Course Contents
The students acquire the skills necessary for performing policy counseling and for attending to policy-relevant work in organisationsPolicy management deals with collectively binding decisions in political systems in a methodically sound, targeted and socially beneficial fashion. Students become prepared for the increasing demands at all political levels for a systematic preparation of decisions and an implementation of programmes in an ever more intricately interconnected world.
Because social, economic, cultural and political problems have to be solved in an increasingly cross-border manner and because more and more decisions burst the traditional framework for action of national states, policy managers need to be able to deal with new challenges.
Consequently, the training also takes into account complex situations such as the multilevel system of the European Union, international organisations and transnational policy networks.
Policy management takes place in public institutions such as parliaments, government offices, associations, parties, churches, nongovernmental organisations and companies. It affects every organisation and group that in political systems at the local, national, supranational and international level takes on problems and conflicts, participates in binding decisions and takes part in shaping politically relevant programmes and measures.
The content emphasis of the programme in terms of the teaching and applied research is on glocalisation, the connections between "Global" and "Local" at several political levels.
The related training is modular, multidisciplinary, practically oriented and international in nature.
• Modular: IPPM is set up modularly. Modules are independent units within the course of study composed of differing thematic emphases in the field of politics and policy counseling. Points are awarded for successfully completed modules according to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
• Multidisciplinary: IPPM provides subject knowledge in political science and an understanding of legal, administrative, social, historical and economic contexts. It teaches competencies relating to businesses, associations and organisations.
• Practically oriented: IPPM combines subject-specific components with project- and practically related elements. Among these are the practical experience and the subject modules which among other things deal with management studies and the subjects policy counseling, organisational studies and communication science. The practically oriented study semester is also in keeping with this practical orientation. The targeted teaching of key qualifications such as mediation is an integral part of the programme as well.
• International: IPPM offers courses given in English and German and English language courses during a total of three semesters. At the same time all the modules are taught in English as well. Students spend the 5th semester at a foreign university.