International Political Economy of East Asia, M.A.
With a theory-based, contemporary, and practice-oriented range of courses, the Master of Arts programme in the subject International Political Economy of East Asia (IPEEA) is a programme offered by the Ruhr-Universität Bochum. In total, three of the university’s faculties –the Faculties VII (Economics), VIII (Social Science), IX (East Asian Studies)– and the Institute of East Asian Studies (IN-EAST) of the University of Duisburg-Essen have joined forces to guarantee professional education at the highest level within the range of areas covered by this unique programme.
The increasing importance of East Asia in the world economy and politics in the 21st century increases the demand for East Asian skills at all levels in research institutions, public administration, international organisations, private sector, and non-profit organisations. The M.A. IPEEA helps to meet this demand by qualifying students with a modern Master's degree for demanding tasks in or in relation to East Asia. It strives to provide skills to perform in a multidisciplinary and multinational environment.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | English, German |
| Required German | C1 |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €380 per semester |
| Practical semester | Optional |
| Campus | University Campus Bochum |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Every applicant who meets the formal requirements is admitted — but places can run out before the deadline, so apply at the start of the window.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →What you study
The M.A. program in International Political Economy of East Asia can only be studied as a single-subject program; the program essentially builds on the content of the bachelor's program in East Asian Economics and Politics. It is one of the few programs in Europe that offers in-depth postgraduate study on current political and economic issues and problems in the East Asian region (China, Japan, and Korea). The standard period of study is four semesters.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
Those who graduate from this program often work
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- in the public service/ministries
- in international organizations
- in companies with an East Asian focus
- in non-governmental organizations
- in research
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €380 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Those interested in studying this program should: bring: language skills knowledge of political science theory and methods knowledge of the region enjoy: researching, analyzing, and presenting political and economic topics struggle through: political science theory linguistic challenges seminar papers This program is suitable for graduates of the following subjects: East Asian Economics and Politics, B.A. general political and regional studies with an East Asian focus |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1, English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Directly to the university, winter semester until 15.07 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application directly to the university until 15.07Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.07.2027 (274 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.