This Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree was the first to bring together African, European and Asian partners specifically in migration studies. Run jointly by a consortium of three African, four European and two Asian universities, and supported by a broader network of associate partners, the programme adopts an explicitly intercultural perspective on migration. Its design emphasizes international collaboration and comparative learning across world regions.
Students gain in-depth theoretical and methodological training in migration studies while being encouraged to undertake empirical fieldwork, especially in African, Asian and European settings. The course is multidisciplinary in approach, engaging with contemporary social, political and cultural questions linked to migration and intercultural relations. By combining classroom study with research-based field experience, it prepares graduates for analytical, research and practice-oriented roles in this evolving field.
Program overview
This two-year European MA is delivered across several partner universities and is organized around intensive, mobility-driven study blocks that combine theory, methods, and applied internship experience. The cohort begins together at the University of Oldenburg for an Intensive Phase (MM11: Studying Global Migration in the 21st Century) that introduces students to all partner institutions, staff and academic perspectives. During the first semester students take parallel modules on migration theory and on methods/methodology, taught jointly by Oldenburg faculty and international guest scholars, and they negotiate an individual study plan and mobility track with programme staff.
In the second semester the cohort moves to Stavanger, where Norwegian and Slovenian partners jointly run two modules: MM21 (Migration between Time and Temporality: Regional Perspectives) and MM22 (Theorising Migration and Multiculturalism), the latter offering at least six sub-modules from which students choose three. By the end of this semester each student refines their specialisation and commits to one of four programme foci: gender, diversity and intersectionality; development, conflict and justice; representation, power relations and knowledge production; or education and citizenship.
The third semester is devoted to the individually negotiated mobility path: students take a Focus Module (MM32) at a chosen partner university and complete a Project-Based Internship (MM31) closely aligned with their research focus. Working in small thematic research teams, students deepen disciplinary and transdisciplinary expertise, build field and language skills, and prepare MA dissertation proposals while already in contact with potential supervisors. The fourth semester begins with a mandatory proposal colloquium at Oldenburg to finalise theoretical and methodological plans; thereafter students spend the rest of the semester on independent thesis research and writing.
Key learning outcomes
Programme requirements (concise)
This master's builds on a first degree (Bachelor’s or an equivalent qualification) in a discipline related to migration studies — for example social sciences, history, cultural studies, educational sciences, law, economics, development studies or journalism. You must demonstrate both academic preparation in relevant subjects and up-to-date qualifications. The programme expects applicants to show prior knowledge of migration studies, intercultural relations and empirical methods; undergraduate modules, essays, papers and exam results can serve as proof. Applicants with relevant professional experience will be favoured.
You must provide official documentation of your first degree (or a transcript confirming you have completed all exams required for graduation) by the application deadline. Your most recent degree should normally be no older than five years; if it is older, explain in your statement of purpose why you are returning to study. If you already hold a master’s degree, you need to give a convincing justification for pursuing a second master’s in the designated section of the application form. For an introduction to the programme’s topics, consult the Migration 101 information page.
Requirements (bullet points)
Winter Semester (International)
The application deadlines are published on our website:www.emmir.org.
EMMIR provides in-depth theoretical and methodological training in migration and intercultural relations, combined with practical fieldwork and an integrated internship. Graduates are prepared for research and academic careers (e.g., PhD programmes, research institutes), as well as professional roles in international organisations, NGOs, migration policy units, public administration, development agencies, and consultancy that require expertise in migration dynamics, intercultural competence and region-specific knowledge.
The programme's mobility, multilingual exposure and partner network also suit careers in transnational project management, advocacy, monitoring & evaluation, and education. Erasmus+ scholarship recipients and those with internship experience may find enhanced access to international employer networks and sector-specific positions.