Piazza Duomo in Trento

Program and courses Double Degree in Sociology and Social Research

At the University of Trento, you will focus on political research, social policy and qualitative research. The degree from Tilburg University focuses on translating societal problems into sociological research to evaluate current policies and to derive new ones.

Program structure

This two-year program consists of 120 ECTS:

  • The Master in Sociology and Social Research at the University of Trento (60 ECTS):

    • 10 research methods and labs courses (51 ECTS)
    • 2 content courses (9 ECTS)
  • One of the sociology tracks at Tilburg University (60 ECTS):
    • 5 content courses (27 ECTS)
    • 2 elective courses (9 ECTS)
    • Master’s thesis (24 ECTS)

The first year, you will spend at the University of Trento in Italy. You will spend your second year at Tilburg University. At Tilburg University, you can choose one of the sociology tracks: Politics, Policy and Society in Comparative Perspective, Politics, Policy, and Societal Development or Health, Wellbeing and Society. By following elective courses you can create an individual, unique profile.

The program starts at the end of August.

Program content

Courses at University of Trento

You will follow eight research methods and labs courses (39 ECTS), three content courses (18 ECTS), and one English course (3 ECTS) during your first year at the University of Trento.

Courses:

  • Research Design
  • Research Design Lab
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Quantitative Methods Lab
  • Qualitative Methods
  • Qualitative Methods Lab
  • Research Methods in Political Science
  • Research Methods in History
  • Choose one of the following electives: 
    • Economy & Society
    • Culture & Society
  • Choose one of the following electives: 
    • Public Opinion Research
    • Cultural Analytics
  • English Language (C1)
  • Specialization course: Select 1 course from the optional courses.

You will find more information about the courses offered by the University of Trento on their website.

Read more about the courses at the University of Trento

Courses at Tilburg University - Sociology: Politics, Policy and Society in a Comparative Perspective

At Tilburg University, you will follow five content courses (27 ECTS), two electives (9 ECTS) and write a Master's thesis (24 ECTS). The second year is separated into four blocks.

You will take the following courses in block 1 (August – October):

  • Social Movements: Social Media, Democracy and Change
    You get a thorough introduction into the scientific field of social movement research. In a globalizing context and the current network and information society, it has become easier than ever to connect with people, share ideas and mobilize in collective action. In the recent decade we have seen several examples in which local movements spread globally through social media. 
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 

You will take the following courses in block 2 (October – January):

  • Social Policy and Social Risks
    Address social policy and welfare states and discover how various 'welfare regime types' have developed over time in different countries, reflective of different concepts of social solidarity and leading to varied outcomes in terms of economic well-being, stratification patterns, and life-course risks.
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will take the following courses in block 3 (January – March):

  • The Social Structures of Western Societies
    During this course, you get an outline of the main sociological concepts, theories, research and debates of the social structure of western society in general, and three important elements (social class, family and ethnicity) in particular. Learn to describe and explain the impact of national institutions, history and traditions, and overarching trends such as modernization and globalization in a micro-macro perspective. 
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will take the following courses in block 4 (March – July):

  • Politics and Society in Comparative Perspective
    Develop cross-country analyses of politics and societies, particularly focusing on the rise of populistic groups and of populistic rhetoric.
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will find a detailed description of the courses and required literature for the track: Politics, Policy and Society in Comparative Perspective in our course catalog.

See full overview of program and courses

Courses at Tilburg University - Health, Wellbeing and Society

At Tilburg University, you will follow five content courses (27 ECTS), two electives (9 ECTS) and write a Master's thesis (24 ECTS). The second year is separated into four blocks.

You will take the following courses in block 1 (August – October):

  • Health, Resilience and Sustainability
    You will examine the social inequalities in health in the context of western societies, using the Netherlands as a case study. You will approach the topic from a comparative and multifaceted perspective at a micro, meso- and macrolevel that is in line with the expertise of the Sociology and Tranzo departments.
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 

You will take the following courses in block 2 (October – January):

  • Social Policy and Social Risks
    You address the topic of social policy and welfare states against the backdrop of global challenges and widespred socio-economic changes. You will learn how various 'welfare regime types' have developed over time in different countries, reflective of different concepts of social solidarity and with various consequences in terms of economic wellbeing, stratification patterns and life-course risks. 
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will take the following courses in block 3 (January – March):

  • The Social Structures of Western Societies
    You get an outline of the main sociological concepts, theories, research and debates concerning the social structure of western societies in general, with respect to three specific elements in particular: social class, family and ethnicity. You learn to describe and explain the impact of national institutions, history and traditions, and overarching trends such as modernization and globalization, using the three elements of social structure from a micro and macro perspective. 
  • Master's thesis

You will take the following courses in block 4 (March – July):

  • Health and Policy
    Delve into concept and key theories in health and policy, and illustrate them with practical examples like health and wellbeing in relation to social and economic factors, policy interventions at macro/meso/micro level, illiteracy, education, poverty, housing, (un)employment, or social and physical environment. 
    • You write a paper on a policy intervention and evaluations focusing on an actual health and wellbeing topic. Learn how to build a policy analysis proposal by describing a central problem, using evidence to substantiate and by choosing a suitable (policy) intervention. 
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will find a detailed description of the courses and required literature for the track: Health, Wellbeing and Society in our course catalog.

See full overview program and courses 

Courses at Tilburg University - Politics, Policy and Societal Development

At Tilburg University, you will follow five content courses (27 ECTS), two electives (9 ECTS) and write a Master's thesis (24 ECTS). The second year is separated into four blocks.

You will take the following courses in block 1 (August – October):

  • Social Changes and Sustainable Development
    In this course, you will get an overview of the most urgent global challenges for sustainable development, such as poverty and inequality, migration, climate change and environmental degradation, illustrating how they foster social change on different levels of analysis. You will discuss the role organizations can play in tackling global sustainable development issues, particularly through sustainable business models and by leveraging digital platforms, and the challenges and shortcomings such organizational interventions may entail.
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 

You will take the following courses in block 2 (October – January):

  • Social Policy and Social Risks
    In this course, you address the topic of social policy and welfare states. Against the backdrop of global challenges and widespread socio-economic changes, you investigate how various ‘welfare regime types’ have developed over time in different countries, reflective of different concepts of social solidarity and leading to varied outcomes in terms of economic well-being (poverty, life chances), stratification patterns (inequality), and life-course risks and their consequences. 
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will take the following courses in block 3 (January – March):

  • Hybrid Organizations
    In this course, you are introduced to the role of hybrid organizations, and will consider various organizational models and initiatives that may strengthen policy actions in tackling complex and compelling social issues and improving sociodemographic indicators. You will investigate different types of ‘hybrid organizations’, especially social entrepreneurship, the challenges they confront, such as those related to measuring social impact and international scaling, as well as the actions they undertake to overcome them. 
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will take the following courses in block 4 (March – July):

  • Politics and Society in Comparative Perspective
    You develops cross-country analyses of politics and societies, particularly focusing on the rise of populistic groups and of populistic rhetoric.
  • Master Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
    Throughout the program, you participate in the Master's seminar Sociology, which prepares you for writing your thesis. 
  • Master's thesis

You will find a detailed description of the courses and required literature for the track: Politics, Policy and Societal Development in our course catalog.

See full overview program and courses

Master’s thesis at Tilburg University

Start your Master’s thesis (24 ECTS) in your second year by writing your Individual Research Proposal (IRP) with feedback from the thesis supervisors. This proposal will be presented within the framework of the Master Seminar Sociology in block 1 and 2.

  • You can choose your own research topic.
  • You will write your Master’s thesis under joint supervision of faculty members of both the University of Trento and Tilburg University.
  • Preferably, a Master’s thesis has a strong connection to the departmental research program
  • Defend your Master’s thesis at Tilburg University in the second semester of the second academic year.
  • If you want to do an Extended Master, it is preferable, but not mandatory, to connect the thesis to your internship.
  • Your thesis can have a more empirical theoretical accent with scientifically relevant conclusions, or can be a sociological analysis of a social or practical problem and existing interventions leading to relevant policy conclusions.
  • You will participate in the Master's Seminar Sociology course, which prepares you for writing your thesis.

Thesis examples (dependent on the chosen track):

  • Health, Wellbeing and Society
    • Does internet use play a role in explaining differences in the social gradient in health in Europe? 
    • Involvement of the alcohol industry in policy: What are the effects on alcohol consumption? 
    • Can informal care decrease costs and increase quality of life?
  • Sociology: Politics, Policy and Society in a Comparative Perspective
    • Discrimination of minorities in the labor market.
    • Health apps and psychological constraints. 
    • Religiosity and civic morality in the Netherlands. 
  • Politics, Policy and Societal Development
    • Homeowners’ attitudes towards renewable energy sources. 
    • Integration is not a one-way process. An interview study on perceived discrimination based on ethnicity among highly-educated Dutch citizens with an immigration background. 
    • Is meat manly? Exploring different explanations for the relationship between gender and meat consumption. 

Watch a trial lecture


Please note: programs are subject to change. We advise you to look up the current program in OSIRIS Student at the start of the year.


Do you want to know more about this Master’s program?

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Extend your Master's with an internship

You have the opportunity to extend your Master's program by half a year, in which you do an internship (30 ECTS), in Dutch or English. During the internship, you will dedicate half your time to research activities in the organization, and half your time researching and writing your Master's thesis. After completing the internship, you will receive a professional certificate in addition to your MSc. 

Generally, you can do an Extended Master if you are hired by the partner organization. You can either do your Extended Master at one of the Academic Collaborative Centers at Tranzo, or at one of the partner organizations of the Extended Master.

Admission and application Extended Master

You can apply for the Extended Master's program once you have started one of the Master's tracks in Sociology (Politics, Policy and Society in Comparative Perspective, Politics, Policy and Societal Development, or Health, Wellbeing and Society). At the start of your Master's track, you will get more information about the Extended Master's program in a track-specific meeting. During this meeting, you will be informed on the application procedure, deadline, possible partner organizations and the structure of the program and internship. 

Partner organizations for Sociology: Politics, Policy and Society in a Comparative Perspective

Partner organizations:

  • Municipality of Tilburg (Research department)
  • AO Consult (Labor training consultancy)
  • Movisie (National Knowledge and Advisory Institute for Social Development)
  • Mulier (Institute for the promotion of social scientific knowledge development and policy effectiveness in the field of sports)
  • Nivel (Dutch institute for health services research)
  • PON (Social-Cultural planning bureau for Brabant)
  • ROA (The Research Centre for education and the labor market, Maastricht) 
  • SCP (Social and cultural planning bureau) 
  • Oberon (Research and advisory bureau for the education and welfare sector, Utrecht)
  • OI (Education Inspection)
  • Inspectie SZW (Social intelligence and onvestigation service, ministry of social affairs and employment) 
  • CBS (Central Bureau of Statistics) 
  • Municipality Helmond (Research and statistics department)  
  • Municipality Breda (Research and information department) 
  • Verweij Jonker Instituut 
  • European Values Study, Tilburg University 
Partner organizations for Health, Wellbeing and Society

Partner organizations

You can either do your Extended Master at one of the Academic Collaborative Centers at Tranzo, or at one of the partner organizations. The program provides the Health, Wellbeing and Society Extended Master students with a list of assignments and projects within the ACC partner organizations (for Tranzo) to choose from. You are not expected to contact our ACC's directly. 

Academic Collaborative Centers:Partner organizations in Health and Wellbeing:
Partner organizations for Politics, Policy and Societal Development

Partner organizations:

  • Municipality of Tilburg (Research department)
  • AO Consult (Labor training consultancy)
  • Movisie (National Knowledge and Advisory Institute for Social Development)
  • Mulier (Institute for the promotion of social scientific knowledge development and policy effectiveness in the field of sports)
  • Nivel (Dutch institute for health services research)
  • PON (Social-Cultural planning bureau for Brabant)
  • ROA (The Research Centre for education and the labor market, Maastricht) 
  • SCP (Social and cultural planning bureau) 
  • Oberon (Research and advisory bureau for the education and welfare sector, Utrecht)
  • OI (Education Inspection)
  • Inspectie SZW (Social intelligence and onvestigation service, ministry of social affairs and employment) 
  • CBS (Central Bureau of Statistics) 
  • Municipality Helmond (Research and statistics department)  
  • Municipality Breda (Research and information department) 
  • Verweij Jonker Instituut 
  • European Values Study, Tilburg University 

Short overview of the Double Degree in Sociology and Social Research 

  • Get two Master’s degrees in Sociology
    • The program at the University of Trento focuses on political research, social policy and qualitative research.
    • The sociology tracks at Tilburg University focus on translating social problems into sociological research to evaluate current policies and derive new policies.
  • You get the ultimate international experience by studying in both Italy and the Netherlands.  
  • Join an interactive classroom with excellent individual thesis supervision and the opportunity to tailor the program to your interests, creating an individual and unique program. 
  • You can do an Extended Master to gain work experience and enhance your skills.

Interested in the Double degree in Sociology and Social Research?

Check your eligibility and the deadlines for application