International Programmes 2024/2025

Comparative Public Governance Comparative Public Governance

University of Münster • Münster

Degree
MA Comparative Public Governance (Münster)
MSc European Studies (Twente)
In cooperation with

University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands

Teaching language
  • English
Languages

English only

Programme duration
4 semesters
Beginning
Winter semester
Application deadline

You have to apply for the Master's in European Studies in Twente.

If you are accepted, you will also be accepted to the Comparative Public Governance double degree programme.

The deadline for admission is the standard University of Twente deadline, currently 1 July for EEA applicants and 1 May for students requiring a visa.

For more information, please see: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/how-to-apply/deadlines/.

If you want to study in the MA Comparative Public Governance programme and benefit from the NRW semester ticket from your first semester onwards in Twente, you also need to apply online (https://studienbewerbung.uni-muenster.de/bewerbungsportal/) at the University of Münster (deadline for EU applicants: 15 July, for non-EU applicants: 31 May). If you are admitted to the University of Twente, you will also be admitted to Münster, and you can register by paying the WWU semester fee for the winter semester.

For more information, please see: https://www.uni-muenster.de/studieninteressierte/en/bewerbung/master.html.

Tuition fees per semester in EUR
Yes
Additional information on tuition fees

Twente: 2,143 EUR per year (semesters one and four, differs for non-EU students)

https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/student-services/educational-services-procedures/money-matters/tuitionfee/#bachelor

Combined Master's degree / PhD programme
No
Joint degree / double degree programme
Yes
Description/content

The Comparative Public Governance double degree Master's programme starts from the premise that many of the most pressing societal problems today have local, regional, national and global repercussions, that these repercussions typically do not stop at the borders of individual local authorities, regional entities, or nation states, and that they often affect both public and private actors. Effectively tackling these problems thus requires collaboration between public authorities from different countries and different levels of governance as well as with civil society actors that may contribute critical resources.

The study of public governance seeks to understand how collectively binding political decisions are being made in such networks involving public and private actors from different levels and different jurisdictional backgrounds.

The overall aim of the Comparative Public Governance Master's programme is to enable students to address the current and future challenges in public governance and to develop a critical perspective on the intricate issues related to democratic accountability and control associated with public governance. In this context, the identification and articulation of public challenges and the design and management of effective, efficient and legitimate policies to tackle these challenges are of utmost importance. Considering its conceptual perspective, the programme has a focus on Europe, but it also encompasses institutional and regulatory structures at the local, regional, national, international and global levels, and it seeks to compare public governance at different levels and in different jurisdictions.

The domain of the programme is the study of public governance in a comparative perspective. We pursue an approach that is particularly based on multi-actor and multi-level analysis of dynamic public challenges and aims at solutions that meet both functional (effectiveness, efficiency) and procedural criteria (rule of law, legitimacy, legality, and democracy). Moreover, systems of public governance consist of the institutions and interactions (between public as well as private actors) that determine a society’s capacity to adequately solve collective problems and create societal opportunities.

Interdisciplinarity makes an important contribution to the professional qualification of graduates of the programme. Previous experience from the Master's programme in European Studies, which has a similar focus on interdisciplinarity, suggest that the majority of our graduates have made a professional career in one of the following professional fields:

  • International, mainly European organisations
  • International for-profit and non-profit organisations
  • Associations and other “umbrella organisations”
  • Public sector
  • Media sector

We are convinced that the programme’s interdisciplinary approach is a major asset for students’ employability.
https://www.uni-muenster.de/imperia/md/content/ifpol/information_about_ma_cpg.pdf

Course organisation

The programme consists of four semesters. Part of the programme is a one-year Master's programme on European Studies at Twente University.

The overall (module) structure of the study programme is geared towards achieving the qualification objectives of the programme. The first semester will take place at the University of Twente. The second and third semesters will be held at the University of Münster. The final semester is taught jointly by teaching staff from the Department of Public Administration (UT) and the Institute of Political Science (WWU).

Semester One (Twente)

Module 1 (part I): Introduction to Comparative Public Governance
Module 2: The International and EU Legal Framework
Module 3: International Relations and Politics
Module 4: Regulatory Design and Implementation beyond the Nation State
Module 5: Policy Design and Implementation beyond the Nation State
Module 6: Academic Research

Semester Two (Münster)

Module 1 (part II): Current and Future Challenges of Comparative Public Governance
Module 7: Top-Down Perspective of Comparative Public Governance: Political Steering
Module 8: Bottom-Up Perspective of Comparative Public Governance: Political Participation

Semester Three (Münster)

Module 9: Internship AND
Module 10: Free Electives at the Institute of Political Science
OR
Module 11: (Erasmus) Exchange Programme

Semester Four (Twente + Münster)

Module 12: Free Elective at the University of Twente
Module 13: Master's thesis (+Colloquium/Defence)

https://www.uni-muenster.de/IfPol/studieren/studiengaenge/master/MasterCPG.html

https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/programmes/european-studies/double-degree/

A Diploma supplement will be issued
Yes
International elements
  • Integrated/optional study abroad unit(s)
Integrated/optional study abroad unit(s)

Students can opt for an Erasmus exchange programme that specialises in international relations, international law, peace and conflict studies, international economics, European governance or global governance.

Integrated internships

As an alternative to the (Erasmus) exchange semester, the Comparative Public Governance Master's programme also offers the opportunity to do an internship within the third semester of study.

Course-specific, integrated German language courses
No
Course-specific, integrated English language courses
No
Tuition fees per semester in EUR
Yes
Additional information on tuition fees

Twente: 2,143 EUR per year (semesters one and four, differs for non-EU students)

https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/student-services/educational-services-procedures/money-matters/tuitionfee/#bachelor

Semester contribution

Students must pay a semester contribution fee of 317.48 EUR per semester. This includes a "semester ticket" covering public transportation in the greater Münster area and throughout Germany.

You can find more information here:
https://www.uni-muenster.de/studieninteressierte/en/einschreibung/semesterbeitrag.shtml

Costs of living

We recommend that students budget at least 900 EUR per month to cover personal expenses (accommodation, living expenses, health insurance).

Funding opportunities within the university
Yes
Description of the above-mentioned funding opportunities within the university

There are many German foundations which award scholarships to hard-working students with excellent academic performance. Some scholarship programmes are exclusively targeted at students in specific degree programmes or from specific countries. Moreover, the University of Münster also offers university-wide funding opportunities: https://www.uni-muenster.de/studium/en/kosten/stipendien.html

Academic admission requirements

Admission to the programme takes place via the University of Twente.

For more information, please see the application instructions of the University of Twente: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/how-to-apply/(inter)national-degree/#step-by-step-plan

Please address questions concerning the application, admission and enrolment process to Mr Martin de Nobel (programme coordinator, University of Twente): https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/ces/aboutces/contact_us/

Language requirements

Please see the application instructions of the University of Twente: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/how-to-apply/(inter)national-degree/#step-by-step-plan

Application deadline

You have to apply for the Master's in European Studies in Twente.

If you are accepted, you will also be accepted to the Comparative Public Governance double degree programme.

The deadline for admission is the standard University of Twente deadline, currently 1 July for EEA applicants and 1 May for students requiring a visa.

For more information, please see: https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/how-to-apply/deadlines/.

If you want to study in the MA Comparative Public Governance programme and benefit from the NRW semester ticket from your first semester onwards in Twente, you also need to apply online (https://studienbewerbung.uni-muenster.de/bewerbungsportal/) at the University of Münster (deadline for EU applicants: 15 July, for non-EU applicants: 31 May). If you are admitted to the University of Twente, you will also be admitted to Münster, and you can register by paying the WWU semester fee for the winter semester.

For more information, please see: https://www.uni-muenster.de/studieninteressierte/en/bewerbung/master.html.

Submit application to

https://www.utwente.nl/en/education/master/programmes/european-studies/double-degree/#apply

Accommodation

As in all popular university cities in Germany, accommodation is in high demand and is not easy to find in Münster – but it’s not impossible either!

Please contact the International Office (Bachelor's and Master's students) or the CERes (doctoral candidates) of the university for advice. Please also note that the University of Münster (like most German public universities) does not have its own student halls of residence.

Support for international students and doctoral candidates
  • Specialist counselling
Supervisor-student ratio
1:15

University of Münster

University location

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