International Politics and History (BA) Program at a Glance

In the twenty-first century, politics is generally embedded in international structures, shaped by transnational activities and governed by international institutions. Interactions in economy, society, and culture therefore increasingly transgress national territories.

The program in International Politics and History (IPH) probes the foundations of international politics in terms of institutions, processes and ideologies. It introduces students to basic issues and theories in the evolution of international politics, international economics, and comparative politics and history. The modules combine political and social science perspectives with an historical approach to international problems in the past and present. Besides political questions in the narrower sense, the courses impart fundamental knowledge about the institutions, mechanisms and ideas from the perspective of international law, finance, communication and inter-cultural exchanges. A strong comparative element provides students with broadly based knowledge reaching beyond the national realm and also beyond Europe. Students in the major come to a critical understanding of present issues and gain the necessary knowledge of developments which have formed today’s world during the past two centuries.

The curricula of Jacobs University's undergraduate programs have developed since the start of teaching in fall 2001. As a result the precise program of study for students matriculating in different years can differ. For this reason all students should refer to the table of required courses for the year in which they first matriculated at Jacobs University.

The tables show the precise program of study for each student in a specific major. Students can refer to this information for an overarching timetable of study over the six semesters of bachelor study. Naturally home school electives and transdisciplinary courses are not listed.

Course Requirements for Students matriculated in the year: 2011 | 2010 | 2009

Organisation of the Coursework:

The sequence of the IPH courses leads students from more general to more specific subjects. Each course lasts one semester (14 weeks). Students usually meet twice a week for sessions of 75 minutes. The course content is largely pre-defined by the curriculum. Introductory courses are generally offered as lectures and more advanced courses as seminars. Lab classes constitute an integral element of the methods courses. Participation in a course requires electronic registration. Courses can be dropped or added during the first three weeks of a semester. After that deadline, participation is mandatory. Each course has its own website in campus.net with important information such as a short summary of the course content, substantive and formal course requirements, and a syllabus detailing reading material, forms of examination, substantial foci, thematic sequences as well as learning targets. An online discussion forum is available for each course where participants can further discuss class topics or access additional teaching materials. All students are equipped with laptops and wireless network access which allows for flexible use of electronic information resources inside and outside the classroom.

Prof. Dr. Matthijs Bogaards
Professor of Political Science

Prof. Dr. Dennis A.V. Dittrich
Professor of Behavioral Economics

Prof. Dr. Marc Frey
Professor of History

Prof. Dr. Philipp Genschel
Professor of Political Science

Prof. Dr. Marion G. Müller
Professor of Mass Communication

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Pfaffenberger
Adjunct Professor of Economics

Prof. Dr. Dominic Sachsenmaier
Professor of Modern Asian History

Prof. Dr. Rainer Tetzlaff
Professor of African and Development Studies

Prof. Dr. Corinna Unger
Professor of Modern European History

Prof. Dr. Marco Verweij
Professor of Political Science

Prof. Dr. Welf Werner
Professor of International Economics

Social Science Methods

The methods component is taught by additional faculty:

- Prof. Dr. Klaus Boehnke, Professor of Social Science Methodology

- Dr. Karina De Santis, Lecturer in Statistics and Methods

- Dr. Özen Odag , University Lecturer in Methods

- Prof. Dr. Margrit Schreier, Professor of Empirical Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences

- Prof. Dr. Colin Vance, Adjunct Professor of Quantitative Methods

- Prof. Dr. Adalbert Wilhelm, Professor of Statistics



Jacobs University aims at an overall professor/student ratio of 1:12. At present, the ratio is even smaller but is expected to approximate the desired ratio as student numbers increased.

Students with a degree in IPH gain skills which give them a competitive advantage in a large variety of careers. They learn the analytical tools of political science theories and historical inquiries. They also acquire a thorough knowledge of the evolution of international institutions, the past and present politics of managing international relations as well as the principal ideologies in world affairs. Problems such as international security, sustainable development, intercultural understanding and ethnic conflict as well as domestic issues of economic policy or welfare reform cut across national and cultural boundaries. They cannot be adequately understood, let alone solved, without drawing on the intellectual resources of various disciplines.

Students in IPH are prepared for analyzing conflict situations; for assembling, weighing, and critically discussing arguments and different opinions; for presenting a case in a clear language. Finally, students gain experience in collaboration and teamwork on projects, especially because of the specific structure of the Jacobs University program. The major combines the advantages of a social sciences education with the broad cultural knowledge that nowadays is essential in a variety of professional and nonprofessional contexts.

The Bachelor of Arts in International Politics and History is a first step towards a career in international affairs, in politics and diplomacy, in private management and public administration as well as in cultural affairs, mass media and public relations. Graduates will be sought after by government agencies, non-governmental organizations or private enterprises at the national and international levels.

Jacobs University got excellent marks in the the latest ranking by Germany’s Center for Higher Education Development (CHE) and renowned German newspaper DIE ZEIT.  In the fields of history and political sciences Jacobs counts among the best universities in Germany and neighboring countries. Read more