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Find individual courses here or browse the curricula of our graduate and executive programmes.
For the PhD programmes, please find more information here.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of International Affairs Master of Public Policy

Writing policy memos: When and how to communicate what

Course-ID: GRAD-PDC1076
Instructors: Zoé von Finck

Abstract

The objective is to better understand how and in which context to write policy memos and how to prioritise information relative to the recipient and the situation. Learning will be gained through teaching and exercises based on real-life communication in current and former (German) foreign policy and development contexts. It will also include a current case study that will be determined in due course. 

The learning objective is to better understand when and how to communicate what and gain a better insight into the craft of writing policy memos. The course will focus on German policy memos, however, the principles of communication certainly still apply in various international contexts.

The course will present different policy settings where communication is required, for instance 1) how to inform and advise policymakers on current events 2) how to inform and advise policymakers on important decisions 3) how to prepare memos for foreign policymakers when they are discussing specific subjects with their counterparts (for example other Ministers of Foreign Affairs), 4) how to communicate an issue to the press and 5) how to report from an Embassy abroad (cable writing).

In summary the learning outcome will encompass:

  • An awareness and understanding of different communication situations 
  • An awareness and understanding of different forms of policy memos 
  • An introduction to situation-based communication and a better understanding of the kind of information policymakers need  
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Master of Data Science for Public Policy

Causal inference

Course-ID: GRAD-C22
Instructors: Dr. William Lowe

Abstract

This course presents the theory and practice of contemporary causal inference and its recent applications in and connections to data science and machine learning. Significant advances in causal inference have come from a wide variety of disciplines, including philosophy, economics, statistics, computer science and epidemiology. This course will introduce students to methods from all of these disciplines and will consider what they can add to a wide range of policy debates, from traditional policy impact assessment, through research design criticism and correction, to recent conceptual frameworks of fairness as they illuminate normative policy dilemmas. Because nothing is more practical than a good theory.

This course is for 1st year MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy

Data structures and algorithms

Course-ID: C9

Abstract

This course begins with an introduction to fundamental programming concepts and presents important concepts in data structures and algorithms. Students will learn how to design and how to analyse efficient algorithms as well as how to write efficient code using established software engineering practices and paradigms. This combination of the theoretical and the practical will position students well to have confidence in undertaking substantial software engineering projects.

This course is for 1st year MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of International Affairs Master of Public Policy

Economics II: Macroeconomic policymaking and economic growth

Course-ID: GRAD-C8-110
Instructors: Gylfi Zoega

Abstract

This course covers equilibrium in the macroeconomy in the short run, the medium run and the long run. The short-run models show the causes of the business cycle, the medium run models the origins of inflation in the labour market and the long run models the determinants of economic growth. This course concludes with a treatment of monetary and fiscal policy.

This course is for 1st year MIA and MPP students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy

Machine learning

Course-ID: GRAD-C24

Abstract

This course provides an introduction to the world of machine learning. By the end of this course students will have a sound understanding of the key concepts of machine learning, the ability to analyse data using some of its main methods and a solid foundation for more advanced or more specialised study. The course covers standard topics in supervised and unsupervised learning, including the most common learning algorithms for regression, classification and clustering, but also touches on advanced topics in machine learning particularly important for public policy, such as uncertainty quantification. Students will learn the fundamental concepts underlying machine learning algorithms as well as the practical use of machine learning algorithms using open-source frameworks.

This course is for 1st year MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of International Affairs Master of Public Policy

Bayesian hierarchical and latent variable modeling

Course-ID: GRAD-E1456

Abstract

This course provides a theoretical and practical introduction to Bayesian hierarchical, i.e., multilevel and latent variable modeling. Students will engage with the foundations of the Bayesian approach, understand the utility of multilevel and latent variable models, learn how to programme, fit and evaluate such models using the modern probabilistic programming language Stan, get a glimpse at the underlying machinery and practice applying this knowledge to analyse various research questions.

This course is for 2nd year MIA, MPP and MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy

Deep learning

Course-ID: GRAD-E1394
Instructors: Prof. Lynn Kaack, PhD

Abstract

As the fastest growing subfield of machine learning, deep learning is the technology behind facial recognition, machine translation, AlphaGo, and many other well-known applications. As policy makers are beginning to regulate machine learning, technical understanding of deep learning in public policy is invaluable. In policy research and analysis, deep learning has only recently started to be applied. In this course, students will learn the main theoretical concepts of (deep) neural networks, and get introduced to applications in computer vision, natural language processing and other areas. Students will gain hands-on experience by training and testing their own models in policy-relevant applications. The main objective of this course is to enable students to scope out new meaningful and robust deep learning applications, and to advise decision makers on strengths and limitations of the technology.

This course is for MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of International Affairs Master of Public Policy

Digitalisation, democracy and development

Course-ID: GRAD-E1453

Abstract

In the late 1990s, optimistic scholars were convinced that digitalisation would help reduce the divide between developed and developing countries and foster democratisation processes. A few decades later, the digital divide is still remarkable, authoritarianism is on the rise and critical scholars are concerned that existing inequalities are reinforced by a new form of digital colonialism. In this course, we will closely study the development of Internet access and use in the Global South and resulting impacts on economic, political, and societal aspects. In the first section of the course, we will focus on access to the Internet in developing countries, exploring the different actors involved in setting up Internet infrastructure and discuss potential biases towards public and private actors based in the Global North. We will further review empirical work on the impact of Internet access on core developments such as democratisation. In the second section, we will focus on Internet use by both citizens and state actors in developing countries. In this section, we will review empirical literature on how citizens use the Internet to challenge their governments or foster innovations and how governments use the Internet to increase transparency or monitor civil unrest. Finally, we will do two lab sessions examining real-life data on Internet access and use. A key objective of the course is to provide students with a sound understanding of inequalities in the Internet’s infrastructure and resulting implications for access to and use of the Internet in developing countries. Based on the empirical studies we review, students will get an understanding of different conditions under which Internet access and use reduce or exacerbate existing inequalities. In addition, the course should foster students’ ability to critically evaluate empirical studies in the field.

This course is for 2nd year MIA, MPP and MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of Public Policy Master of International Affairs

Diplomatic blunders and achievements

Course-ID: GRAD-E1430
Instructors: Wolfgang Seibel

Abstract

The subject of the course is the role of diplomacy in crisis management and conflict settlements. In substantive terms, the course aims at making students understand the specificities of, as well as the linkages between, diplomatic history and political science analyses of international relations. Through analysing four crucial episodes of high level diplomacy throughout 200 years of European history, the course will address the long waves organising and destabilising the international system. In methodological terms, the course introduces the case study method, especially causal process tracing and related research techniques such as mobilising documentary evidence, reconstructing causal chains and their ‘critical junctures’. In a second step, classic cases of diplomatic achievements and blunders will be analysed through presentations from seminar participants: The Vienna Congress of 1815, the Paris Peace Conference of 1919/20, the Munich Agreement of 1938 and the diplomatic efforts that rendered possible the peaceful ending of the Cold War and German reunification in 1989/90. With the support of invited experts, the final section of the course addresses the structural conditions and the role of strategy building – or the absence of it – in the current war-driven European crisis.

This course is for 2nd year MIA, MPP and MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of International Affairs Master of Public Policy

Gendered nature of health policies

Course-ID: GRAD-E1454
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Mujaheed Shaikh

Abstract

Health policies do not exist in a vacuum; they are influenced by and reflect societal norms, biases and structures. Gender, being a fundamental aspect of society, significantly impacts how health policies are crafted, implemented and experienced. Historically, health research and policies have often been gender-blind, leading to gaps in understanding and addressing the specific health needs of different genders. By studying the gendered nature of health policies, students can identify these gaps and work towards more equitable health outcomes for all.

This course is for 2nd year MIA, MPP and MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of International Affairs Master of Public Policy

Europe at war

Course-ID: GRAD-E1455

Abstract

The Russian aggression in Ukraine is a major turning point in the history of the European project. The European Union has shown strong unity in its reaction to the return of war to European soil, but this conflict also reveals its many fragilities. The main focus of this course will not only be to take stock of the reaction to two years of war in Ukraine but to analyse the long term consequences of this conflict on the nature and direction of the European project and on the role of the EU in its geopolitical environment and the actions to be taken from the point of view of a policymaker. This course will have a dual dimension of prospective and policymaking.

This course is for 2nd year MIA, MPP and MDS students only.

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Master of Data Science for Public Policy Master of International Affairs Master of Public Policy

European foreign relations and transatlantic security

Course-ID: GRAD-E1434

Abstract

Two developments in recent recent years have attracted particular attention in international relations: One is the European Union's ever-increasing effort to play a greater foreign policy role. This policy, which is often summarised under the heading of "strategic sovereignty," does not take place in a seamless and linear fashion, but affects different policy areas to varying degrees. While in matters of trade, climate and technology policy the EU already appears as a largely unified actor, foreign and security policy, on the other hand, are still organised intergovernmentally and are correspondingly weak. On the other hand, transatlantic relations as an axis of activity in German and European foreign policy have once again moved to the center of political and political science interest. This was triggered primarily by the European-American conflicts during President Donald Trump's term in office and the increasing "geopoliticisation" of international relations, as a result of which the relationship between the United States and Europe is being recalibrated. This course brings together these two policy areas and analytical perspectives.

By the end of the course, students should

- have acquired a comprehensive knowledge of the global role of the EU in its foreign policy;
- have critically discussed key issues and challenges in EU external relations;
- have understood the historical and institutional foundations of the transatlantic security relationship;
- have learned to assess and classify selected current challenges to transatlantic security relations;
- be able to apply corresponding theoretical key terms and analytical concepts;
- have developed an understanding of the concrete scope and limitations of action in foreign policy decision-making.

This course is for 2nd year MIA, MPP and MDS students only.

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