachelor's degree after three years of study (180 ECTS credits) and a Master's degree after two more years of Master's studies (120 ECTS credits). On the basis of five-year studies, Sciences Po Rennes awards its prestigious Diploma.

Studying abroad – yes, but with preparation and a scholarship

In the course of five years of Bachelor’s and Master’s studies, you will spend the first, third and fourth year of studies in Eichstätt at the KU. This means that you do not have to pack your bags every year. You will study in France in the second year of the Bachelor’s and Master’s program.

In the first year, specific modules will prepare you for your stay abroad in Rennes. From the second year onwards, you will meet your French fellow students in Rennes and study in a joint class group. During the course of your studies you will develop your own individual study profile. In the third year of your Bachelor's degree and the first year of your Master's degree in Eichstätt, you choose one of eleven profiles in addition to the Political Science modules. In the second year of the Master's program, you can then specialize in France and prepare for your career start.

The Franco-German University and the European program Erasmus+ will support you financially during your stay abroad with a total of approximately 600 euros per month. You can therefore concentrate fully on your studies without having any financial worries.

Political Science as a guiding thread through your studies

Political science is the central theme of the program. Our goal: Train your ability to judge. In each academic year at the KU, you will earn at least one third of your ECTS credits in the field of Political Science and deal with political systems, political theories and international relations. In the French understanding of sciences politiques, political sciences (in the plural) also include various related disciplines such as economics, history or law.

Sharpen your profile and choose from 11 study profiles

While interdisciplinarity is already included in the term sciences politiques in France, it becomes possible at the KU by choosing one of the eleven study profiles: How do modern societies function (sociology)? How are politics and economics related (business administration or economics)? What are the cultural similarities and differences in Europe (culture and Europe)? Who are the great authors in literature, which epochs and genres of art exist (literature and art)? What remains of the great thinkers (philosophy and ethics)? Do you see your future in journalism (communication and media) or are you interested in the relationship between humans and the environment (human geography and/or sustainable development)? Do you like to look back in history in order to understand today better (recent history and contemporary history)? Are you particularly interested in Latin America (Latin American Studies)? Last but not least you can improve your foreign language skills during your studies and choose free modules.

Profile_DFS
(available in german)

Goal-oriented path to the double degree with the Master’s year in France

In the course of your studies, you have acquired solid political science knowledge, sharpened your profile and demonstrated your academic skills in your Bachelor's and Master's thesis. In France, you will choose a so-called "Master 2 Program". It is usually a one-year program that is either research- or career-oriented. Popular programs include "Europe et affaires mondiales (EAM)" or "Multi-Level Governance and international relations" (MUGIR) or "Management des organisations et des projets" (MOP) in Sciences Po Rennes. In research-oriented programs, students pursue a scientific project and write a longer scientific paper. In the career-oriented programs, students complete a long internship.

The program in awards and rankings

Political Science at the KU has already been voted into the top group by students several times in the ranking of the Center for Higher Education Development (CHE). In the past, students have given top marks to the range of courses in Political Science, the support they receive during their studies, their career prospects and the well-stocked University Library in Eichstätt. The overall impression of the study situation as well as the social climate was also very positive (see e.g. press release of the KU in 2018 “KU degree programs Geography and Political Science lead in CHE ranking”).

Rankings and assessments

StudyCheck2024

KU students and alumni have voted for their University to be Germany's most popular university in the 2024 ranking of the online portal StudyCheck. This is the third time in a row, as KU was also voted the most popular university in 2021 and 2022. The ranking was based on over 78,000 evaluations for more than 500 higher education institutions and universities. 97 percent of students questioned for the ranking would recommend studying at the KU to others. 

"There is no better praise for a university than almost 100 percent of students and alumni agreeing: I can only recommend studying at the KU! That is why we are very pleased with the ranking’s outcome, because it expresses the high level of satisfaction of our students," says KU President Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gien.

More ranking results

Studying abroad

The political institute in Rennes is one of France's elite schools. Anyone with an IEP Diploma does not have to explain much at a job interview in France: The IEP stands for excellent education, which only the best of the best can complete. The entrance examination is tough and selective. What you learn at the IEP: To argue pointedly, to approach a problem from different perspectives and to build up a network.

What is important: When you start studying in the DFS – the German-French degree program – you do not assume a dog-eat-dog mentality. Quite the contrary: It is a study program in a friendly informal atmosphere. The year groups are German-French, students know each other and also maintain close ties with the graduates.

The studies in Eichstätt and Rennes provide great variety. Rennes is a young, dynamic metropolis in the west of France with more than 200,000 inhabitants and a metro. In Eichstätt, you simply go by bike. The 60,000 students make Rennes a popular student city with a colorful cultural life. Eichstätt with its 5,000 students, on the other hand, seems directly contemplative, but the short distances and the close ties make studying here special. In Rennes, you get on the train and arrive in Saint Malo by the sea in an hour or reach Paris in less than two. Eichstätt is well connected to Nuremberg in the north or Munich in the south.

DFS_Aufbruch_zum_Erfolg

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Practical connection

Internships play an important role in your studies. One internship is mandatory for the IEP Diploma and is supervised by Rennes. Further internships are recommended, as they not only facilitate the start into your professional career, but also help to develop your individual profile.

Bild1 DFS-Studierende
© Das Foto Eichstätt
Bild2 DFS-Studierende
© Das Foto Eichstätt

Career possibilities and professional fields

Career prospects

We attach great importance to international cooperation. Not only during your studies, but also afterwards. International cooperation means, for example: Political consulting in Brussels, development aid on site, Caritas International... or the Foreign Office in Berlin or the United Nations in New York. But our alumni are also active in other areas: in the cultural sector, journalism, education, management or research. Who works where...this depends on the individual study profile and the choice of internships.

Alumni testimonials

Foto Elfi Klabunde

“The flexibility of the program enabled me to specialize. In combination with the internships I completed during my studies and the intercultural skills I developed, the advanced theoretical knowledge that I acquired played a key role in the successful start to my career with the United Nations in Somalia.“

“The flexibility of the program enabled me to specialize. In combination with the internships I completed during my studies and the intercultural skills I developed, the advanced theoretical knowledge that I acquired played a key role in the successful start to my career with the United Nations in Somalia.“

- Elfi Klabunde (year group 2012)(Political Affairs Officer in the Office of the Assistant Secretary General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, UN Secretariat New York)
Alumnus Christian Kleinert
DFS_Christian_Kleinert

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Alumna Morgane Javaudin
DFS_Morgane_Javaudin

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Alumna Theresa Grabinger
DFS_Theresa Grabinger

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What students say about the program

Foto_Nora_Legonin

"The German and French Political Science program mainly convinced me with its interdisciplinarity. In addition to courses on politics, I also attend courses on human geography and sustainable development at the KU. This suits me perfectly, as I want to understand global connections and would like to work in development…

"The German and French Political Science program mainly convinced me with its interdisciplinarity. In addition to courses on politics, I also attend courses on human geography and sustainable development at the KU. This suits me perfectly, as I want to understand global connections and would like to work in development cooperation. As a German-French national, I have also found a great community in the degree program. Studying at two different locations brings us closer together over the time of several years.”

- Nora Legonin(student at BA DFS)
Foto Axel Honsdorf

"Excellent professional and administrative support, two exciting university towns and two high-quality degrees at the end of the program – the Integrated degree program German and French Political Science is a real jewel in the Bavarian-French university relations".

"Excellent professional and administrative support, two exciting university towns and two high-quality degrees at the end of the program – the Integrated degree program German and French Political Science is a real jewel in the Bavarian-French university relations".

- Axel Honsdorf(Managing Director BayFrance (Bavarian-French University Center))

The KU

Sommerresidenz Luftbild

Campus

Short distances on campus at the KU save time and avoid stress. The KU is a campus University with modern facilities. The buildings on campus are located close to the Eichstätt old town. Although the University and its campus has grown, it is still characterized by short distances: In Eichstätt, everything can be reached within ten minutes’ walking distance. On campus, green spaces such as the Hofgarten are the perfect places to relax. The garden of the Kapuzinerkloster is also used by different student initiatives for their projects. The canteen is located at the heart of the Eichstätt campus and has a sun deck and cafeteria that leave nothing to be desired.

Studierende vor der Zentralbibliothek

What sets the KU apart

Studying at the KU is more than just acquiring specialist knowledge. We broaden our horizons together and take on responsibility in and beyond the individual degree programs. The KU has a particular focus on topics such as personal development, sustainability, social skills and social commitment.

It offers its students the possibility to study and work in a welcoming atmosphere and benefit from outstanding support and comprehensive service offers, a well-stocked library, a broad range of sports and leisure activities and a large global network of approx. 300 partner universities. Our team at the International Office helps you to plan your semester abroad and the KU Career Service provides comprehensive advice and support for embarking on your professional career.

Do I have to be Catholic in order to study at the KU? Do I have to deal with Catholic contents during my studies?

No, the KU is open to students of all faiths and beliefs.

At the KU, just as at all state universities, there is freedom of research and teaching. This means that our degree programs focus on the subjects for which you have enrolled – free from external influences.

As a student at our University, you will notice what our understanding of being a Catholic University means for us in one thing in particular: The University’s focus is on the individual person. The talents and potential of all those who teach, study, work and carry out research at the KU form our most important foundation – regardless of their religion or beliefs, nationality, ethical, cultural or social background, disabilities, gender, sexual orientation or age.

This is why we promote your best possible academic education through personal support and an ideal staff-to-student ratio. At the same time, the KU is more than just a place for earning your degree: We attach particular importance to imparting social skills and advancing our students’ sense and value orientation in addition to providing them with a high level of academic and methodical qualification.

Our aspiration for our University is to build bridges between science and society and to make knowledge available for society as well as to integrate impulses from outside the University into our research and teaching practice. We aim to make a valuable contribution to social coexistence, to the free democratic basic order and to preserving creation. 

Isn’t Eichstätt quite small for a university town?

With a population of around 15,000, it is probably the smallest university town in Europe. For our students, this means living and learning in a friendly and informal atmosphere. Whether it is on the way to a lecture in the morning, at the canteen for lunch or in the pub in the evening, you will often come across people you know. It is easy to meet people in Eichstätt! By the way, the KU’s “living room” is the Theke, a bar run by students for students. Here, people meet for parties, jam sessions, karaoke evenings or a cozy round of table football.

A small town also means short distances: The library, the swimming pool, the cinema or the supermarket – everything can be reached in a few minutes on foot or by bike. The town is located right in the heart of the Altmühltal natural park – a real paradise for climbers, canoeists, hikers and cyclists just around the corner.

Should you still reach a point when you feel too cooped in, you can breathe big city air easily near Eichstätt. Ingolstadt with its 135,000 inhabitants is only a few kilometers away and offers a variety of shopping and nightlife options.

The location

Ortsschild Eichstätt
University town of Eichstätt
Willibaldsburg
Willibaldsburg
Bootsfahrer auf der Altmühl
Canoeing on the Altmühl river
[Translate to Englisch:] Biergarten
Relaxing and celebrating in beer gardens

Eichstätt and the surrounding Altmühltal natural park are not only a popular destination for culture enthusiasts and nature lovers, but also for cyclists, climbers, canoeists and fossil collectors. Located between Munich and Nuremberg, the city impresses with its Baroque setting and southern flair combined with modern and prizewinning architecture as well as a broad variety of cultural offerings and leisure activities. 

The Baroque park at the heart of the campus and the nearby banks of the Altmühltal river are the KU’s “green living room”. Another big advantage: all University facilities are just a short walk away from each other.

More on the study location Eichstätt

Advisory Service

Some offers and study conditions are different for international students – our International Office is happy to provide help and support. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our team. We are happy to accompany you on your way to the KU and hope that we can welcome you in person soon!

David Guevara
David Guevara
Coordinator Welcome Services and International Campus
Building Domplatz 8  |  Room: DP8-203 | Campus Eichstätt

Subject Advisor

Dr. Christina Rüther
Research Assistant / Coordination DFS

Application

Requirements
General university entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife)
Language requirements
DSH 2
Application period winter
May 01 - Jul 15
Admission restriction
Yes
Selection procedure
Yes

The application process for international applicants is now completely digital. You can register online in our application portal and carry out and submit your application. After you have carried out the application and uploaded your documents, you do not need to send your documents to us again by post. You do have to submit certified true copies only if you are admitted at the time of enrollment.

Depending on the course of study, you may be asked for information on internships, professional experience, etc. Please upload the relevant documents in the upload area for all the information you provide, even if these are not mandatory fields!

Before you start the application process, please read the additional information on this page, in particular the information on the respective (German) language requirements and university entrance qualifications.

Study places

Total of available study places for the Franco-German integrated Bachelor's degree program in Political Science:

arrow right iconWinter semester: 20
 

Please note, that the selection process is highly competitive.