Master of Public Policy
In a world beset by complex, multi-layered and interrelated governance challenges – such as democratic backsliding, growing economic inequality, disruptive technologies, climate change, and armed conflict –, there is an increasing need for interdisciplinary, skilled and versatile professionals who not only have an analytical and nuanced understanding of these challenges but are also willing to move to action and make a contribution to good and responsible governance at the local, national, regional or global scale.
If this sounds like your calling, the Master of Public Policy (MPP) might be the right choice for you.
What's in a Master of Public Policy?
The MPP is an interdisciplinary, and practice-oriented social sciences degree that draws on the tools and insights of economics, political science, sociology, law, public management and organisation, statistics and data science to enable future leaders to understand complex governance challenges and design and implement innovative and sustainable solutions.
True to its motto “Understand today, shape tomorrow”, the MPP bridges the gap between the careful study of governance challenges and the successful implementation of policies to address them.
- 2-year, full-time programme (120 ECTS) in English, MPP degree
- Specialise in policy analysis or governance and leadership
- Integrated professional development: Internship and Professional Year programme
- Practice-oriented teaching with the Hertie School Policy Lab
- Career services, professional and alumni network
- Leading international faculty
- Scholarships available
- International academic exchanges and dual degrees
- Qualifies for a job-seeking visa in Germany (up to 18 months after graduating)
- Accredited by German Accreditation Council
In the first year of study, you will develop robust analytical skills in statistics and economics, while also learning the principles of public management, law and governance, the policy-making process, and project management.
Through these courses, you will acquire a broad and interdisciplinary theoretical and analytical framework to examine contemporary governance challenges, while honing practical skills such as policy writing and research design.
Toward the end of the first semester, you will get to select one of two areas of concentrations:
- In the Policy Analysis (PA) concentration, you will learn cutting-edge statistical and analysis tools and use them to make sense of empirical evidence on governance challenges. You will also learn to design, implement and evaluate public policies to address those challenges. Causality is a key issue addressed in the Policy Analysis concentration: How do we know if a policy is effective? How can a causal relationship between a policy intervention and the outcome of interest be established?
- In the Governance and Leadership (GL) concentration, you will be trained in modern concepts and methods of leadership, decision-making, public management and strategy. Whereas the Policy Analysis concentration focuses on which policy is most effective to address a specific challenges, in Governance and Leadership a central question is how to ensure the successful implementation of policies and how to design and lead organisations in a responsible and effective way.
In the second year, you will delve deeper into the key issues of your area of concentration, but will nonetheless have the opportunity to take courses outside your concentration. You will also have the opportunity to make an original contribution to the scientific study of a specific policy challenge by writing a master’s thesis under the supervision of a faculty member.
Regardless of the concentration that you choose, the MPP will enable you to effectively analyse data and complex empirical evidence, design, implement, and evaluate effective policy instruments, and make informed recommendations on actionable solutions to societal challenges. At the core of the program are not only analytical and critical thinking skills but also ethical considerations about the meaning of, and conditions for, good governance as a rich and multilayered concept.