Institut für Politikwissenschaft

Master of Public Policy and Social Change (MA)

Understanding the complexity of public policy in a fast-changing world is becoming ever more important for policymakers and analysts. Master of Public Policy and Social Change (MPPSC) is a first-class international Master's programme focusing on the analysis of public policies in the light of social changes and societal challenges at the national, regional and global level. It is a consecutive Master's programme for highly-motivated international BA graduates of political science, sociology and related social-science disciplines. MPPSC will enable graduates to become the policy analysts of tomorrow, for a world better governed.

The programme provides students with knowledge of the relevant sociological and political science theories and skills in quantitative and qualitative methods enabling them to analyse and critically assess policies and social change and communicate them to decision-makers.

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A core element of the programme is its international comparative focus. Students will critically assess the performance of countries and effectiveness of policies in dealing with social change and societal and economic challenges. In addition to core obligatory courses, students can choose from various specialisation courses and interdisciplinary electives.

The core faculty members responsible for delivering teaching and supervision on the MPPSC programme are leading experts of political science, sociology and public policy with an international profile. In addition to their background and experience of the German university sector, the MPPSC team members have studied and worked in various excellent universities in Austria, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States. Hence, they have the expertise and experience required to deliver a genuinely international experience to students in Tübingen.


By integrating political science, sociology, research methods, and other fields, the program has a rigorous and well-conceived curriculum that ensures students receive the best possible training. All of this place takes place in a dynamic university that cultivates intellectual curiosity and creative exploration, while insisting on real-world relevance. Students are sure to have a terrific experience in this program.

Prof. David Brady (UC Riverside, USA)

This very timely and innovative programme provides students with excellent range of skills, both practical and theoretical, to enable them to be leading and thoughtful experts in the field of policy analysis.

Prof. Heejung Chung (University of Kent)


Key Facts

Duration

4 Semesters
(course start October)

Credits

120 ECTS Credits,
including MA Thesis 
(24 ECTS Credits)

Language

English

Fees

EU Students: No fees
Non-EU Students: 
1,500€ per Semester


Course Structure and Module Overview

Modules / Areas Recommended Semester ECTS Credits
Public Policy 1-2 12
Social Stratification and Change 1-2 12
Methodological Foundations and Reflections 1 15
Qualitative Research Methods and Research Ethics 1-2 15
Quantitative Research Methods 2-3 18
Interdisciplinary Electives 1-3 12
Specialisation Electives  2-3 12
Thesis  4 24

Examination Regulations

MPPSC Examination Regulations (official translation of the original German documentation)

Areas of Specialization

  • Comparative Public Policy 
  • Analysis of Social Inequalities 
  • Effectiveness of Interventions 

Interdisciplinary Electives

A wide variety of topics from: 

  • Comparative Politics (including Comparative & Middle East Politics, and Politics and Society in East-Asia) 
  • Ethics and Sustainability 
  • Economics and Econometrics 
  • Modern Languages

Information for Applicants

Application

Applications for October 2024 entry will be open in February - the application deadline is 31 May 2024. Applications are accepted electronically only via our application portal.

Bachelor's Degree Requirements

 Bachelor's Degree Certificate in Political Science, Sociology, Economics, or related Social Science discipline (usually of 180 ECTS) with a final GPA of at least 2.0 based on the German grading system or equivalent. Final grades of international applicants will be converted into the German grading system and are therefore also subject to this rule.

  • Applicants should attach a certificate stating that they have successfully completed their first university degree. If the applicant is yet to complete their final examinations they are required to attach a transcript (or equivalent documents) providing evidence of the successful completion of the year prior to the final examination.

Complete Transcript of Records with a final grade or calculated grade average.

  • The transcript should also prove that the applicant has a basic knowledge of empirical social research and statistics. 
CV

  Applicants are expected to attach a CV in tabular format in English (max. 2 pages).

Letter of motivation

  Applicants are expected to attach a one-page letter of motivation.

Language Requirements

  Proof of English Language Qualification (for all applicants whose first language is not English)

  • Level B2/C1 or equivalent according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), normally translated to: 
    • TOEFL ibt: 79
    • TOEFL pbt: 550 
    • IELTS: 6.5 (overall band)
    • Cambridge English Scale 176
    • German HZB /z.B. Abiturzeugnis, Fachhochschulreife
    • Secondary school certificate and/or university degree where the main language of instruction and examination was English
Additional Documents

Further documents proving specific qualifications relevant to the desired course of study may be submitted. Examples of these additional documents are, among others, proof of additional foreign language skills, results of relevant tests or exams taken, and certificates of participation in summer schools or research projects that are not documented in the applicant's academic transcript. 

Note: It is not compulsory to send reference letters. However, if you wish to hand in reference letters, you can do so voluntarily.

Recognition of International Degrees

Please note that we as the academic advisory team are not in a position to provide accurate information regarding the recognition of international degrees in Germany. These matters are handled by our central Student Affairs Office (Advising and Admission of International Students) who can provide information about the recognition of specific degrees as well as grade conversion.

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Scholarship Opportunities

Useful information about available scholarship opportunities through various foundations and organizations can be found from the University of Tübingen information website for International Students.

Scholarship information via the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Admission

Incoming applications will be reviewed by the admission committee to determine whether they meet the entry requirements and then ranked according to the grades the applicants obtained in their undergraduate studies and other criteria. After the applications have been reviewed by the admissions committee, the strongest candidates will be invited for an admissions interview. Invitations will be sent via email and the applicants will then be able to book an appointment for the interview from a number of available interview slots. Interviews are conducted online via Zoom. Candidates who will get an offer of admission will be notified as soon as possible. Please note that after receiving the official admissions letters in June, all applicants who receive an offer have only a limited period of time within which to accept the offer and matriculate at the University of Tübingen.

The City of Tübingen

Welcome to live and study in the beautiful city of Tübingen (via the Tübingen city website).

Further Questions?

For further questions, please contact: 

MPPSC Program Lead
Dr. Mikko Kuisma 
Institute of Political Science 
 Melanchthonstr. 36 | 72074 Tübingen | Germany 
 +49(0)7071-29-75687 
mppscspam prevention@wiso.uni-tuebingen.de