6 ECTS credits
162 u studietijd
Aanbieding 1 met studiegidsnummer 4015159FNW voor werkstudenten in het 2e semester met een gespecialiseerd master niveau.
The course features a lecture series delivered by leading national and international scholars in the social sciences. From a primarily European perspective, the series explores a range of pressing social and demographic issues with far-reaching implications for society, politics, social security, and social geography. Each year, one or two central topics are selected that reflect urgent and highly relevant societal challenges, allowing for a focused and in-depth engagement with complex contemporary debates.
In past editions, invited speakers have addressed themes such as low fertility, population ageing, social inequalities, big data, migration and forms of non-citizen citizenship. These contributions have highlighted both the empirical and theoretical dimensions of current societal transformations, while also drawing attention to their policy implications. The lectures are firmly grounded in state-of-the-art scientific research and often present ongoing work, enabling students to engage directly with cutting-edge scholarship and emerging discussions within the field.
Beyond content acquisition, the lecture series aims to foster critical reflection and intellectual exchange. Students are encouraged to actively engage with the material and situate individual lectures within broader academic debates. In doing so, the course not only familiarises students with key societal challenges, but also strengthens their ability to critically assess research and its relevance for understanding and addressing real-world issues.
A list of relevant articles from scientific journals, book chapters and other relevant publications will be compiled. The list of mandatory literature will be annually renewed.
For more information about the concrete organisation of the course: see Canvas.
The workload calculation below is indicative and provides an estimate of the average expected study load.
Day Students
Working Students
De beoordeling bestaat uit volgende opdrachtcategorieën:
Examen Schriftelijk bepaalt 100% van het eindcijfer
Binnen de categorie Examen Schriftelijk dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:
Students must pass each of the two components separately, the exam and the written assignment, i.e. obtain a minimum score of 10/20 (after conversion) for each component. Only after successfully passing both components—namely the written exam and the group assignment—is the student considered to have passed the course.
The written assignment consists of a group-based academic paper in which students formulate and answer a clearly defined (quantitative) research question related to a contemporary societal issue. The paper includes a clear research objective, a brief review of relevant academic literature, a description of the data and methods used, and a structured presentation and interpretation of the results. The empirical component may involve conducting an original analysis using secondary data sources—such as compiling a dataset, producing descriptive statistics, and creating graphs or tables—or a systematic and critical synthesis of quantitative findings from existing academic publications and policy reports. Particular attention is paid to clarity of argumentation, methodological transparency, and the correct interpretation of quantitative evidence.
The assignment is carried out in groups of approximately five students and requires effective collaboration, a clear division of tasks, and shared responsibility for the final paper. A peer assessment component is included to evaluate individual contributions within the group and to promote active participation, accountability, and reflection on group dynamics.
Deze aanbieding maakt deel uit van de volgende studieplannen:
Master in de onderwijskunde: Standaard traject
Master in de agogische wetenschappen: profiel culturele agogiek
Master in de agogische wetenschappen: profiel sociale agogiek
Master in de sociologie: Standaard traject
Master of Urban Studies: Standard track (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Master of Educational Sciences: Standaard traject (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Educatieve master in de maatschappijwetenschappen: politieke wetenschappen en sociologie (90 ECTS, Etterbeek)