Master of European Social Security (Leuven et al)

The ideal prospective student should:

have a good knowledge of his/her own social security system and its workings;
be able to formulate research questions and carry out corresponding research in the area of social security;
have an open attitude toward other scientific disciplines and other national social security systems;
have good English language skills. (There are no special arrangements made for improving language skills during the programme.);
be able to collect relevant information about his/her own social security system and evaluate this information as to its quality and relevance for the research questions being dealt with;
be able to critically evaluate national social security research within his/her mono-discipline;
have the ability to form an opinion about social security issues, motivate it with scientific arguments and formulate it in a debate with others;
hold an appropriate degree in a social security-related discipline. (Very occasionally, students with an academic education in other disciplines but who possess long-term experience in an area of social security and research skills may be admitted the programme.)

While all prospective students should have knowledge of social security acquired by study, those with practical experience, e.g. experience working in a social security administration, are particularly valued. Some previous exposure to European social affairs and/or foreign social security systems is also helpful.

Graduates are professionally active in areas related to social security (social or private insurance institutions, social administrations, social and economic policy-makers).