Sudium Individuale: Jakob Dirksen - Beyond Categories

Philosophy, politics, ecology and sustainability, psychology, law, or neuroscience—Jakob Dirksen was interested in too many fields after graduating from high school. Making a decision was therefore difficult: “I had to choose between at least 60 degree programs that I had applied to,” he recalls. Then the now 33-year-old came across Leuphana and the “Studium Individuale” bachelor’s program.

“The Studium Individuale allowed me to combine many of my interests,” he summarizes. The bachelor’s program encourages students to design a significant portion of their curriculum freely and independently. In doing so, they choose a question they wish to answer with the help of their seminars and lectures. Instead of limiting himself to a prescribed curriculum, Jakob Dirksen took courses in sustainability studies, political science, philosophy, and even teacher education. “The exchange with students from other disciplines was very enriching—both academically and personally,” he says, recalling the special atmosphere: “Many students were there because they saw the university as a place for learning, growth, and exchange—not just as a stepping stone to their next career goal. I’ve rarely experienced that in this way at other universities.”

In the Studium Individuale, students learn to develop a clear plan for their studies and receive intensive guidance through reflection exercises, weekend retreats, and one-on-one conversations. In addition, there are core modules each semester. Based on their initial research question, students individually select their lectures and seminars from the university’s entire undergraduate curriculum.

Over the course of his studies at Leuphana, one topic became increasingly clear to Jakob Dirksen: issues of distributive justice and social inequality. Today, the 33-year-old conducts research on poverty, inequality, and well-being.

After graduating from Leuphana, he first earned a master’s degree in political philosophy at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, followed by a master’s degree in applied economics and political science at the United Nations University and its partner institution, Maastricht University. While working, he also pursued further training in empirical methods. He is now nearing completion of his Ph.D. at the London School of Economics, where he also serves as Principal Researcher for the Perceptions of Inequality research program at the International Inequalities Institute. Concurrently, he works as a Senior Research and Policy Officer at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford. Previously, he worked at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford and at the German Federal Foreign Office, among other institutions. Jakob Dirksen collaborates with governments and international organizations to develop measurement tools for social policy decisions. The data collected through these tools form an important basis for policy decisions and social programs. Jakob Dirksen’s publications include, for example, works on measuring well-being and social progress beyond gross domestic product (GDP).

When he began his studies, he had by no means planned that his path would one day lead him into academia. “I had many interests and many possibilities in mind. My studies gave me the time to figure out what I wanted to focus on while also laying a strong academic foundation,” says Jakob Dirksen.