Leipzig Sociology places great importance on the analytical-empirical (explanatory) orientation of the subject. Students are taught to understand theories as models of the explanation of social reality. They learn to test the validity of statements from these models using the empirical, predominantly quantitative methods of social research. Accordingly, a major focus of the course is on analytical theory, statistics and survey data, experiments and computational social science analyses, supplemented by qualitative methods.

The research-oriented, predominantly analytical-empirical degree programme offers three profile lines: "Empirical Sociology and Computational Social Science", "Education and Health in the Course of Life" and "Transnational Society and Politics". Students select two of the three profile lines at the beginning and can study one profile line in more depth during the course of their studies. The programme also features obligatory participation in a one-semester research seminar. In addition, students can specialise individually through elective modules from other degree programmes.

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTU), Norwegen; University of Limerick, Irland; Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgien; Tallinn University, Estland; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spanien; Universidad de Granada, Spanien; Universität Bern, Schweiz; Universität Zürich, Schweiz; Università degli Studi di Trento, Italien; Università Degli Studi Di Napoli Federico II, Italien

The institute has two 2 computer pools, one of which is available for teaching and the other for students to work on data analyses and written assignments.

The institute carries out externally funded research projects in the fields of social structure and inequality research, computational social science, transnationalisation research and research into norm-compliant and deviant behaviour. The institute is currently involved in the national "Research Institute for Social Cohesion", carries out projects in the DFG-CRC 1199, in the National Education Panel (NEPS) and for the Ministries of Education and Research as well as for the Interior. It cooperates with the Institute for Analytical Sociology Linköping, Sweden, among others.

https://stura.uni-leipzig.de/fsr-sozio/