Public Policy & Transformation: Climate-Social-Policy (MA)

The interdisciplinary Master's programme ‘Public Policy & Transformation – Climate-Social-Policy’ provides in-depth knowledge at the interface of ecological sustainability, public policy and social justice over three semesters. In the first two semesters, students acquire sound knowledge in sociology, political science, economics, ecology and quantitative and transdisciplinary research methods. This content is supplemented by modules on political communication and ethical reflection. The third semester focuses on an independent research project that prepares students for their Master's thesis and is carried out in close cooperation with practitioners. The programme follows the concept of planetary health and is based on the five core areas of this educational framework.

The programme prepares students for careers in the public sector and in organisations that advise the public sector or generate and disseminate new knowledge in or for this field. Jobs in the fields of scientific collaboration, strategy development, coordination, communication and consulting are a perfect fit. Employers include all institutions with a focus on transformative action, in particular local authorities, ministries, political parties, planning offices, associations and NGOs, as well as think tanks and research institutions. Private sector institutions may also be potential employers, for example in the field of corporate social responsibility.

Students are empowered to view a problem from different disciplinary perspectives, thereby learning a variety of solution strategies and assessing their possible applications and implications. This is also achieved through the use of concrete case studies and problem-based learning approaches. In the third semester in particular, the focus is on a specific project, which students are then expected to work on as part of their Master's thesis. Close cooperation with practitioners is essential here and offers students direct contact with potential employers.

Studying in small groups also encourages students to actively participate in the teaching and learning processes and engage in cooperative and productive exchanges with the teaching staff.

The Sankt Augustin campus is located in North Rhine-Westphalia and is easily accessible by public transport from Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf or Koblenz. Study and conduct research with us on a modern campus with excellent facilities. Small learning groups also enable you to establish good contacts with other students and lecturers. The university has a strong network and cooperates with around 90 foreign universities in more than 40 countries.