Public policy is the intervention in and the design of the political reality. Therefore, having our students work with practical examples and solve real-world problems is an important part of our teaching philosophy.
An internship between the second and third semester is a requirement for the completion of the degree. Designed to be an integral part of our student‘s education, the internship's primary purposes are:
to offer students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned from the classroom in a work setting
give students a practical perspective on policy analysis and public management
to help them compare their abilities and interests with requirements in particular fields of public policy
The Brandt School provides assistance in securing an internship position in government agencies, international organizations, NGOs, other non-profit or for-profit organizations. In addition, the Brandt School has a partnership with the SWP (German Institue for International and Security Affairs), and offers up to two internship spots a year for highly qualified Brandt School students. See the 2015 Call for applications for more information. Click here to see a list of institutions and organizations where our students have interned.
In the third semester all students are required to participate in a project group. Students work in smaller teams, which are led by either a professor or an external partner, on public policy problems. The objective of project groups is that students can put the acquired knowledge into practice and work on a specific project tasks. At the same time students learn how to successfully work in teams.
Click here for examples of Brandt School project groups.