Sociology of Contemporary Societies (SCS)

The MA programme in Sociology of Contemporary Societies is a two-year English-language Master's programme designed for students interested in gaining in-depth knowledge of the state of the present-day field of sociology and social anthropology, including both theory and research methods. It features a strong core of sociology and social anthropological courses in four specialisations from which the student chooses one: 1. Civil Society and Politics; 2. Anthropology of Space and Mobility; 3. Identities, Health and Bodies; 4. double degree in Sociology of Contemporary Societies with the University of Florence. In any specialisations students can choose either quantitative or qualitative research methodology as a focus. Every specialisation provides prerequisites for their graduates to be employed in the education sector, state and public administration, the nonprofit sector, corporate organisations, or academia. The programme is taught by members of the Institute of Sociological Studies (ISS) and their guests.

The Civil Society and Politics specialisation provides students with a deep understanding of how contemporary complex societies work. Students acquire the theoretical and practical skills in political sociology, anthropology of nationalism, and the nonprofit sector, as well as learn to analyse various aspects of public life systematically.

The Anthropology of Space and Mobility specialisation brings in-depth knowledge of the globalised world, its dynamics, migratory movements, social mobility, which enables these phenomena to be deeply understood and applied in the field of urban planning, migratory politics, as well as analysis of global developments.

The Identities, Health and Bodies specialisation develops the deep-seated knowledge and practical skills required to conduct sociological and social anthropological research in the field of medical anthropology, health sociology, lifestyle studies, sociology of sport, and gender studies.

There is also the option of the double degree in Sociology of Contemporary Societies with the University of Florence, which provides students with in-depth knowledge of social theory, anthropology of the European Union, global and European citizenship, urban life analysis, population society and family studies, and issues of emotions and social change.

Early bird application deadline: 28. 02. 2025

Regular application deadline: 30. 04. 2025

Important note for visa-seeking students: Please read about the visa process carefully before applying. You are responsible for organizing your legal stay in Czechia and the visa application process can get quite lengthy. For students from visa-seeking countries, the early-bird deadline is therefore strongly recommended. 

Programme Duration: 2 years

Language of Instruction: English

Programme Director: doc. PhDr. Zdeněk Uherek, CSc. (zdenek.uherek@fsv.cuni.cz)

Programme Coordinator: Terezie Hanzlíková (terezie.hanzlikova@fsv.cuni.cz)

Admission Administration: admissions@fsv.cuni.cz

Tuition Fee: 6 000 EUR per year

Reduction or Waiving the Fee: The Faculty of Social Sciences offers a set of scholarships and fee reductions. Conditions and terms can be found here.

Admission Requirements: See the full list here.

Study Prerequisites: The programme is open to students who have completed a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in a related programme study.

Programme Structure: For the full course structure of the predecessor programme Sociology in European Context, please see the programme guidebook Karolinka.