Programs and Studying

Political Science at the GSI: Broad-Based and Research-Oriented

Research and teaching in the GSI cover the core areas of political science: international relations, German and, respectively, comparative politics, and political theory and method. Students at the GSI are expected to concern themselves with theoretical, empirical, and normative aspects of political science. Being familiarized with formal analytical skills as well as interpretive techniques, students at the GSI learn how to investigate empirical phenomena in a methodologically rigorous fashion so as to establish valid and testable hypotheses about causal relationships. By seeking to arrive at generalizable findings, students at the GSI distance themselves and their work from what is perceived as ‚political‘ in the media, at school, or in informal discussions among laypeople.

Every fall, approximately 350 new students commence the study of political science in the 3-year Bachelor's program, the majority (>200) opting for an education in political science as their main field of study (major - 'Hauptfach'). In addition, about 200 new students enroll each fall in the GSI’s teacher education program so as to prepare for the state examination in Social Studies. Another 50 or so incoming students embark each fall on the courses offered in the Master's program in political science. There are on average far more than 2000 students enrolled at any one time in one of the GSI’s programs.