National and International Administration and Policy (MANIA) University of Potsdam

Students will attend courses in English, and the examinations will be written in English. Some courses may be offered in German.

This English language degree programme at the University of Potsdam is currently unique in Germany, and it offers you the exceptional opportunity to study Public Administration and Public Policy from an international perspective. As a student in this programme, you will study at one of the most renowned universities in the areas of political and administrative science. You will be in an attractive academic environment and in the immediate vicinity of all levels of government and administration in practice. The interdisciplinary orientation of the programme also allows you to study political and administrative science topics from the perspective of various disciplines.

During your studies, you will engage with core topics in political and administrative science research from an international and comparative perspective. The focus is on empirical projects in the areas of administration, public policy, management, and governance using qualitative and quantitative methods and drawing on subject-specific theoretical knowledge.

You will build and expand your knowledge of modes of governance, public administration, structures and development of political systems in the 21st century, and the role of civil society interest groups in a national and international or supranational context. You will also gain deeper insight into the underlying legal frameworks. Furthermore, the elective modules make it possible to set your own focus, for example, on questions of modernisation of state and administration (e.g. administrative reforms), digitalisation in state and administration, global crisis management, policy field analysis and democracy research. In addition, you will expand your expertise in research methods and practice.

The Master's programme has an academic orientation as well as a professional orientation. In the Fast Track Doctoral Stream, you will have the opportunity to work towards a doctoral dissertation. During your theoretical and empirical training, you will deepen your knowledge about the structure and the functioning of public administration from the local to the global level. You will reflect on the interdependencies of structures and actors of public policy as well as on the explanatory power of core theoretical concepts and the feasibility of research designs. The interdisciplinary orientation of the programme is a great advantage here, as it allows you to connect knowledge from political science and law as well as from sociology and economics. The focus is on the simultaneous empirical use of and critical reflection on acquired theoretical knowledge. The programme also focuses on deepening your knowledge of social science methods with regard to qualitative and quantitative analysis. This training is closely tied to the current research done in the faculty.

Additional information about the dates and deadlines can be found here.

Information about the application deadlines can be found here.

Join our online Master's Info Day on 13 March 2026 to learn about the Master’s programmes, career prospectives, and life in Potsdam.

All information on course organisation and programme structure can be found here.

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Students can do an internship if they choose module M.10 (Cross Disciplinary Courses & Internship). However, this is not compulsory, as they can choose between the modules M.9 (Cross Disciplinary Courses) and M.10 (Cross Disciplinary Courses & Internship).

No tuition fees

No tuition is charged for studying at the University of Potsdam (with the exception of a few continuing education courses). However, there is an administrative fee that includes a semester ticket entitling you to free use of public transport all over Brandenburg and Berlin, as well as regional/local trains all over Germany.
More information here

The average monthly living expenditures of students at the University of Potsdam are 941 EUR, but this can vary between 600 and 1,100 EUR, largely depending on accommodation. A more detailed list of the average monthly expenditures of our students can be found here.

All information about the academic admission requirements can be found here.

All information about the language requirements is available here.

Information about the application deadlines can be found here.

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Job opportunities for students alongside their studies are numerous. Depending on personal and professional skills, students can find jobs in the service sector (e.g. in restaurants, supermarkets, cinemas, museums, theatres, etc.) or work as student research assistants at the University of Potsdam or at one of the many non-university research institutions located in the area. Berlin, the capital city of Germany, is located just around the corner, and students can also find jobs there. Please see this website for further information.

There are several student dormitories in Potsdam. These are administered exclusively by Brandenburg's Association for Student Affairs ("Studierendenwerk West:Brandenburg"). You can apply for a room in one of these dormitories if you are under the age of 30. If you are a Master's student, you can only apply if the degree at the University of Potsdam is your first Master's programme. Additionally, there are also a few private dormitories in Potsdam, to which these conditions do not apply. However, many students prefer to find an apartment in Potsdam or Berlin, which they often share with fellow students. The housing market is very tight, so please start looking for an accommodation as early as possible.

For information on how to register for a dorm room or find accommodation elsewhere, please click here.

The Career Service of the University of Potsdam supports students and graduates who want to actively shape their careers. The aim is to ensure comprehensive career orientation and to provide opportunities for the development of professional skills. The Career Service offers workshops, seminars, and individual counselling. There are information pages on a wide range of occupational fields as well as a database of internships and jobs. Many of the services are also available in English. For more info, visit https://www.uni-potsdam.de/en/career-service

General services and support for international students: The International Office and the Central Student Advisory Service support international students in preparing for their studies and life in Potsdam.