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

Policy game: What happens if the United States leave NATO?

Course-ID: PDC1092

Abstract

The scenario: Shortly after his second inauguration in January 2025, President Donald J. Trump moves quickly to fulfill one of his campaign promises: the withdrawal of the United States from NATO. The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) starts executing plans for the departure of all military assets from European soil, including nuclear and missile defense systems as well as U.S. forces assigned to NATO. Russia, still absorbed by its year-long campaign against Ukraine, hails the United States “for its contribution to a new era of European security”. European leaders, surprised by the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, enter crisis mode in an attempt to find consensus on a new European security architecture. Only a few months later, reports about local unrest of “ethnic Russians” in Estonia and military movements in the Russian exclave Kaliningrad appear on BBC Breaking News.

You will be assigned to one of five teams tasked with representing your country´s interest in the unfolding security crisis. The policy game is structured into four different phases. In each phase, new information about the unfolding scenario is given to the participants, presenting unique challenges to each team in each phase. The class will learn how to react in high-stakes security policy situations and unveil challenges to the European security architecture in the years ahead.

The class will conclude with a session on career paths in foreign and security policy.

Participants will be asked to contribute actively to the course with their own expertise and opinions to create a conducive learning atmosphere.

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

Professional writing for public policy

Course-ID: PDC1038
Instructors: Sebastian Gallander

Abstract

Whether you will work in government, in an NGO, for a political party, on parliamentary staff or in a think tank, you will always strive to put forward public policy ideas. Public policy ideas, however, can only really succeed when their goals get recognised and understood by the public. Therefore, they need to be explained clearly to the news media. To that end, policymakers should package their ideas into one of the two main products that can be processed by journalists and editors: The press release and the article. The press release is written like an objective, factual report highlighting the new aspects of the policy idea and puts it into the larger political context. The article (often referred to as Op-Ed) gives a strong, well-argued opinion about the policy idea and is supposed to be published under the name of the policymaker – may it be in the New York Times or at huffingtonpost.com. 

Of course, offering these two products to the media does not guarantee that they will cover it and that your policy idea will be readily embraced by the public. But it gives you a fair chance to make your voice heard. Hence, everyone working in public policy should be confident in structuring their thoughts like this and writing them down in an easy-to-comprehend fashion. To prepare you for this, the course will teach you the basic techniques of these two types of texts. At the same time, it aims to help you sharpen your writing skills overall. Ultimately, this course should also strengthen your sense of developing storylines and narratives that resonate with the public.  

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Master of Public Policy Master of International Affairs

Running for public office

Course-ID: PDC1055
Instructors: Dr. Cornelius Adebahr

Abstract

Populism and distrust of politicians are on the rise across Europe. The ‘political class' is blamed for being aloof, self-interested and out of touch with voters' (and non-voters') concerns. Increasing political polarisation has citizens at the political centre frustrated about how the fringes are dominating much of the public discourse.

To refresh political processes all over Europe and to overcome voter apathy, more people of different backgrounds should run for political office. In many countries it is indeed ‘old elites' controlling access to important political positions, which is why people seek to influence decision-making outside of the established structures. Yet, the cases where new political parties emerged to channel citizens' anger have so far produced mixed results - whether Neos in Austria, En Marche in France, Alternative for Germany just there, or Ciudadanos and Podemos in Spain.

The course's aim is to encourage more - and in particular young - people to become a candidate by raising their awareness of the related challenges and equipping them with some tools for a political campaign. It is a leadership training for those who dare consider running for public office, be it at the local, state, federal, or European level.

The course combines elements such as personal motivation and goal formulation, democratic theory and political campaigning, team leading and communication training. It will also tackle the question of whether to join a party, found a new one, or run as an independent. Over time, it is intended to develop a cross-party network of aspiring candidates, fostering both an individual can-do attitude as well as a group spirit among those who partake in the course.

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Master of Public Policy Master of International Affairs

Starting a social business from scratch

Course-ID: PDC1060

Abstract

This course is for Hertie School students who are interested in starting a business/nonprofit, who have a project or an idea but don't know how to pursue it further, who wish to work in ‘start-up adjacent' industries of corporate innovation, digitalisation or innovation in the public sector or consulting, where they may have to deal with ‘innovation' or ‘start-up' topics, etc.

This course is designed as a conceptual overview as well as a ‘how-to' guide where students will both be offered a broad overview of the field, giving them the basic concepts to further engage with a stronger conceptual basis. It is also partially a crash course, offering them a basic blueprint on ‘getting started' with an idea or concept. While not exhaustive, the course should offer a ‘jumping off point' for would-be entrepreneurs to understand how to test, prototype and plan an iteration of a new business concept.

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Master of Public Policy Master of International Affairs

Statistics II

Course-ID: GRAD-C6-2001
Instructors: Prof. Asya Magazinnik, PhD

Abstract

This course continues the sequence in statistical modeling. Assuming prior knowledge in simple and multiple linear regression modelling, it introduces you to a new perspective on studying causes and effects in social science research. Based on a framework of causality, the course agenda covers various strategies to uncover causal relationships using statistical tools. We start with reflecting about causality, the ideal research design, and then learn to use a framework to study causal effects. Then, we revisit common regression estimators of causal effects and learn about their limits. Next, we focus on matching, instrumental variables, difference-in-differences and fixed-effects estimators, regression discontinuity designs and techniques to explore moderated relationships. All classes divide their time between theory and application.

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

 

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

Understanding and influencing the legislative process

Course-ID: GRAD-PDC1090

Abstract

This course provides participants an in-depth and practical understanding of national legislative bodies. Through a comparative approach that utilises both the US Congress and the German Bundestag as case studies, this workshop is a holistic and interactive offering for prospective practitioners interested in influencing the policymaking process. The curriculum incorporates complementary lectures, simulations and discussions with a focus on drafting legislation and amendments, committee hearing and voting procedures, legislative negotiations, lobbying, parliamentary coalition agreements and the impact of elections and campaign contributions. Participants will also garner a stronger aptitude for analysing contemporary political trends and their effects on democratic institutions. 

After participating in this workshop, students will be able to:  

  • Draft legislation and amendments and utilise key legislative procedures;  
  • Negotiate legislation and coalition agreements with ideologically diverse actors;  
  • Understand the intersections between politics and policy and the role public and private institutions play in influencing the policymaking process;  
  • Develop strategies to shape legislation to ensure one’s preferred policy outcome.  
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Master of Public Policy

Design and evaluation of health policies

Course-ID: P1058
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Mujaheed Shaikh

Abstract

Healthcare is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors in the world. It is also one of the most complicated sectors to manage given the uncertainty of healthcare demand and the frequency of government intervention. This project course introduces students to the challenges that health systems face in designing policies to improve efficiency and population health. It is designed to help students think in a critical and creative manner about the challenges of health policy through a social and economic lens. The course covers aspects on the organisation and financing of specific health systems, impact evaluation of health policies, and cost-effectiveness of public programs. It will also provide students the opportunity to redesign crucial aspects of health policies jointly with the project partner.

This course is for 1st year MPP students only.

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Master of Public Policy

Detecting market dominance and emerging digital sectors

Course-ID: P1053
Instructors: Prof. Joanna Bryson, PhD

Abstract

The business model of digital platforms and the new digital sector in general are challenging the framework and tools applied by European regulators. Undetected market power could lead to underenforcement of competition policy to the detriment of consumers, it could also delay or minimise sectoral regulation to the detriment of citizens more broadly.

This course will contrast traditional approaches to measuring market power, such as market share, with new metrics such as market capitalisation, share of user attention, share of digital resources including bandwidth, as well as other metrics innovated by the students. It will cover the challenges of the European competition policy enforcement and question some of the narratives prevalent in the policy discussion on the digital economy, such as whether larger companies are always more efficient, this benefiting consumers, or whether consumers prefer more targeted advertising.

This is a project course focusing on the shortcomings of the existing analytical framework and on identifying areas of potential underenforcement or overenforcement. Students will help document, discover, and even innovate new measurements of market power in the kinds of markets described above. Students will work in research teams, each team focusing on a specific potential measurement, with the goal of producing publishable, theory- and practice-driven reviews and commentary. They will also be presenting tests of their new measures. There will be relatively few formal lectures and much more guidance of the teams by experienced researchers, one academic (Bryson) and one regulatory (Malikova).

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Master of Public Policy

Diagnosing crony capitalism and kleptocracy

Course-ID: GRAD-P1064
Instructors: Prof. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi, PhD

Abstract

This project course is an innovative attempt to research crony capitalism and kleptocracy. It is run in partnership with the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, which will do the research on Ukraine and Russia, while our class will cover all the countries that are of interest to students. The goal is to define cony and political capitalism and identify indicators and data sources to diagnose it. Students will cooperate on creating a diagnosis tool and report for corrupt capitalism by directly writing various parts. The final report will include both quantitative parts and short country narratives which will be published on the Corruption Risk Forecast (www.corruptionrisk.org). Volunteers will be able to record podcasts and short videos of their contributions, which will be published by the European Research Centre for Anti-corruption and State-Building – ERCAS (established at the Hertie School) and our partner, the Center for International Private Enterprise – CIPE.

This course is for 1st year MPP students only.

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Master of Public Policy

Digital development cooperation

Course-ID: GRAD-P1059
Instructors: Lea Gimpel, Toni Kaatz-Dubberke

Abstract

Digital transformation is both an opportunity and a challenge to make international development more efficient and sustainable and to make progress towards the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This project course is organised in collaboration with the German development agency GIZ and some of its partners. The course addresses how digital technologies drive social change processes and how to design, regulate and govern them for inclusive, human-centered sustainable development.

This course is for 1st year MPP students only.

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Master of Public Policy Master of International Affairs

Economics II: Economic Crises

Course-ID: GRAD-C8-106

Abstract

The course introduces the theory of economic crises. The theory is discussed against the backdrop of the recent financial crises of 2007/2008 and other historical accounts of previous financial-, banking-, and currency crises. Many of these crises can be viewed as coordination games where markets suddenly swing from a socially efficient equilibrium to a socially inefficient equilibrium. An emphasis on the analysis of coordination will overarch this course and lead us to the current frontier of the research on economic crises. Students learn why economic crises occur, how they evolve and by which means they can be prevented or, as the case may be, resolved. They become familiar with modern methods of solving coordination games and learn to apply these methods in the context of economic crises models.

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Master of Public Policy Master of International Affairs

Economics II: Economic and financial market policy

Course-ID: GRAD-C8-104
Instructors: Hans Peter Grüner

Abstract

The proper functioning of financial markets is essential for the functioning of any developing or advanced market economy. This course deals with important challenges to (economic) policymakers. In the first session, we lay the groundwork and refresh basic analytical instruments in economics. We introduce and discuss a modern view of the role of economics and provide an overview of fundamental results from general equilibrium theory and welfare economics. In the second session, we provide a thorough introduction to game theory and mechanism design. On this basis, we discuss why financial markets are important in practice. We analyse the role of financial intermediaries and the risks that are associated with financial intermediation. We compare traditional financial intermediation with recent innovations (peer to peer funding). Moreover, we study cases in which financial markets fail to work properly and we discuss appropriate policy responses. Sessions 4 and 5 are devoted to the analysis of fiscal and monetary policy measures that affect financial markets. In session 6 students present their casework on the design of a new financial and economic order in Europe.

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

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