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Subject Areas at Leuphana University

The inter- and transdisciplinary academic activity at Leuphana is based on ambitious research in individual disciplines. Leuphana's research activities take place within five profile themes - Education, Culture, Sustainability, Management & Technology, State - and fan out into a variety of disciplines: from Art Studies to Theology.

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English and American Studies

With a particular focus on teacher education, this field encompasses research in English linguistics, literary studies, and foreign language education.

Business Administration

Business Administration focuses on entrepreneurship, management, and organizational theory, while also building strong connections to sustainability research.

Educational Research

Empirical research in Education explores the conditions, processes, and effects of learning and teaching within the broader contexts of schooling and teacher education.

Chemistry

At the intersection of sustainability and teacher education, research in Chemistry examines how chemical substances can be used and managed sustainably.

Didactics

Research in Didactics is dedicated to designing teaching and learning processes that enable all learners to thrive. Scholars address subject-specific didactics as well as broader areas such as education for sustainable development.

German and Literature Studies

Literature, culture, and language form the focal points of German studies and literary studies. In addition to teacher training, they focus in particular on the cultures of production and reception of literary works, thus forming a bridge to research questions in cultural studies at Leuphana.

Engineering Sciences

Research in Engineering Sciences concentrates on production management as well as measurement, control, manufacturing, and materials engineering—always with an emphasis on developing sustainable solutions to technical challenges.

Cultural Studies

Cultural Studies at Leuphana focus on the formative cultural, social, and societal phenomena, conflicts, and transformations of the present, as well as the historical developments that have shaped them. The field integrates art history, literary studies, media studies, philosophy, sociology, geography, and history within an interdisciplinary framework.

Art Studies

Art Studies investigates the history and theory of (contemporary) art and its institutions from a cultural and problem-oriented perspective. Central research areas include provenance and restitution studies, as well as critical museum and art market research.

Mathematics

Research in Mathematics links theory and practice in mathematics education through inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration. The field is also connected to engineering and the quantitative economic sciences.

    Media Studies

    Media Studies explore the interplay between culture and digital media. Researchers examine how (digital) media technologies influence research, knowledge, and cultural processes.

      Methodologies

      Musicology

      Sustainable Sciences

      Researchers analyze the root causes of pressing sustainability challenges and develop solutions in collaboration with a wide range of societal actors to foster sustainable development.

      Ecology

      Key research areas include the effects of global change—such as climate and land-use change—on organisms, their communities, and biological as well as chemical processes. From a socio-ecological perspective, researchers integrate insights from the natural and social sciences, and the humanities to advance sustainable development.

      Philosophy

      Philosophy and ethics provide a reflective framework for engaging with contemporary societal challenges. Researchers critically examine cultural discourses, revealing the traditions and assumptions that underlie current debates.

      Political Science

      Political Science at Leuphana investigates how contemporary societal and political challenges impact political systems. Scholars explore how these systems support transformation and resilience in democratic institutions and engage with questions of security.

      Psychology

      In the applied areas of business, education, and sustainability, researchers in Psychology study change and transformation processes that shape individual and collective experience and behavior, thereby contributing to broader societal transformation.

      Law

      Research in Law focuses on international and economic law as well as on legal aspects of societal transformation. Scholars also address issues of public and civil law.

      Social Pedagogy

      Research in Social Pedagogy engages with contemporary societal challenges in diverse societies, addressing topics such as welfare state policy, gender and violence, childhood and youth studies, and vocational education.

      Sociology

      Sociology at Leuphana encompasses the sociology of art, the digital sphere, organizations, migration, law and crime, and social conflict.

      Sport Science

      With a focus on teacher education, Sport Science research covers sports pedagogy, sociology, and didactics, as well as movement science, training science, and health promotion.

        Theology

        Research in Theology focuses on ethical questions and religious education, with particular emphasis on teacher education.

            Economics

            Researchers in Economics use behavioral economics to study how different transformation processes affect various social groups and to situate these developments within a broader macroeconomic context.

            Information Systems

            Researchers address cross-school challenges of digital transformation, focusing on artificial intelligence, data science, and machine learning.