The economy can only be fully understood if economic actors and their decisions are embedded into society. This specialization draws on the multidisciplinary research agenda of socioeconomics, which includes aspects of law and politics, history and culture relevant for economics and business studies. It offers an introduction into the broad range of theories and methods in the social sciences, which usefully complement standard models and approaches from economics. Three compulsory courses in social science theories and empirical research methods are combined with two electives focusing on applications, such as in economic sociology, economic history, international law, and social policy.

Registration for this formal ‘access to specialization’ course is prerequisite to complete the specialization ‘Interactions of Economy and Society’ and to be able to enroll for the substantive courses in this specialization on preferential terms (i.e., there is a fixed quota for BBE students). Once you have been accepted to this specialization, you can choose between all the courses offered, but please make sure that you complete at least one course in the same semester to validate your enrolment.

Course offer in the summer term 2024:

Course I: Social Science Theories

• 5096 PI  NESSEL ‘Social Science Theories: Modern Developments’. This course will be offered in summer term only.

Course II: Empirical Social Research I

• The course offer in the summer term 2024 consists in three alternative courses 4377 VUE Plümper ‘Introduction to Empirical Research’, 4807 VUE Plümper/Kolcava‘Introduction to Empirical Research’, and 4999 VUE Plümper/Albada‘Introduction to Empirical Research’, of which you can choose any.

Course III: Empirical Social Research II

• This course is offered in the winter term only.

Course IV: Economy and Society I

• The course offer in the summer term 2024 consists in course 6137 PI Hübel ‘Sustainable Economics and Business II: Trade, Politics, and Sustainability’.
• There will be a course offer at least every winter term; in summer terms there may be a course offer as well, but this is not guaranteed.

Course V: Economy and Society II

• The course offer in the summer term 2024 consists in course 4258 PI Kisling ‘Economic History / Course V - Interactions of Economy and Society’ and in course 4902 PI Li/Grabner ‘Sustainable Economics and Business II: Debating Inequality’. The course ‘Economic History’ is offered each term, additional course offers are subject to capacity.

Recommended sequencing of courses:

For students who wish to start with the specialization in the summer term and complete it in two semesters, we recommend the following combination and sequencing of courses:

• Summer term: Courses I, II and V
• Winter term: Courses III and IV

For students who wish to start with the specialization in the winter term and complete it in two semesters, we recommend the following combination and sequencing of courses:

• Winter term: Courses II, III and IV
• Summer term: Courses I and V

Other combinations are possible, but please note that some courses will not be offered in every semester.

This is a formal course which you have to register to in order to get access to the substantive courses of this specialization. There are no requirements other than registration, that is, this ‘access to specialization’ does not (at this point) involve any further activities, such as a more encompassing application process, an entry exam or else.

At this point, registration to this ‘access to specialisation’ is on a first-come, first-served basis, that is, students will be accepted in the order of their successful registration.

We presently accept a maximum 10 students per academic year. Registration is possible when slots are available. In winter terms, ten new slots are available. In summer terms, slots are only available if less than 10 students were accepted and took courses in the preceding winter term.  There are still free slots for students starting in the summer term 2024.

Please note that more than 10 students can technically register, but a maximum of 10 students will be accepted, depending on the number of available slots. This is because some students may want to apply for different specializations and, if accepted in a preferred specialization, may want to withdraw their application later on.

We will manually confirm completion of this ‘access’ course for those accepted after the registration period ends. You can then enroll in the substantive courses that form part of this specialization in LPIS (just enroll as everybody else when registrations are open; there will be a contingent for BBE students that is prioritized for admission to the respective courses, which also applies to students on the waiting list).

If you are not accepted in the first round (after registration ends), there may still be a chance to be accepted in the second round, after students competing for several specializations have cleared their places. Please note that it will also take a couple of days until prioritized admission is completed, that is, you may still make it into the course within the fixed quota for BBE students despite your name at first appears in the waiting list only (and perhaps on a subordinate rank).

Please note that once you have been accepted to this specialization, you actually have to take part and be assessed in at least one of the substantive courses to stay enrolled. This means that you should register to the 'access to specialization' only when you intend to complete at least one of the substantive courses in the respective semester. If you do not take part in the substantive course programm, your registration will be cancelled.