SDAC Program
Here you can find general information on the study program as well as the regularly updated program structures for each upcoming semester.
Standards of Decision-Making Across Cultures (SDAC) is an interdisciplinary study programme in cultural studies with an emphasis on East Asian societies. It allows the students to acquire profound academic and methodological knowledge, as well as additional key skills regarding decision-making processes in East Asia.
The MA degree program requires a BA degree of variable disciplinary orientation. This non-consecutive Master’s program draws from the fields of anthropology, philosophy, political science, economics, history, and Chinese studies. In addition to core courses, students have the possibility to further shape their curriculum around linguistic-cultural, comparative-philosophical, or economical & political academic focuses.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, students spend their third semester at the European Centre for Chinese Studies (ECCS) in Beijing, and are given the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to both academic and everyday situations in China.
The programme is organized into four semesters. Students must acquire a total of 120 ECTS credit points. The Master’s thesis is due at the end of the fourth semester. The study plan includes lectures (including the IKGF lecture series), seminars and tutorials. All courses are held in English.
For a detailed description please refer to the catalog of modules.
Degree
Master´s Degree (Master of Arts)
The programme opens job perspectives for graduates in professions concerned with culture, politics, and business, as well as in intercultural work environments where the aforementioned fields of study intersect. Graduates will be capable of taking a culturally sensitive and discerning stance when participating in real-world decision-making, both in an international and specifically Asian-European context. Their skills and expertise to operate in an international environment qualify them for leadership positions.
Course Objectives
Students acquire valuable academic and methodological knowledge, as well as additional key skills regarding decision-making processes in East Asia and beyond. Over the course of the degree program, students receive insight into the processes of decision-making in cultural, political, and entrepreneurial settings. They develop a new cross-cultural perspective on decision-making processes, utilize their knowledge in an interdisciplinary context, learn to approach research questions from an academic perspective and to cultivate their independent thinking. These qualities eventually enable them to develop intercultural sensitivities and to facilitate cross-cultural decision-making processes. The acquired knowledge from the disciplines of anthropology, philosophy, political science, economics, history, and Chinese studies will enable them to gain skills in the fields of communication and critical thinking, as well as to work in an independent, solution-oriented, critical, and analytical manner in various professional circumstances requiring expertise from humanities, area studies, and social sciences.
As a non-consecutive program, the SDAC opens perspectives on both academic and non-academic professions. For example, outstanding students can receive support from faculty members to apply for a Ph.D. program in related fields. The proximity of our program to the IKGF offers a favorable environment for academic networking and research. Depending on their background and interests, students may also qualify for internships and job positions in a variety of fields related to their chosen orientation in the program. In particular, they would be eligible to work in an international environment where they could apply their intercultural sensitivity, interdisciplinary academic expertise, and communication proficiency.
Application
If you want to apply to SDAC program, please check our application page for detailed information.
Study Abroad
SDAC offers opportunities for studying abroad.
For more information about the abroad semester, please click here.
Recomended
You can find other relevent information on FAU Abroad study section in the following link.
FAQs
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