Social policy research covers key policy areas such as labor, migration, education, family, health, and social and income inequality. It involves the study of policies, programs, and initiatives within these areas, focusing on their development, implementation, and impact on society.
The Certificate in Social Policy can be completed by all students in the Master of Public Policy, Master of International Affairs, and Master of Data Science for Public Policy.
To earn the Social Policy Certificate, students must complete the following requirements:
- Two elective courses in the area of Social Policy Research.
- The MA thesis on a topic within Social Policy Research.
In exceptional cases, students may complete three courses in Social Policy Research instead of the MA thesis, but this requires approval from the Dean of Graduate Programmes.
Courses that deal with social policy research and social inequality count towards the certificate. They typically include courses taught by the members of the Social Policy Group (Ditlmann, Hassel, Kreyenfeld, Mair, Shaikh) and/or courses that fall in social policy and social inequality research taught by other instructors (including adjunct faculty). Note that specific courses in social policy and social inequality may not be offered every semester. If you are unsure whether a certain course fits, just send a message to: socialpolicygroup[at]hertie-school[dot]org
Please send a message to the Social Policy Group, if you seek a Social Policy Certificate: socialpolicygroup[at]hertie-school[dot]org. You can announce your interest any time. Please include in this email the following information:
- List of courses that you have already taken in Social Policy Research
- List of courses that you will anticipate taking in Social Policy Research (if already available)
- Tentative area of MA thesis
- Tentative year of graduation
After you have all the requirements together (usually after submission of your MA-thesis), please send a notification to the Social Policy Group. Please include the following information in this email:
- The name and number of the courses that count towards the Certificate
- Title of your MA-thesis and the name of your advisor
Usually, Certificates will be issued within 4 weeks after completion of all requirements. The certificate will be delivered by email (as pdf-file).
No, Certificates are offered on an extracurricular basis. In other words, they are not formal, accredited concentrations and do not appear on formal graduation documents.
Students can only earn one Certificate based on their studies, e.g. a Certificate in Social Policy, a Certificate in Economic Policy, or a Certificate in Sustainability.
Please note that pursuing a Social Policy Certificate does not grant priority in course registration or in the selection of a Master’s Thesis supervisor. The Certificate is intended to recognize students who concentrate on social policy and social inequality within their studies, though it is not part of a formal degree.
Sample Courses in the Area of Social Policy and Social Inequality
Below are typical courses that count towards the Social Policy Certificate. They typically include courses taught by the members of the Social Policy Group (Ditlmann, Hassel, Kreyenfeld, Mair, Shaikh) and/or courses that fall in social policy and social inequality research taught by other instructors (including adjunct faculty). Note that specific courses in social policy and social inequality may not be offered every semester. Please check our Course Catalog or contact the Social Policy Group for the offerings in the current semester: socialpolicygroup[at]hertie-school[dot]org
This course introduces students to the psychological science of prejudice and discrimination. We will be reading the cutting edge of psychological literature illuminating why we form groups, how groups can give rise to prejudice, and when prejudice translates to discrimination.
This course focuses on labor market institutions and policies, examining the challenges posed by shifts in the labor market, such as those driven by digital transformation.
This course provides an overview on theories and methods of social inequality and social stratification research.
Assess your own power bases and develop your own strategy for building and exercising power and influence ethically and responsibly. During the course, we intend to unearth your implicit theories and feelings about power and influence.
The course explores how gender influences health outcomes, access to healthcare, and the distribution of medical resources across different societies.