Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy University of Erfurt

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is a two-year, interdisciplinary and practice-oriented graduate programme that trains future decision makers from around the world with the analytical tools and practical skills to advance innovative and sustainable policy decisions.

The MPP is designed for young professionals pursuing a career in public service, government agencies, international organisations, consultancies and the non-profit sector. The programme equips students with the tools to design and implement sustainable, inclusive, and evidence-based policy solutions in an increasingly complex global environment. Conscious of the Western bias in policy education, the Brandt School’s MPP places specific emphasis on the agency of the Global South by training critical and context-specific policy analysis.

Our curriculum draws on political science, economics, statistics, public administration, ethics and law, reflecting the evolving needs of a global student body and a rapidly changing world. The programme begins with a strong foundation in public policy, ethics, research design, and data analysis, before allowing students to shape their individual academic path through flexible electives and specialisations.

During their studies, MPP students advance their knowledge in two out of the following five specialisations:

• Global Public Policy with an emphasis on climate and energy
• Sustainable and Inclusive Development
• Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management
• Peace and Conflict
• Digital Policy and Artificial Intelligence

A defining feature of the MPP is its emphasis on practical experience. Students complete a professional internship between the second and third semesters and participate in a capstone project in which they work in teams to provide pro bono consulting services to real-world policy clients such as government agencies, NGOs, and international organisations. These hands-on components, alongside a final Master’s thesis, ensure that graduates leave with the confidence and competence to navigate policy challenges across sectors and regions. 

The MPP is comprised of a minimum of 120 ECTS credits. The core curriculum consists of the following mandatory modules:

• Fundamentals & Ethics (first-third semester)
• Fundamentals of Public Policy – an interdisciplinary introduction to policy‑making that draws on political science, economics, law and ethics
• Ethics in Public Policy – addressing normative questions and value trade‑offs in policy design and administration
• Research Design – building the pathway to independent work: you’ll develop your methods toolbox and prepare your thesis project.

Core Electives (first and second semester)

In addition to the courses from the core curriculum, students choose two of the following three subjects:

• Comparative Public Policy – comparative frameworks, policy transfer and global policy flows
• Public Administration – governance frameworks, public sector management, public service delivery
• Economics – policy economics, cost-benefit analysis and performance assessment in public policy

Specialisations (first-third semester)

Students choose two of the following five specialisation modules according to their personal interests and professional needs:

• Global Public Policy with an emphasis on climate and energy
• Sustainable and Inclusive Development
• Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management
• Peace and Conflict
• Digital Policy and Artificial Intelligence

Practical Training Modules

These modules consist of an individual component (internship) and a team-based component (capstone course). In the latter, students solve a real-world policy challenge for an external client.

• Internship: Between the second and third semester, you complete a policy‑relevant internship — placing your classroom knowledge into professional practice, experiencing the challenges of real policy environments and shaping your future career path.
• Capstone Course (Project Group): In the third semester, you work in a team as consultants to an external policy client. The task: analyse a real policy problem and deliver recommendations. This is your “real‑world test” of both analytical and leadership skills.

Language & Intercultural Training

German language is compulsory for students without prior knowledge; other foreign‑language options allow you to broaden your intercultural competence and global readiness. 

Master’s Thesis (fourth semester)

The final semester is devoted to your Master’s thesis, accompanied by a thesis colloquium. You apply the full range of your analytical, research and professional skills to a policy‑relevant topic, often in collaboration with partners or institutions.

An internship, usually completed between the second and the third semester, is a requirement for completion of the degree. Designed to be an integral part of our students' education, the primary purposes of the internship are:

• to offer students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned from the classroom in a work setting
• to give students a practical perspective on policy analysis and public management
• to help them compare their abilities and interests with requirements in particular fields of public policy

The Brandt School provides assistance with application formalities, recommendations, contacts to alumni, information on current openings and previous internship placements at government agencies, international organisations, NGOs, and other non-profit or for-profit organisations in Germany and worldwide.

Our application usually opens on 1 January for the student intake on 1 October.

End of February: Priority deadline for all applications (strongly recommended). For the applications submitted before this date, the decision will usually be announced in March or early April.

30 April: Non-priority deadline for all applications / final deadline for all applicants who need a student visa prior to arrival

15 July: Final deadline for EU + EFTA nationals, and for all applicants who do not require to apply for a student visa prior to arrival

• Higher education entrance qualification (e.g. high school diploma, Abitur) 
• college or university degree (e.g. Bachelor's, Master's, Diploma, state exam, etc.) with a minimum duration of six semesters, ideally in subjects from the social sciences, economics, or law
• minimum of one year of professional work experience
• above-average grades
• strong analytical skills and pronounced interest in solving political problems
• very good English language proficiency

Approx. 300 EUR per semester

With an estimated average cost of living of 992 EUR per month (including accommodation, food, health insurance, etc.), studying in Erfurt is more affordable than in most other German university towns.

As a full-time student in Germany, you are allowed to work part-time alongside your studies. As an international student from outside the European Union, you are allowed to work:

• for three months during the semester break
• or up to 120 days (up to eight hours per day) evenly distributed over the year
• or 240 half days (no more than four hours per day) evenly distributed throughout the year.

The university’s "Studierendenwerk" has set up a student job agency in conjunction with the Erfurt Employment Office. In addition, various departments at the university often hire students for temporary work.

There are also a few opportunities to work as a student assistant at the University of Erfurt or at the Brandt School itself.

Outside of the Brandt School, German language proficiency can be a major asset in terms of employability.

https://www.uni-erfurt.de/en/brandtschool/studies/admissions/scholarships

Our Career Service assists students with finding internships and connects them to our alumni network for their professional future.

Since 2004, around 900 students from all over the world have graduated from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy. The Brandt School alumni network is unique because of the diversity of our alumni and the variety of organisations, institutions and countries in which our alumni work. We have alumni based in every region of the world in an array of fields including 28% in the private sector, 26% in public administration/politics, 15% in NGOs, 13% in research institutions/think tanks, 12% in academia, and the other remaining 6% in other fields.

The Brandt School makes every effort to secure a place in one of the student halls of residence for all MPP students. However, this means that your application should arrive as early as possible, as rooms are awarded on a first come, first served basis.

The residence halls are administered by the university's "Studierendenwerk" (Student Services Organisation). Rent is priced according to the size and quality of the room and the number of occupants. A deposit of 300 EUR must be paid for all student residences. Students generally live in rooms in shared apartments and there is a limited number of single apartments.

The same rental and residential conditions apply to all rooms in the various residence halls and rent includes service costs (heating, water, electricity).

Off-campus accommodation is available in Erfurt. Students who opt not to live in the student halls of residence typically have not too much difficulty in finding a small room or apartment at a reasonable price once they have arrived in Erfurt.

The Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, Germany's oldest public policy school, is situated within the newest public university, the University of Erfurt. Created in 2002 as part of the Faculty of Legal, Social and Economic Sciences and turned into an independent research institution in 2008, the school has operated since as an interdisciplinary, practice-oriented and international institute of higher education that has been preparing students for the demands and challenges of today's complex political world.

The University of Erfurt's long history dates back to 1379. In the 15th century, it became one of Germany's most important scholarly institutions. The University of Erfurt closed in 1816 and was reopened in 1994.

The University of Erfurt is a university for the arts and humanities, with a particular focus on cultural and social sciences. Forward-looking academic programmes that combine subject-specific knowledge and professionalisation, modern forms of teacher training, and an interdisciplinary general education programme are particular distinctions of the University of Erfurt.

Our mentoring programme and excellent student-faculty ratio guarantee that you will receive a high-quality education. Membership in key research associations and innovative graduate schools ensure first-rate research at the University of Erfurt, further characterised by a high degree of internationality and academic collaboration that transcends traditional subject lines.

The campus is close to Erfurt's city centre, making the University of Erfurt a lively part of the Thuringian capital, with its low cost of living and wide range of cultural and recreational activities.

With a population of over 200,000, the beautiful medieval city of Erfurt is one of the oldest cities in central Germany, and – at the same time – a thriving, modern capital of the Free State of Thuringia.

Erfurt is located in the heart of Germany, making it an ideal location for transport and travel. You can jump on a train and reach famous and buzzing German metropolis in almost no time: Leipzig (one hour), Berlin (two hours), Munich (under three hours), etc.

Numerous theatres, cinemas, museums, and leisure facilities as well as impressive nature reserves (e.g. Thuringian Forest) can be found in and around Erfurt.