Master of Arts Public Administration
General Information
The Master's programme in Public Administration provides the interdisciplinary knowledge and perspective of administrative, legal, social and economic factors required for decision-making and implementation in the public sector.
Built on a broad scientific foundation, the course conveys the essential knowledge on governance and programme design options available to fulfil public duties. The course focuses on the mission, structure and actions of public administration in Germany within an international context. While in Germany the administrative sciences are largely conditioned by the legal perspective, the academic programme is based on an interdisciplinary perspective with a strong focus on social sciences and empirical methods. Nonetheless, it does not neglect the legal perspective.
The 2-year Master's programme is for students who, after obtaining a relevant Bachelor's degree including at least 180 ECTS points, wish to deepen their knowledge and skills in the field of State Administration.
Course Description
The Master of Arts in Public Administration offers graduate level training organized to international standards. The lessons are taught as part of modules structured around particular themes which are discussed in terms of different scientific disciplines and practical lessons. At the same time, the acquired competences can be applied and tested in different practical contexts.
Candidates must have prior skills in legal, administrative, economic or social sciences. The organization of the modules is adapted to the big variety of interdisciplinary and key qualification courses in order to deepen and complement the pre-existing knowledge and experience of students.
The lessons and examinations are conducted in German and partly in English. To obtain the degree a candidate must receive 120 ECTS points. The Master's thesis amounts to 20 ECTS points. After passing the examinations, the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer awards the academic degree of "Master of Arts" (M.A.).
| 1st year | 1st and 2nd semesters | |
| Core Module 1 | Social Sciences I | |
| Core Module 2 | Public Law | |
| Core Module 3 | Economics | |
| Core Module 4 | Methods of Empirical Social Research I | |
| Core Module 5 | Perspectives of Interdisciplinary Work | |
| Core Module 6 | Social Sciences II | |
| Core Module 7 | Methods of Empirical Social Research II | |
| Core Module 8 | Information, Communication, Decision-making and Responsobility | |
| Internship |
| 2nd year 4 out of 6 Optional Modules | 3rd and 4th semesters | |
| Optional Module 1 | Government and Administration | |
| Optional Module 2 | Europeanization and Internationalization | |
| Optional Module 3 | Management and Organization | |
| Complementary Module | Extracurricular Studies | |
| Master's Thesis and Master's colloquium |
Application and Admission
To qualify, candidates must be in the top third of their class in their previous programme having achieved at least 180 ECTS points. Other skills particularly relevant to the achievement of a Master's programme, like professional experience, can have a positive influence on the admission procedure.
International students also must meet the language requirements of the curriculum, in which courses are taught mainly in German. The minimum language level required for admission must be proven through the successful completion of one of the following language exams: Certificate C1 (Goethe Institute), TestDaF 4 or DSH 2.
Accredited by FIBAA by September 30, 2023
