Superdiversity in Education Organisations & Society (SEOS)

The alliance of the European University of Post­-Industrial Cities (UNIC), including University College Cork, has collaborated to create a unique interdisciplinary Joint-Master's degree course dedicated to unlocking new models of European learning, working, and researching that will shape the future of higher education.

Superdiversity in Education, Organisations and Society (SEOS) offers a truly European learning experience with an innovative hybrid learning architecture bringing together physical and virtual mobility.



A key feature of SEOS is that it combines theory, practice, and cutting-edge research methods through its engagement with the broader urban context of our partner universities; SEOS students explore state-of-the-art knowledge production through participatory research methodologies relating to superdiversity and its related concepts. This includes the promotion of rights-based and participatory approaches and inclusive practice and aims to equip the next generation of citizens with the 21st-century skills and knowledge needed to address the challenges of superdiverse societies.



The MA in Superdiversity in Education, Organisations and Society (SEOS) is unique in its interdisciplinary and intersectional approach to superdiversity, encompassing three key disciplinary perspectives: educational sciences, social sciences, and organisational and management research.



The SEOS programme offers a truly European learning experience with an innovative hybrid learning architecture combining physical and virtual mobility. Another key feature of SEOS is its engagement with the broader urban post-industrial context of all eight partner universities. Our SEOS students will be provided with transdisciplinary opportunities to engage with local stakeholders across Europe allowing them to identify and co-create solutions to contemporary challenges related to superdiversity, discrimination, and exclusion.



Superdiversity in Education, Organisations and Society is a Joint-Master's degree and comprises four semesters, delivered over two years (24 months) in a research-led curriculum.



The course is designed and delivered by the UNIC alliance, including UCC, where the ambition is to build a vibrant knowledge and innovation community committed to exploring the impact superdiversity has on education, organisations, and the wider society.



Superdiversity in Education, Organisations and Society will use the ECTS credit system to facilitate the recognition of qualifications and actively define mobility periods for students between each of the University partners which include:



University College Cork, Ireland (UCC)

Ruhr University Bochum, Germany (RUB)

Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands (EUR)

University of Deusto (Bilbao), Spain (UDeusto)

Koç University (Istanbul), Turkey (KU)

University of Liège, Belgium (ULiège)

University of Oulu, Finland (UOulu)

University of Zagreb, Croatia (UZagreb)



Accreditation: Subject to formal approval and will be completed in 2024-25

Modules

Semester 1 - Fundamentals

A.1 Basic Module on Superdiversity (RUB, 15 credits)

A.2 Diversity-Sensitive Research, Teaching and Learning Methods (RUB, 10 credits)

A.3 Mobility and Exchange (RUB, 5 credits)



Semester 2 - Multidisciplinary Perspectives

B.1 Educational Concepts: Superdiversity as a Part of Education (RUB, 15 credits)

B.2 Superdiversity, Organisational Culture and Management (KU, 15 credits)

B.3 Superdiversity, Intersectionality, and Social Inclusion: Social Scientific Perspectives (UCC, 15 credits)



Semester 3 - In-Depth Studies

C.1 Pedagogy, Competence, and Literacy in the Super-Diverse Classroom (UZagreb, 15 credits)

C.2 Managing Superdiversity in the Organisational Context (EUR*, 15 credits)

C.3 Intersectionality and Decolonial Perspectives in a Mobile Society (UOulu, 15 credits)



Semester 4

MA Thesis (UDeusto, 30 credits)

*Note: Erasmus University Rotterdam will not be able to accept students in the first 2024 cohort.



For more information on course content, and the broader UNIC programme, visit the UNIC Superdiversity in Education, Organisations and Society page.



Placement or Study Abroad Information

Part of the joint curriculum is the integrated mobility of students.



All UNIC students can acquire intercultural and multilingual skills and experience European exchange thanks to the UNIC Inter-University Campus, a virtual and administrative home base that encourages and facilitates student mobility.

We accept applicants from diverse backgrounds who have completed a Bachelor’s degree (university first cycle, Bachelor, EQF level 6), preferably with a dissertation or an equivalent degree in a discipline of relevance to SEOS, that gives them access to a Master's degree programme and demonstrable experience in themes related to superdiversity in educational, organisational or societal contexts, including but not limited to the following fields:



Educational Sciences



Social Sciences

Related fields of study (e.g. social work; cultural studies; migration studies; gender studies)

Each year, SEOS may accept a study cohort with a total capacity of around 60 students. Admission may be granted to applicants who are not in conflict with national legal requirements for admission and meet the eligibility criteria.



Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the University-approved English language requirements. Please visit our Postgraduate English Language Requirements page for more information.



Travel Visas and Residency Permits

It is the responsibility of the students to check that the authorisations required for visa and residence permits are in order before the Partner Institution permits the student’s activities in the SEOS programme to take place for students. The Partner Institutions will make every effort to aid students in obtaining any necessary visa and residence permits before their studies commence.

Closing Date July 2025

2 Years (4 Semesters), full-time.

Start Date September 2025

Our MA provides vital training for careers in schools and universities, museums, galleries and associated fields, as well as developing the necessary transferable skills for professional work in such areas as journalism, media, design, advertising, the heritage industry, and arts administration. Our graduates have gone on to pursue careers in arts both in Ireland and abroad, in auction houses and the art market, in teaching and gallery work, while others have elected to pursue PhDs with us at University College Cork as well as University College London and the University of Oxford.