Courses are held in English (100%).
Application period for applicants who earned their undergraduate degrees outside of Germany: 1 December — 15 July
Application period for applicants who earned their undergraduate degrees in Germany: 1 June — 15 July
Please visit our website for up-to-date deadlines!
PROGRAMME PROFILE
The two-year Master’s programme "Global Political Economy and Development" is a research-oriented graduate programme that leads to the degree of Master of Arts in Global Political Economy and Development. It introduces students to the institutions, actors and processes characterising globalised capitalism, North-South relations and development cooperation. It focuses on the global level, but it also looks at regional and national settings from a comparative perspective. Our curriculum stands out because it approaches political economy from a North-South perspective that is informed by development theory and practice and postcolonial perspectives.
The programme is interdisciplinary in character and is taught by scholars with a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, among them political science, sociology and economics. The curriculum is based on a pluralist understanding of political economy and covers both mainstream and critical perspectives. It stresses the importance of an integrated approach to research, which links empirical analysis with methodological and theoretical considerations. Moreover, there is a practical component to GPED: students are expected to complete a two-month internship at NGOs, international organisations, research centres, etc.
INTERNATIONAL SCOPE
The student body is truly international: about 75 per cent of the students are from other countries than Germany. Guest lecturers from partner universities around the world regularly offer classes. Field research in preparation for the MA thesis can be supported by a limited number of research grants. For more information, please see the website of the Global Partnership Network (GPN).
RELEVANCE
Globalisation has challenged conventional thinking still heavily attached to the nation state and has called into question the traditional separation between the economy and the political sphere. Reflecting on this, the Global Political Economy and Development Master’s programme offers students a comprehensive perspective on the world economy as well as the political dynamics, institutions and actors that shape it and the imaginaries of development and progress that permeate it. It investigates the forces of globalisation and its contestations, and critically analyses contemporary forms of political and economic governance on the global level as well as actors and policies in international development.
A COMPETITIVE EDGE ON THE JOB MARKET
In the wake of globalisation, a critical understanding of the global political and economic dynamics, time spent abroad and good language skills give graduates a competitive edge on the job market. Correspondingly, the Master’s programme aims at facilitating learning on how to interpret and analyse transnational economic and political processes and how to cooperate with peers from all over the world. In so doing, it prepares graduates for careers in areas concerned with globalisation and development, for example, in international organisations, NGOs, consultancies, journalism and academia. Thanks to its focus on both theory and empirical research, it provides rigorous training for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD after graduation.
The following core courses are offered:
Specialisation optional courses are offered in the following fields:
An internship of at least eight weeks is to be completed during the summer breaks. Programme advisers will assist students in finding the appropriate internship.
There are no tuition fees as such; however, each semester students pay a registration fee of around 300 EUR, which covers the cost of their transportation ticket and also allows students to eat at the university's refectories and cafeterias at reduced prices.
In order to cover personal expenses while studying in Kassel, it is recommended that students budget around 750 to 900 EUR per month for accommodation, food, health insurance, books, and miscellaneous expenses.
Proficiency in English is necessary for participation in the programme. Non-native English speakers should present one of the following certificates: TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English, DAAD Sprachzeugnis or an equivalent certificate. The score needed for admission is 95 points in TOEFL (iBT, Internet-based), 7.0 in IELTS or C1 in Common European Framework of Reference of Languages. Applicants who have completed their first degree entirely in English are exempt from this requirement.
Application period for applicants who earned their undergraduate degrees outside of Germany: 1 December — 15 July
Application period for applicants who earned their undergraduate degrees in Germany: 1 June — 15 July
Please visit our website for up-to-date deadlines!
Students can apply for various part-time jobs or work as student assistants on campus. Please have a look at www.uni-kassel.de. Some departments also provide positions as tutors or working students.
International students enrolled at the University of Kassel can choose between staying at a student residence hall ("Wohnheim") or private accommodation. There are about 1,000 rooms available in the student residencies around the campus. Please have a look at https://www.studierendenwerk-kassel.de/en/wohnen/. Rent for a room varies between 200 and 350 EUR per month depending on the location and facilities. Students can choose single apartments with en-suite facilities or a shared flat with fellow students. Private furnished or unfurnished accommodation in Kassel is also available and can be found in the local paper, on flyers on campus, or on the Internet (e.g. social media).
The University of Kassel, founded in 1971, is characterised by a multi-layered competence network focused on nature, technology, art, and society. The university, with its ten faculties and its School of Art and Design, has committed itself to international cooperation and interdisciplinary research. It hosts 3,000 international students from over 130 countries among its 25,500 students. Approximately 300 professors teach and research in the fields of engineering, natural sciences, and mathematics as well as the humanities, human sciences, environmental engineering, informatics, and arts.
The faculties are located on the main campus (Holländischer Platz) and on other campuses (Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Heinrich-Plett-Straße, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Wilhelmshöher Allee, Kassel School of Art and Design at the Karlsaue Park, Institute of Sports and Sports Science at the Aueparkhalle, and the “Murhardsche” Library at Brüder-Grimm-Platz). The Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences can be found in the nearby village of Witzenhausen.
Internationally orientated, short-term study courses as well as English-taught Bachelor's and Master's programmes make the university an attractive place to study and do research. International partnerships at home and abroad strengthen its position in the area of national and international higher education.
The university also provides a wide range of leisure-time activities such as sport facilities, cultural activities, international meetings, and social events.
Kassel, with approx. 200,000 inhabitants, is located at the centre of Germany, close to the Fulda River. The city offers rich cultural and economic diversity. Opera and theatres, concerts, open-air-events, famous art museums, and castles enrich the capital of the German “Fairytale Route”. Every five years, the world-famous “documenta” contemporary art exhibition turns Kassel into a cosmopolitan city. There are many parks and forests in Kassel and its surroundings where you can relax in the open air or be active. The “Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe”, Europe’s largest mountainside park, is the most famous sight in Kassel. In 2013, the park and its water cascades became a UNESCO World Culture Heritage Site. An excellent highway and railway infrastructure provides you with the means to explore other German and European cities in a fast and easy way (e.g. three hours to Berlin, Hamburg, or Munich).
Witzenhausen — where the Faculty of Organic Agricultural Sciences is located — is a small, typical Hessian town, some 35 km from Kassel. Approx. 1,000 students live and work here. Historic, half-timbered houses lend a unique charm to the small town, which is famous for its cherry orchards in the surrounding areas. The annual spring cherry blossom celebration is a highlight for both young and old.
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