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The Master degree in Labour Studies is a 2 years (4 semesters) graduate program at the Department of Political Science, the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration – SNSPA, Bucharest, recognized by ARACIS (The Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education).  The program aims to provide top notch researchers and practitioners with expertise in the field of labour relations / industrial relations.

The Master program in Labour Studies has joined in 2016 the European Master in Labour Studies Network, a joint master program allowing the students to take part in Erasmus+ exchange programs and spend one semester at one of the other 13 members of the MEST/EMLS consortium:

London School of Economics (UK)
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain)
ISCTE Lisabona - Instituto Universitario de Lisboa (Portugal)
Universität Bremen (Germany)
University College Dublin (Ireland)
Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium)
Univerza v Ljubljani (Slovenia)
Università degli Studi di Firenze (Italy)
Università degli Studi di Milano (Italy)
Universität Trier (Germany)
Warwick University (UK)
Université Toulouse 1 (France)
Universiteit van Amsterdam (Netherlands).

The graduate students from the Labour Studies program can apply for an Erasmus mobility at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Germany), in accordance with the general mobility conditions for the Erasmus program in the Faculty of Political Science.

This program is designed for:

• Undergraduate and graduate students interested in analysing labour relations / industrial relations, labour market, social dialogue, relations between unions, firms and government, varieties of social and economic institutions, interest groups, social concertation, human resources, recruiting and training of employees, wage policies, corporate governance, innovation and team work, lifelong learning of adults, producing predictive analyses and strategies.
• Employees in trade unions, employers’ associations, private companies (human resources and strategic analysis departments), governmental agencies, local institutions, chambers of commerce. They will gain theoretical and practical knowledge about topics like social, fiscal and labour market policies, social dialogue, human resource management and workforce recruitment, wage policies, collective bargaining, corporate governance, predictive strategies and analysis, innovation and team work, lifelong learning, relationship between state institutions, unions, employers’ associations and private companies, drafting and negotiating collective agreements, producing predictive analyses and strategies.

The program is based on an intra- and trans-disciplinary approach, combining empirical, theoretical, critical and analytical skills and knowledge from Political Science, Sociology, Economy, Anthropology, Legal Studies, International Relations, Education Studies, Philosophy, Psychology, Public Administration, Journalism and Communications Studies, thus being a unique program in Romania.

Graduate students will acquire new skills in contextualizing knowledge, identifying the best explanations and suggesting solutions for practical issues regarding the functioning of the economy and of social institutions. As well, they will gain advanced skills in using instruments of critical argumentation, data collection, data analysis using qualitative and quantitative methods, and in formulating scientific-based predictions based on empirical research.

The program combines practical training in organizations like firms, chambers of commerce, consulting companies, research institutes, union federations and confederations, employers’ associations, field research under the coordination of a professor in the master’s program, with comparative methodological, theoretical and empirical training throughout the courses.

You will acquire solid competences, skills and knowledge that will make you attractive candidates for employers in the job market such as ministries and governmental institutions, international organizations, parliamentary committees, human resources and consultancy firms, NGOs, trade unions, employers’ associations. You will be guided and referred by our professors from the Political Science department and from the Sociology Department, having a vast expertise in teaching and research.

The graduates of the Master in Labour Studies work in private companies, public and private universities, trade unions, employers’ associations, local and central public administration, or continue their educational program at PhD level.

The quality and relevance of the Master in Labour Studies are certified by The Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) starting with the academic year of 2013-2014. This is the list of programs accredited in the ARACIS board of directors meeting from 27.06.2013 (document in Romanian). The full ARACIS report can be downloaded from here (document in Romanian).

 

Short description of courses:

Comparative Labour Relations and Social Dialogue

How do labour relations work across different political and economic systems? What shapes the balance between workers, employers, trade unions and the state? This course introduces students to the main theories, institutions and actors of labour relations, with a strong comparative perspective and a focus on social dialogue, collective bargaining and labour market regulation. It is structured in two main parts: first, students explore the key concepts and analytical frameworks used to understand employment relations, welfare states, institutional change, new technologies and transnational labour governance; second, they apply these tools to major national and regional cases, including Romania, Germany, the UK, the Nordic countries, East-Central Europe, as well as the USA and China. The course is highly interactive and discussion-based, combining theory with empirical analysis, current policy debates and student-developed case studies. By the end of the semester, students will be able to critically compare labour relations systems, explain how they evolve in connection with broader economic and political transformations, and use core concepts and comparative research skills to analyse real-world developments in labour and social dialogue.

 

Varieties of Capitalism and Economic Development

Why do some capitalist economies generate higher growth, stronger social protection or lower inequality than others? This course introduces students to one of the most influential frameworks in comparative political economy - the Varieties of Capitalism approach - and uses it to analyse how institutions shape development outcomes across advanced and post-socialist economies. Students will explore major differences between liberal, coordinated and dependent market economies, with particular attention to skill formation, corporate governance, welfare states, labour relations and labour market policies. The course also examines how globalization, European integration, deindustrialization and dualization reshape national models of capitalism and their social consequences. Combining core theory with comparative empirical analysis, the course encourages students to connect institutional arrangements to key outcomes such as inequality, employment, social protection and economic competitiveness. It is an interactive, reading-based course, built around discussion and critical debate, and it helps students develop the conceptual and analytical tools needed to understand contemporary capitalism in both Western Europe and Eastern Europe, including Romania.

 

Migration and Labour

How does migration reshape labour markets, development and social inequalities in an increasingly interconnected world? This course introduces students to the main theories and contemporary debates on international migration, with a particular focus on its relationship to work, labour mobility and economic transformation. Students explore topics such as global migration trends, feminization of migration, migrant networks, integration, transnationalism, remittances, return migration and the migration-development nexus. The course combines major theoretical perspectives with empirical case studies and comparative discussion, helping students understand how migration affects both sending and receiving societies. It is a highly interactive course, based on debate, close reading and student engagement, and includes both collaborative discussions and an individual research project. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically analyse migration as a social, economic and political process, and to connect migration dynamics to labour, development and public policy in contemporary societies.

 

Anthropology and Sociology of Labour

The course aims at familiarizing with the social and cultural significance of the work from the anthropological perspective, but also exploring the theories and the constitutive themes of the discipline. Starting from the dynamics specific to the various historical stages of the industrial revolution, passing through Fordism, post-Fordism, flexible accumulation (Harvey 1990), deindustrialisation and ending with the neoliberal regime of flexibility, the themes of the course will examine and interrogate political and institutional factors which had an impact on the work and workers (in agriculture, crafts, industry and the tertiary sector) globally and locally. Starting with ethnographic and theoretical texts, we will address the relationship between class, gender, ethnicity and work with an emphasis on post-socialist transformations in Eastern European countries (e.g. the recent emergence of "atypical work" forms). For the in-depth understanding of the significance of the themes approached, we will benefit from the expertise of expert guests (professionals and researchers) who will participate in some of the debates we will organize during the course. Topics we will cover: From agriculture to factory: time and routines in the process of industrial revolution; Fordism: the scientific organization of labour; Industrialization and mobilization of the labour force during the socialist period; Domestication of the industry and the appearance of the peasant-worker; Communities and professional cultures: prerequisites for solidarity; Postmodernity and flexible accumulation: relocation of production and emergence of caravan capitalism; Privatization, joys and failures of post socialism: labour ethics and the political economy of deindustrialisation and guarding and protection services; Small capitalists, family work and self-exploitation; Installers, bone and work away from home; Post-industrial landscapes and service economy; Time management and organizational cultures: teambuilding, downshifting and personal development

 

Data Analysis Methods

How do we turn social questions into credible evidence? This course introduces students to the main concepts, research designs and analytical tools used in social science data analysis, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Students learn how to work with data from the stage of research design and measurement to the interpretation of results, with practical training in descriptive and inferential statistics, including correlation, regression, t-tests, ANOVA and experimental designs. The course also covers qualitative data collection and analysis, with a focus on interviews, focus groups and the development of research instruments. A strong applied component runs throughout the semester: students use Microsoft Excel and R for data management and statistical analysis, work with real datasets, practice replication, and develop their own analytical skills through seminar exercises and Datacamp assignments. By the end of the course, students will be able to design basic research projects, analyse quantitative and qualitative data, and confidently interpret empirical findings in social science research.

 

Sociology of Interest Groups

How do interest groups shape public policy and democratic life? This course introduces students to the sociology of interest groups, from classic questions about collective action, membership and leadership to broader debates on lobbying, social movements, civil society and state-society relations. Students examine how groups organize, mobilize resources, define collective interests and seek to influence political and economic decision-making. The course combines key theoretical approaches with applied case studies on trade unions, NGOs, protest movements, religious actors and lobbying strategies, with examples from Romania and beyond. Strong emphasis is placed on critical discussion, weekly readings and student-led case analysis. By the end of the course, students will be able to distinguish between different types of interest groups, understand their role in democratic governance, and use sociological concepts and empirical evidence to analyse how collective actors shape public agendas and policy outcomes.

 

Management of human resources

How do organizations attract, develop, motivate and retain people in a changing world of work? This course introduces students to the main concepts, practices and analytical tools of human resource management, with a strong focus on the socio-organizational dimensions of work and employment. Students explore key topics such as HR strategies and policies, job analysis, recruitment and selection, training and professional development, career development, performance management, employee motivation, and reward systems. The course also includes an applied perspective on HR measurement and evaluation, helping students understand how organizations assess efficiency, turnover, absenteeism, wellbeing and the impact of HR initiatives. Combining theoretical foundations with case studies, team exercises and practical discussion, the course helps students connect HR processes to broader organizational goals and workplace realities. By the end of the course, students will be able to critically understand the role of HR in organizations and to use core concepts and methods in analysing people management, performance and organizational development.

 

Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Training and Work

How are digital technologies and artificial intelligence transforming work, skills and inequalities? This course introduces students to one of the most dynamic areas of contemporary social analysis, exploring how AI, platforms and algorithmic systems reshape jobs, organizations, labour markets and employment relations. Bringing together perspectives from the sociology of work, political economy and technology studies, the course examines topics such as platform work, algorithmic management, workplace surveillance, automation, generative AI, recruitment technologies, invisible labour, digital rights and European regulation. A special focus is placed on South-Eastern Europe, including Romania, as part of the semi-periphery of the digital economy, where outsourcing, call centres, microtasking and content moderation reveal distinct patterns of vulnerability and adaptation. The course is strongly applied and does not require prior technical knowledge: students learn to analyse real cases, connect theory with policy and organizational challenges, and develop practical skills for critically and responsibly using AI tools in research, professional work and public debate. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and evaluate how technology changes work, power, control, job quality and workers’ voice in a rapidly changing world.