This 18-month, English‑taught master's program trains practitioners for programme and project management roles in international development cooperation. It combines theoretical foundations from the social sciences and economics with practical tools for managing development interventions, emphasizing methods of empirical social research and project cycle management. The course prepares students to tackle real-world challenges in planning, implementing and evaluating development programmes.
The curriculum is organised over three semesters. The first semester offers an interdisciplinary introduction to development theories and strategies, together with empirical research methods. The second semester deepens those topics with focused training in programme and project planning, implementation and evaluation—students also produce a seminar paper that frames their topic theoretically. The third semester is dedicated to completing an empirical Master’s thesis, under the guidance of an assigned mentor.
Throughout the programme students identify a research problem related to a development programme or project during the first semester in consultation with their mentor, develop it into a theoretically grounded seminar paper in the second semester, and carry out the empirical work and write the final thesis in the third semester. The thesis is intended to show the student’s ability to situate their research within academic debates and to present findings clearly and coherently—skills valued by NGOs, multilateral organisations, donors and other development employers.
Requirements (program facts)
This master’s curriculum combines classroom study with hands-on research and field experience. In the first semester you receive a multidisciplinary introduction to development theory and strategy, study the range of actors in international development cooperation, and examine the role of institutions through applied case studies. Early on you also identify a concrete research problem tied to a development programme or project — preferably one connected to your home country — which becomes the focal point for your Master’s thesis.
Following the first semester there is the option to complete a three-month internship in Germany with a development organisation or a private-sector company, giving practical insight into implementation and institutional practice. The second semester centers on methods for programme and project planning, implementation and evaluation; you apply these methods to case studies linked to your chosen project and present your findings in a seminar paper. After the second semester you carry out field research in a developing country to collect the empirical material that will underpin your thesis.
The third semester is devoted to writing the Master’s thesis, which must integrate theory, methodology and the results of your fieldwork. The thesis is expected to demonstrate your ability to situate your research within the scholarly debate and to present findings in a clear, coherent way. Graduates leave the programme able to critically analyse development strategies and institutions, design and evaluate development projects, carry out rigorous field research, and communicate research outcomes to academic and practitioner audiences.
Program requirements and key modules
Applicants should hold a strong undergraduate degree, typically an above‑average bachelor’s qualification (upper second‑class honours or an equivalent international grade). Degrees in political science, social science, law, economics, human geography, or other subjects that focus on the planning and evaluation of development programmes and projects are particularly suitable.
In addition to academic qualifications, candidates are expected to have practical, hands‑on experience related to the management of development programmes or projects. This experience should demonstrate familiarity with programme planning, implementation or evaluation in development contexts and will be considered alongside academic performance when assessing applications.
Winter Semester (International)
31 December 2025
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
31 December 2025
Graduates are prepared for roles in international development agencies, bilateral and multilateral organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), consulting firms and private-sector companies engaged in development projects. Typical positions include project or programme manager, monitoring & evaluation specialist, policy advisor, and consultant on development planning and impact assessment.
The programme's emphasis on applied field research, project cycle management and evaluation methods also provides a solid foundation for careers in research institutes or for continuing to doctoral studies in development-related social sciences.