International Relations and Development Policy, M.A.
The master’s course combines well-founded theoretical training in the field of international relations with intensive training in the sub-field of development policy. In addition to the relevant theories and topics of international relations - regional cooperation and integration, international organizations, globalization, international economic relations, etc. - the degree course pays particular attention to theories of global governance, peace and conflict research, North-South relations and development policy Practice. The course experiences a second unique selling point through its regional focus on East Asia, Europe and Africa (primarily Sub-Saharan Africa). The concentration and application of theoretical knowledge on these regions allow practical and application-related access to development policy issues.
The subject-related and timely component should be promoted through an eight-week stay abroad, which, depending on the inclination, can take on a more theoretical-academic or a decidedly practical orientation. In the third semester there is a regional specialization in two regions and in the fourth semester the master's thesis is written.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German, English |
| Required German | C1 |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester |
| Application | winter semester until 15.07 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €304.62 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →What you study
1. Goals of the M.A. International Relations and Development Policy
Graduates of the M.A. International Relations and Development Policy
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
After successfully completing the course, graduates will have the relevant skills for scientific and practical work in the field of international politics, development policy and development cooperation. Against the background of the increasing demand for intercultural competence in the relevant disciplines of the social sciences as well as in development cooperation, the graduates of the degree program are equipped with profound knowledge of the regions mentioned. This targeted combination of political and regional science expertise provides students with the scientific skills for the IB subject area, which they can use directly for further scientific work as well as for the practice of development cooperation.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (North Rhine-Westphalia), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €304.62 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Completion of the bachelor's degree in "Political Science" at the University of Duisburg-Essen or an equivalent or comparable, at least three-year degree (amounting to at least 180 ECTS credit points) that leads to a first professional degree in political science a university within the scope of the Higher Education Framework Act. |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1, English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | winter semester until 15.07 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application until 15.07Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.07.2027 (274 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.