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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 International Affairs

International negotiation: The Council of the EU

Semester 2 | Core course (GRAD-P105 , 6 credits )
Module: 4. International Negotiation

Abstract

This course will engage students in a near-to-reality negotiation on an existing (‘live’) EU legislation proposal. The students will adopt the roles of EU Member States, the EU Commission and the Council Secretariat and perform all activities related to the different stages of negotiation in the Council of the EU and in interactions with the EU Parliament. This involves formulating and adapting positions, briefing and – most importantly – performing as a negotiator. This entails skills like communicating in formal meetings and informal settings, building trust, forming alliances and dealing with stakeholders and conflicting interests. The course will also involve students in doing practical research on the file and the state of play in the ongoing (real) legislative process in Brussels, using publicly accessible sources.  

This course is for 1st year MIA students only.

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Master of International Affairs

Negotiation and mediation in international conflict situations

Semester 2 | Core course (GRAD-P102 , 6 credits )
Module: 4. International Negotiation
Instructors: Wolfgang Sporrer

Abstract

The course will focus on the practical application of the tools of mediation and negotiation in international conflict management.

After an introduction to the available tools, their legal framework and their history, the course will look at the possibility of their use for the prevention of conflict, its management as well for post-conflict rehabilitation and conflict transformation. This will be demonstrated using the example of real-life cases, where the discussion will focus on their use, their shortcomings and their potentials.

By the end of the course, participants will 

  • Understand various tools of negotiation and mediation in conflict
  • Understand their potentials and limitations.
  • Understand which tools have been used where and be aware of their real-life track records.
  • Be familiar with various institutions focussing on negotiation and mediation as conflict transformation tools.
  • Understand how principal players in international relations make use of these tools.
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Master of International Affairs

International organisations

Semester 2 | Core course (GRAD-C3-1101 , 6 credits )
Instructors: Harry Bauer

Abstract

International organisations are tasked with solving some of the toughest global problems - from climate change to international conflicts. Understanding their power, limitations and how they make decisions is crucial for our understanding of international affairs and its trajectory. This is particularly so, since many of today's key international organisations were established in the 20th century but face contestation as well as emerging new policy issues. Therefore international organisations are challenged to accommodate these new issues of legitimacy and policy within their existing mandates. Moreover, international organisations must respond to changing power dynamics as newly emerging powers, corporations and civil society actors have become influential players on the international stage.

This course examines how IOs are responding to the challenges of 21st-century global politics. When examining key IOs, like the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation and World Health Organisation, we ask questions like how do they work? How are international organisations adapting and maintaining their legitimacy in a challenging environment? What answers do they provide to key issues of world politics?

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Master of International Affairs

International security

Semester 2 | Core course (GRAD-C4-1101 , 6 credits )
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Julian Wucherpfennig, Prof. Dr. Anita Gohdes

Abstract

Armed conflict, killing, starvation, torture, rape or displacement characterise the political realities for many people, groups, or countries around the globe and continue to pose core threats to their security. The course introduces major themes and debates in the contemporary study of international security, including the causes and consequences of interstate warfare, civil war, terrorism, violence against civilians, forced migration, repression, military intervention, as well as nuclear and cyber warfare. To systematically engage with these topics, the course will draw on a set of essential theoretical frameworks. The overarching goal of the course is to provide the conceptual and analytical tools necessary for evidence-based policymaking in the realm of international security and apply them to specific instances as exemplified above. By the end of the course, you should have an overview of the key issues in international security. You should also have acquired a set of conceptual tools that can be used for analysing the causes of violent conflict, the sources of international stability and instability and the mechanisms of international conflict management and conflict resolution. In addition, you should be familiar with the main issues confronting contemporary policymakers in the field of international security and be equipped to communicate these.

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Master of International Affairs

Negotiation and mediation in international affairs

Semester 2 | Core course (GRAD-P104 , 6 credits )
Module: 4. International Negotiation
Instructors: Wolfgang Sporrer

Abstract

This course will explore two aspects of international governance: Methods of negotiation and mediation in international affairs, as well as decision making inside international organisations tasked to preserve peace. Using the concrete examples of the UN, the OSCE and the EU, the course will examine these organisations' contributions to the preservation of international peace, as well as the ways they used to make these contributions.

This course is for 1st year MIA students only.

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Master of International Affairs

The European Union, globalisation and the state

Semester 2 | Core course (GRAD-C16 , 6 credits )
Module: 3. Concentration Core Courses: European Governance
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Christine Reh

Abstract

Demands to “take back control”, protests against globalisation and contestation over supranational and global governance currently dominate politics in Europe. This course submits such debates to systematic analysis and asks why, how and with what consequences EU membership and economic globalisation are transforming the state as we know it. Students acquire the empirical knowledge, theoretical understanding and comparative research skills to analyse why European and global pressures change (and challenge) established national institutions, politics, policies and democracies – to explain why different states change to different degrees and to evaluate the consequences for legitimacy. The course first looks at Europeanisation, globalisation and statehood; it introduces the comparative method and discusses different theoretical explanations for state transformation. We then analyse the impact of pressures on national institutions, political parties, representation and policies. The final sections examine Europeanisation beyond the EU’s borders and debate whether EU membership and globalisation spell the end of national democracy and established concepts of belonging and citizenship. Throughout, we engage with current political questions including austerity, accountability, Euroscepticism and the EU’s role in its neighbourhood.

This course is for 1st year MIA students only.

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

The politics of food

Year 2 | Elective course (E1368 , 6 credits )
Module: 6. Portfolio Elective | 7. Portfolio Elective
Instructors: Harry Bauer

Abstract

Food is no longer just a means of sustenance, but a topic of public debate and a vehicle for new understandings of the self, the nation, the environment and the planet. This interdisciplinary course places food production, distribution and consumption at the center of scrutiny, examining the world of food as a world of politics and power. Policymakers, economists, environmentalists, agribusinesses, scientists, consumers and social justice groups, all holding vastly different views, seek to influence the food system and related policies. As such, the way our food systems work and have worked offers important insights into the interplay of power, politics and identity.

Through the lens of food, this course will explore some of the major global challenges of our time, including food, self and identity; food and cultural heritage; food and migration; food and the nation; food, media and popular culture; the political economy of human-environment relations; food and the consumer society; food poverty and the politics of food waste; state policy and the healthy body politic; food and the 'moral economy'; and the future of food production and consumption. By drawing on multiple disciplines, this course offers a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of food as a key driver of social, cultural and political change.

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

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

Advanced climate policy

Year 2 | Elective course (E1213 , 6 credits )
Module: 5. Security & Sustainability Concentration Elective | 6. Portfolio Elective | 7. Portfolio Elective | 5. Policy Analysis Concentration Elective | 5. Human Rights & Global Governance Concentration Elective
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Christian Flachsland

Abstract

This class introduces students to key concepts and debates in contemporary climate policy, using the European Union as the main case study and combining economic and political science perspectives. The class starts with examining benefits and costs of climate policy and potential transformation scenarios. It introduces the conceptual foundations of policy instrument design and political economy of climate policy. Using these tools we analyse EU climate policy in relevant sectors (such as energy and transport) against the background of the ongoing development of the EU Green Deal. The course also considers international climate policy and national and sub-national climate policy case studies in regions across the world.

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

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

Advanced quantitative methods

Year 2 | Elective course (GRAD-E1382 , 6 credits )
Module: 5. Policy Analysis Concentration Elective | 6. Portfolio Elective | 7. Portfolio Elective

Abstract

The course is on exploratory statistical methods for data analysis. Hence its aim is somewhat comparable to Hertie's Statistics I and Statistics II. However, it will go beyond these courses in terms of methodological/mathematical depth. Advanced quantitative methods and modeling tools will be introduced and used for “making sense of numbers”. Examples and data are taken mainly from economics and health sciences. Data analysis will be performed using R. 

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

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

Applied longitudinal data analysis

Year 2 | Elective course (E1322 , 6 credits )
Module: 5. Policy Analysis Concentration Elective | 6. Portfolio Elective | 7. Portfolio Elective
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Michaela Kreyenfeld

Abstract

This course teaches basic sociological concepts and empirical methods that enable students to study mobility across the life course. How long does it take to come out of poverty or unemployment? What determines upward mobility in the labour market? When do individuals finish education, leave the parental home, get divorced or have a child? How do patterns vary by gender, education, family context, migration background and country? In order to answer questions of this kind, we use micro-level data from various sources. Moreover, students will become familiar with classical methods for longitudinal data. These include, in particular: event history modelling, sequence analysis and fixed-effects regression. Some R skills (usually obtained in STATS I) are useful.

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

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

Managing digitalisation and AI in government

Year 2 | Elective course (E1341 , 6 credits )
Module: 5. Governance & Leadership Concentration Elective | 6. Portfolio Elective | 6. Governance & Management Elective | 7. Portfolio Elective
Instructors: Prof. Slava Jankin, PhD, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Hammerschmid

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have been dominating the headlines in the last few years coming with a lot of promises also for transforming government work. Whether it is to gain efficiency in current processes, improve serviced delivery or transform decision making and service delivery, there are many ways to utilise artificial intelligence technologies in a government context. What do these new technologies mean? What are these technologies and where can they be applied in a government context? What benefits can public sector organisations derive from deploying such technologies and how can they go about and embed them to deliver tangible benefits? What are the key management challenges in implementing such technologies and how can they be addressed? This course aims to demystify these concepts by looking at government implementation experiences. We look beyond the hype and focus on the real challenges and opportunities of practical applications of AI for government organisations. We also consider challenges and opportunities arising from ethical, fair, transparent, and accountable deployment of artificial intelligence and will look at key factors for successful implementation such as data management and data sharing, public sector innovation, project management, change management, cross-sectoral collaboration and safe implementation.

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

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

Business and sustainable development

Year 2 | Elective course (E1336 , 6 credits )
Module: 5. Governance & Leadership Concentration Elective | 6. Portfolio Elective | 7. Portfolio Elective
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Sébastien Mena

Abstract

The role of business has been pointed out as essential to sustainable development – commonly defined as meeting present economic, social and environmental needs without compromising future ones. Yet, sustainable development means different things to different constituents and sustainable business strategies are often criticised for being self-serving. While for-profits clearly drive economic development, their role in environmental preservation and social justice is less obvious.

The overarching aim of this course is to equip you with a critical and comprehensive understanding of the responsibilities of modern business organisations in relation to sustainable development. This course will provide you with frameworks and practical examples of how to assess and address the complex issues of (corporate) sustainability in a systematic way. The course will introduce the role of business in society and for sustainable development. We will examine the associated complex social and environmental responsibilities of business organisations towards a range of stakeholders. You will learn to assess the impact of corporations on their social and natural environments. We will also examine the challenges and requirements of integrating sustainability in business operations and building sustainable products and supply chains across a wide range of contexts and industries. In addition, we will explore the different meanings of sustainability for different stakeholders and how some of these actors (governmental, non-governmental and for-profit) partner and collaborate to deal with sustainability issues.

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

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