B.A. Studium Individuale
Are you curious about the various challenges facing us in the contemporary world? Are you looking for a way to combine your broad academic interests? Do you care about working intensively with others while shaping your own personal course of studies? The Studium Individuale major gives you the freedom and the responsibility to design your own tailored Bachelor’s curriculum, with the possibility of obtaining a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts. The unique study programme challenges you to engage with key questions and problems of the present. It helps you cultivate academic skills that are fundamental for living and working in today’s world and supports you in formulating your ideas and goals, and taking steps towards them.
A contemporary Liberal Education
Studium Individuale is a liberal education programme. This means it focuses on the intellectual and personal development of each individual student and emphasises a breadth of knowledge while also encouraging students to develop a specific personal academic profile. Within Germany, Studium Individuale is unique in the amount of freedom students have to design their studies, offering the possibility of a truly interdisciplinary programme. The only requirement of the Studium Individuale major is that you complete the 7 Core Modules of the programme, and like all majors, the Leuphana semester. Beyond that, students are free to choose from the hundreds of different courses offered each semester to make their studies as broad or as specialised as they wish.
For example, you may have a particular interest in climate change, and Studium Individuale enables you to examine that through various courses in environmental sciences, economics, politics, psychology, etc. This means you can learn about climate change through diverse academic disciplines and perspectives.
Students learn to cultivate important skills including, analytical and reflexive thinking, clear and persuasive communication, and well-rounded judgement. Liberal education programmes foster intensive learning within a community of faculty and fellow students, both in and outside the classroom, and our contemporary liberal education prepares students to be creative, purposeful and responsible agents in many walks of life.
an encompassing education
Learning in Studium Individuale continues beyond the classroom, often in student-led activities: talks with guest speakers, practical projects, weekend-workshops, excursions, or simply informal exchange. Students are welcome to stop by the offices on campus to ask questions, voice ideas, as well as just to say ‘hello.’ The programme consists of a close-knit community of individuals who are interested in learning and growing together, as well as genuinely supporting one another. Students are also supported and encouraged to spend part of their studies abroad in order to gain additional valuable educational experiences.
Freedom and contemporary questions
We believe that the best way to foster curiosity, self-direction and independence of mind is to allow students to map out their personal course of study, with support from faculty and their fellow students. The aim of each individual course of study is to explore in-depth questions and problems that need to be addressed in an interdisciplinary way.
The Studium Individuale Core Modules combine the pursuit of personal intellectual interests with a concern for important issues regarding our shared world. Beyond the Core Modules, students can combine modules from the entire spectrum of academic fields at Leuphana, from sustainability to entrepreneurship, from digital media to psychology, from politics to education.
The Studium Individuale curriculum
While students have the freedom and flexibility to design their course of studies, they are also supported to grow and learn through the intellectual backbone of the programme. The curriculum consists of 7 mandatory core modules that are taught in English through the span of 6 semesters:
- Ways of Knowing
- Freedom and the Transformation of Modern Europe
- Culture and Critique
- Understanding Knowledge
- Planning, Decision-making, and Reflection
- Collaborative Research Project
- Analysing Contemporary Societies
These challenging interdisciplinary courses of high intensity encourage students to engage in central themes that are relevant for both understanding and taking action in the contemporary world. This is driven by questions such as: What is valid knowledge? How can we identify a problem? What are the possibilities for, limits to and consequences of action? How can we understand and evaluate historical change? What is modern freedom?
Students are advised to take the first two modules in their first semester and one of the remaining modules each semester throughout their studies. The modules build on each other to provide an academic progression through increasingly complex questions and approaches while providing a space for Studium Individuale students to come together and learn from one another as their personal programmes of study develop in different directions.
Degree structure: Studying at College
The Studium Individuale major is embedded in the interdisciplinary College study model with the Leuphana Semester, minor and Complementary Studies. All undergraduate students commence their Bachelor studies with the Leuphana Semester, which has 3 modules focusing on fundamental questions and issues of university education to help you acquire the fundamental methods for a scientific course of study. The minor deepens or supplements your major with another subject area. Complementary Studies sits alongside your major and minor and allows you the freedom to pursue your thirst for knowledge by immersing yourself in a different field of knowledge each semester and become familiar with other disciplinary and methodological approaches.
Possible combinations of minors (subsidiary subjects)
Studium Individuale minor (GER / ENG)
In the Studium Individuale minor you deepen, supplement and expand the thematic focuses you have chosen in the Studium Individuale major. You can choose from the current range of modules offered by other majors and minors and the Teacher Training Course Teaching and Learning.
The Studium Individuale minor is only available to Studium Individuale major students.
Language of instruction
ENG English-language subject: no German required
GER German-language subject: German required
GER / ENG German-language subject can also be taken in English
Overview of compulsory modules
The Studium Individualemajor is embedded in the interdisciplinary College study model with Leuphana Semester, Minor and Complementary Studies. You start your Bachelor studies with the Leuphana semester. The first semester at Leuphana College gives you the opportunity to deal fundamentally with science. The Minor deepens or supplements your Major with another subject area. In Complementary Studies you have the freedom to pursue your thirst for knowledge individually by immersing yourself in a different field of knowledge each semester.
Leuphana Semester
- Transformation
- DATAx
- Methods
- Studium Individuale Core Module: Ways of Knowing
- Studium Individuale Core Module: Freedom and the Transformation of Modern Europe
2 semester
- Studium Individuale Core Module: Culture and Critique
- 3 elective modules
- 1 minor module
- 1 Complementary Studies module
3 semester
- Studium Individuale Core Module: Understanding Knowledge
- 3 elective modules
- 1 minor module
- 1 Complementary Studies module
4 semester
- Studium Individuale Core Module: Planning, Decision-Making, and Reflection
- 2 elective modules
- 2 minor modules
- 1 Complementary Studies module
5 semester
- Studium Individuale Core Module: Collaborative Research Project
- 2 elective modules
- 2 minor modules
- 1 Complementary Studies module
6 semester
- Studium Individuale Core Module: “Analysing Contemporary Societies”
- Bachelor dissertation
- 2 Complementary Studies modules
Study regulations / Subject-Specific Schedule
- You will find detailed information on the study contents of the major modules in the Subject-Specific Schedule to Studium Individuale major.
At a glance
- Study programme: Leuphana Bachelor with Studium Individuale major
- Degree awarded: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
- Duration: 3 years (6 semesters)
- Extent: 180 ECTS
- Study places: 40
- Language: English (Studium Individuale Core Modules), English & German (Please note that some modules may require German)
- Fees: no tuition fees
- Semester contribution: approx. EUR 393,09 EUR
- Semester abroad: possible
- Start date: Beginning of October (winter semester)
- Application period: Mid May – July 15
- Requirements: university entrance qualification and English skills
- Restricted admission : yes
- Admission: own procedure at Leuphana College
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Events for prospective students
Open Day
Are you interested in the Studium Individuale at Leuphana College? The next Open Day will take place on 12 June. Register now
UniTalk – Online Information event
- April 22nd at 5 p.m.
- May 19th at 6 p.m.
For prospective students from other countries our Student counselling service is organising a longer information event ‘UniTalk’. Find out more about the application process at Leuphana College and get tips on studying in Germany. To register, please write an e-mail to studienberatung.college@leuphana.de
Student counselling service
Clarify your questions in a personal conversation during the Open Advisory Service. You can take advantage of digital counselling at short notice without registering. The College study advisors will be happy to help you:
- Wednesdays from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (in person on campus)
- Thursdays from 4-6 p.m. (digitally via Zoom)
Applications and admissions
Leuphana College accepts new students each winter term. If you wish to be considered for a Bachelor degree programme, your application must be received by July 15.
For applicants from EU and EEA countries the University operates a special admissions procedure for the award of places. It considers not only applicants' grades, but also special skills, experience and non-academic achievements such as periods spent studying abroad, and volunteering work.
Online applications
Online applications are possible from mid-May. Find out more about the entry requirements and specific admissions process at Leuphana College. Find out more now
Exchange students
The International Center will be pleased to assist you in planning and organising your studies abroad at Leuphana College. Study abroad at Leuphana
Counselling
Programme Director
- Prof. Dr. Beate Söntgen
Academic Programme Management / Academic Director for Liberal Education
- PD Dr. Steffi Hobuß
Lecturer & Advisor
- Dr. Andrew Brogan
- Dr. Veronica Bremer
Initial Information
Information Office (Infoportal)
Building 8, ground floor
Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg
Fon +49.4131.677-2277
studierendenservice@leuphana.de
Opening hours
Term time & term break:
Mon - Thu 9 - 16 h
Fr 9 - 12 h
Arrange an appointment
College's Student Counselling Service
Building 8, ground floor
Universitätsallee 1, 21335 Lüneburg
Open Consultation Hours
Wed 11 – 13 h (on campus)
Thu 16 – 18 h (via Zoom)