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Programme:

Structure and Timing

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Student mobility path

Programme Structure

 

Student mobility is one of the programme’s crucial features and the EMMIR study plan combines both group and individual mobility. You study the first semester in Oldenburg, Germany (UOL) and the second semester in Stavanger, Norway (UIS), together with the whole group. Then, in March of your second semester, you choose your individual mobility path for the third semester, which includes a project-based internship and one of the modules offered by EMMIR partner universities. 

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The fourth semester starts with the proposal colloquium in early December at UOL, after which you are free to design your own mobility according to your master thesis. You can focus on your research as well as do internships in any country under the direct supervision of one of the full partner universities.

 

All four semesters are organised in modules according to the Eu­ropean Bologna standard. Each module consists of a number of seminars, lectures, workshops, study trips, tutorials, and other forms of teaching as detailed in the relevant module syllabus (see Module Catalogue); once you have successfully completed a module, you are assigned a specific num­ber of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credit points. Each semester you need to gain 30 ECTS (120 ECTS in four semesters). One ECTS credit point refers to a workload of 25 to 30 hours (including contact hours, reading, assignments and independent study). 

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Mobility Path

 

Diversity. The mobility path exposes you to different approaches to migration theories and policies, as well as varied intercultural relations perspectives. You study in diverse academic institutions located in economic, social and cultural settings in which you learn through your own experience. You learn about what shapes migration processes from different angles, including migrant's experiences, which are systematically integrated into the study programme.

 

Individual research focus. EMMIR allows you to develop an individual research focus drawing on the expertise of all involved partners and their specialisation in a decentralised way. Your focus might combine previous knowledge and experiences with a more nuanced understanding of your topic of interest, as well as stronger research skills to address it. 

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EMMIR has five programme foci: Questions of knowledge production, representation and power relations; Issues of gender, diversity and intersectionality; Approaches to development, conflict, climate change and justice; Concepts of education and citizenship, and; Policy analysis, digitisation/AI. They serve as the foundation you will use to develop your individual specialisation and profile, for example by combining them with a geographic focus involving one or more of the countries in the partnership, potentially also linked to your individual language skills.

 

Further options enhanced by the mobility path are:

  • to focus on ‘major’ nations in global migration, for example Germany, South Africa, or India

    to focus on intercultural relations/migration issues in small nations and young nation states (Europe, Africa)

  • to change perspectives also regarding theoretical and methodological approaches to migration by, for example, focusing on scholarly work emerging in the Global South

  • to specialise in comparative research on two or more of the involved countries, drawing on the expertise and access to selected partner networks

  • to specialise in overarching questions, for example, research on global migration

  • to become part of a network of networks and to further specify your profile with regard to future employment.

Semester 1

You will spend your first se­mester with the full edition at University of Oldenburg (UOL), Germany.

 

Starting with the Intensive Phase (IP) Studying Glob­al Migration in the 21st century (MM11) in September, you will become acquainted with all partner universities and their aca­demic teachers from the very beginning. All partner institutions carry out the IP and provide input on their respective focus module and perspectives as well as their discipli­nary orientations and interdisciplinary net­works.

 

Starting during the IP you may attend a course on German Language and Socie­ty in order to locate yourself in Germany and to fos­ter multilingual expertise. At the end of the IP, you will begin negotiating your individual study plan with the EMMIR staff, sketching your focus and mobility track and linking the courses selected with your individual profile and objectives.

 

The first semester includes two complementary courses focusing on methods/methodology and on theories of migration and intercultural relations. In both modules, UOL academic staff will cooperate with international scholars and other guest speakers. 

Semester 2

For semester 2, you will move with the full edition to Stavanger, where the Norwegian and the Slovenian partners are jointly in charge of planning and carry­ing out the teaching. Semester 2 consists of two modules, offering the possibility to further specialise in your field of inter­est.

  • Module MM21 focuses on Migration between Time and Temporality: Regional Perspectives.

  • Module MM22 Theorising Migration and Multiculturalism will give you the possibility to select three out of at least six sub-modules.

 

In March of se­mester 2, EMMIR staff at the University of Stavanger and the EMMIR coordinator will provide you with support to organise your individual mobility path. By the end of semester 2, you will have further devel­oped your concept of specialisation and research perspective in the field and you will commit your further studies to one of the five programme foci (i.e. questions of knowledge production, representation and power relations; issues of gender, diversity and intersectionality; approaches to development, conflict, climate change and justice; concepts of education and citizenship, and; policy analysis, digitisation/AI).

Semester 3

In semester 3, you will start fol­lowing your individual mobility path and at­tend a Focus Module (MM32) at one of the partner universities. Also, you will concen­trate on a Project-Based Internship (MM31) following your individual research focus.

 

Framed by a small thematic research team, you will enhance your individual profile: link­ing your disciplinary with transdisciplinary perspectives, having expert knowledge in a specific area, further accentuated by a bi/multilingual profile, research and interaction in the field. Already in con­tact with your potential MA disserta­tion supervisor, you will also use the third semester to develop your disser­tation proposal.

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Options for third semester mobility are: UOL, UNG, CU, UG, MUST, Wits, and CRG. Please read more about our partners here.

Semester 4

The full edition will meet at the start of semester 4 (December) for a man­datory proposal colloquium at UOL in order to prepare for the thesis from a theoretical and methodological level.

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The colloquium is carried out jointly by all partners. Subsequently, super­vision groups will be formed attending research colloquia offered at the partner universities.

 

After the proposal colloqui­um, you will dedicate the fourth semester entirely to thesis research and writing. The thesis has to be submitted by 30 June (see MM41).

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For a list of previous theses, see here. For access to a specific thesis, please contact us.

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After your thesis is submitted and graded, passing students attend the EMMIR graduation ceremony in Oldenburg.  

Timing for Edition 14 (2027-2029)​

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Applications: 

  • Applications open: October 1, 2026

  • Deadline applications for scholarships and non-fee paying study places: December 20, 2026

  • Students' admissions: beginning/mid April 2026

  • Fee paying self-funded students may apply anytime at the latest by 15 July 2027 (depending on the availability of study places)

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Studies:

  • Orientation Day: September 1, 2027

  • Intensive Phase: September 1 to 30, 2027

  • Semester 1 (UOL): October 1, 2027 to December 22, 2027

  • EMMIR Conference (CU, Czechia): 1 to 3 December 2027

  • Semester 2 (UIS): January 2028 to May/June 2028

  • Semester 3:

  • Project-based internship: June/July 2028 to November 2028

  • Focus module: Dates depend on which focus module offered by EMMIR partner the student will take

  • Semester 4: 

  • Proposal Colloquium: December 2028

  • Thesis Writing: December 2028 to 30 June 2029

  • Thesis Submission: 30 June 2029

  • Graduation: First Friday of September 2029

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​Timing for Edition 15 (2028-2030)​

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Applications: 

  • Applications open: September/October 2027

  • Deadline applications for scholarships and non-fee paying study places: December 2027

  • Students' admissions: beginning/mid April 2028

  • Fee paying self-funded students may apply anytime at the latest by 15 July 2028 (depending on the availability of study places)

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Studies:

  • Orientation Day: September 1, 2028

  • Intensive Phase: September 1 to 30, 2028

  • Semester 1 (UOL): October 1, 2028 to December 22, 2028

  • Semester 2 (UIS): January 2029 to May/June 2029

  • Semester 3:

    • Project-based internship: June/July 2029 to November 2029

    • Focus module: Dates depend on which focus module offered by EMMIR partner the student will take

    • EMMIR Conference (UG, Ghana): July 2029 (TBC)

  • Semester 4: 

    • Proposal Colloquium: December 2029

    • Thesis Writing: December 2029 to 30 June 2030

    • Thesis Submission: 30 June 2030

  • Graduation: First Friday of September 2030


 

​Timing for Edition 16 (2029-2031)​

 

Applications: 

  • Applications open: September/October 2028

  • Deadline applications for scholarships and non-fee paying study places: December 2028

  • Students' admissions: beginning/mid April 2029

  • Fee paying self-funded students may apply anytime at the latest by 15 July 2029 (depending on the availability of study places)

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Studies:

  • Orientation Day: September 1, 2029

  • Intensive Phase: September 1 to 30, 2029

  • Semester 1 (UOL): October 1, 2029 to December 22, 2029

  • Semester 2 (UIS): January 2030 to May/June 2030

  • Semester 3:

    • Project-based internship: June/July 2030 to November 2030

    • Focus module: Dates depend on which focus module offered by EMMIR partner the student will take

    • EMMIR Conference (CRG, India): November 2030 (TBC)

  • Semester 4: 

    • Proposal Colloquium: December 2030

    • Thesis Writing: December 2030 to 30 June 2031

    • Thesis Submission: 30 June 2031

  • Graduation: First Friday of September 2031

 

​Timing for Edition 17 (2030-2032)​

 

Applications: 

  • Applications open: September/October 2029

  • Deadline applications for scholarships and non-fee paying study places: December 2029

  • Students’ admissions: beginning/mid April 2030

  • Fee paying self-funded students may apply anytime at the latest by 15 July 2030 (depending on the availability of study places)

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Studies:

  • Orientation Day: September 1, 2030

  • Intensive Phase: September 1 to 30, 2030

  • Semester 1 (UOL): October 1, 2030 to December 22, 2030

    • EMMIR Conference (CRG, India): November 2030

  • Semester 2 (UIS): January 2031 to May/June 2031

  • Semester 3:

    • Project-based internship: June/July 2031 to November 2031

    • Focus module: Dates depend on which focus module offered by EMMIR partner the student will take

    • EMMIR Conference (Wits, Soouth Africa): July 2031 (TBC)

  • Semester 4: 

    • Proposal Colloquium: December 2031

    • Thesis Writing: December 2031 to 30 June 2032

    • Thesis Submission: 30 June 2032

  • Graduation: First Friday of September 2032

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Inter-edition meeting times

 

During the course of your studies, you have the opportunity to meet with the two cohorts before yours. For example:

Inter-edition meeting times.png

EMMIR is a 2-year Erasmus Mundus master's degree in Migration and Intercultural Relations run by a consortium of 8 partner institutions in Europe, Africa, and Asia. 

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

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Last website update: September 2026

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