Social Work Resеarсh
(Starting: Winter Semester)
- Starting
- Winter Semester
- Mode of Admission:
- local admission restriction (local NC)
- Study Mode:
- On campus
- Registration Fee & Tuition Information:
- All students are required to pay a semester feе οf €484.24.
Five Reasons to choose this Master's Program
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Book a free in person consultation to learn more about program contents, application or financing options!
Course Description
Leuphana’s M.Sc. in Social Work Research equips graduates to investigate, explain, and improve social work practice through rigorous, project-based inquiry. Students learn to design and conduct empirical studies, connect theory and method, and communicate findings with societal relevance. Small-group supervision, an academic internship, and early exposure to university teaching foster an applied research profile. The English-taught program blends interdisciplinary perspectives, advanced methods, and attention to research ethics and science communication—ideal preparation for an academic pathway, including an optional doctoral track within the Graduate School’s research community.
Designed for graduates in Social Work, Social Pedagogy, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, or related fields who are curious, research-oriented, and committed to social impact. The program suits candidates who enjoy empirical inquiry, theory-driven analysis, and collaborative projects, and who seek to qualify for academic paths or research roles in practice-oriented institutions.
Semester 1 builds foundations: a Master’s Forum on state-of-the-art research, qualitative and quantitative methods, and a collaborative project study with real impact. Semester 2 moves into a university-based academic internship plus a module on research ethics and reflection on academic work. Semester 3 introduces university teaching, advanced inquiry into discourses and practices, and science communication. Semester 4 is the Master’s thesis.
The program is full-time and research-intensive, taught in English in Germany. Learning centers on real projects with partners from the field, close faculty supervision, and work in small cohorts. Students progress through methods training, a university-based academic internship, and guided introductions to teaching and scholarly self-organization, culminating in an independently supervised Master’s thesis.
Graduates are prepared for research-driven roles in academia and beyond:
University-based research and teaching in social work and related fields
Non-university social work research institutes in Germany and abroad
Research and planning units within welfare organizations and authorities
Applied research roles in NGOs, foundations, and evidence-oriented providers
Doctoral studies leading to academic careers and leadership in research
Special Program Features
Early PhD Momentum: Doctoral Track
By integrating doctoral modules and a research project geared toward a dissertation, the program can shorten your path to a PhD and smooth your transition into a doctorate. → More Info
Global Learning in a German University Environment
Study fully in English within Germany's dynamic social research environment—joining an international cohort and faculty who are active in European research networks at Leuphana.
Internship and Ethics: Shaping Reflective Researchers
In semester two, you begin an academic internship at a university and take a module on research ethics, building practical research skills and a principled scholarly stance.
Requirements
Qualification Requirements
The application requirements for the study program in "Social Work Resеarсh" are:
in the field of Social Work, Social Pedagogy, Educational Science, Childhood Education, Political Science, Psychology or Sociologу
English Language Proficienсу → Language Requirementsat least B2 (CΕFR)
Language Requirements
The following certificates are recognized as proof of your language proficiency.
EnglishSpecification: at least grade C
Application & Admission
Application Deadlines
German Students 
Other EU Students 
Non-EU Students Non-EU Students| Intake | Winter Semester |
| Application deadline | 01 Mayin > 5 months |
| Application mode | Uni-assist → More info |
| Application fee | uni-assist Fees: €75 for the first application, €30 for each additional application (in the given semester). |
German Students
| Intake | Winter Semester |
| Application deadline | 01 Junein > 6 months |
| Application mode | Directly at university → More info |
Other EU Students
| Intake | Winter Semester |
| Application deadline | 01 Junein > 6 months |
| Application mode | Directly at university → More info |
Application Procedure & Selection
Application Documents
Applies only to applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned their degree from an institution where English is the language of instructiοn.
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Location
Further Information
Your Personal Contact
Prof. Dr. Philipp Sandermann
Program
Contact Details:
+49.4131.677-2381
philipp.sandermann@leuphana.de
Information Office (Infoportal)
Contact and Counselling
Contact Details:
+49.4131.677-2277
studierendenservice@leuphana.de
For more information please check the
Course Website