Religion, Ethics, and Politics

Why religion and politics interact — and why that interaction often becomes contentious — is one of the defining social questions of our era. Processes such as religious pluralisation, shifting moral norms, globalisation and migration have brought new tensions and debates into public life. The programme explores practical questions like how far societies should tolerate particular religious practices, which values are non-negotiable (for example gender equality), how states and religious communities can cooperate or clash, and how religious or non-religious identities shape individual and collective belonging.

The course takes an explicitly interdisciplinary approach, combining theological, philosophical and political-science perspectives to analyse the links between religion, ethics and political life. You will study topics such as the ethics and aesthetics of religions, the legal and political relationships between religion and the state, and theological arguments for the political engagement of faith communities. The aim is to equip students to understand the complex field of tensions between religion and politics and to develop informed, interdisciplinary responses to those challenges.

This English-taught programme is suitable for students who want to work at the intersection of social sciences, ethics and theology and who seek tools for both academic analysis and applied problem-solving in multicultural contexts.

Requirements and practical notes

• Programme language: English — proficiency in English is required (check the official admissions page for accepted tests and minimum scores).
• Intellectual readiness to engage with theology, philosophy and political science perspectives.
• Interest in normative and empirical questions about religion, ethics and public life (e.g., migration, pluralism, gender equality).
• Willingness to work interdisciplinarily and on contested social issues.
• For precise entry qualifications (degree certificates, transcripts, language certificates, application deadlines and documents), consult the university’s admissions information.

Curriculum overview

This Master’s brings together philosophical, political science and theological perspectives in a deliberately interdisciplinary way. Taught across the Faculty’s three institutes (Protestant Theology, Catholic Theology, and the Institute of Philosophy and Political Science), the programme is organised into ten interactive modules that engage with contemporary debates and apply a range of methods from the contributing disciplines.

Foundation courses at the start of the programme ground you in the self-understanding, central controversies and research methods of the four core fields (Protestant theology, Catholic theology, philosophy and political science). You also have the opportunity to acquire basic historical, religious and literary knowledge from Jewish and Islamic Studies—equipping you with comparative context and the scholarly tools to analyse religion in public life.

After the foundations you deepen your skills through three topic-based interdisciplinary clusters—Tolerance, Conflict and Identity—each pairing two of the three main disciplines. You select two of the three clusters to study. The programme combines research training with practice-oriented elements: a project management course, opportunities for internships in organisations (national/international bodies, political parties, media, NGOs, religious institutions), and the option of one semester abroad via Erasmus. In the second half of the degree you choose one discipline as your in‑depth focus and a second as a supplementary focus, concluding with a Master’s thesis designed to consolidate and advance your academic and professional profile.

Key requirements (concise)

• Completion of ten modules spanning the three faculty institutes
• Initial foundation courses covering disciplinary self-understanding, controversies and methodology
• Introductory units in Jewish and Islamic Studies (history, religion, literature)
• Selection of two interdisciplinary clusters from: Tolerance, Conflict, Identity
• Participation in a project management course (practice-oriented training)
• Opportunity to complete an internship with public, media, NGO or faith-based organisations
• Option to spend one semester abroad through Erasmus for international experience and language development
• Mid/late-programme choice of one in-depth discipline and one supplementary discipline
• Completion of a Master’s thesis to demonstrate advanced research and professional competencies

Graduates are prepared for careers in research and academia as well as in applied fields where nuanced understanding of religion and politics is essential. Typical employers include international and national NGOs, governmental and intergovernmental organisations, political parties, media outlets, think tanks and religiously affiliated institutions.

The programme’s combination of research training, project management skills and internship opportunities also equips students for roles in policy analysis, public diplomacy, advocacy, education and cultural institutions, or for further doctoral study.