5 reasons to start an Executive MPA at the Hertie School in Berlin

Are you ready to take the next step in your career in and around the public sector and become a leader in your field? Look no further than the Hertie School's Executive Master of Public Administration (Executive MPA) programme! 

This programme, which is taught at Germany's leading school of public policy, is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to tackle complex policy challenges and lead organisations to success.

Join the Hertie School Executive Evening on June 12 to find out more

What is an Executive MPA?

Tackling complex public policy challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach that draws on a range of expertise and skills. The Executive MPA takes an inter-sectoral perspective and offers knowledge and skills that are relevant across sectors. 

Students will graduate with the knowledge and practical experience to lead organisations through complex policy challenges. The Hertie School degree course is taught entirely in English in the heart of Berlin, and will help you acquire core knowledge in governance, public policy and management and specialise in one of three areas of concentration: 

1. Leading innovation and managing change
2. Digitalisation and big data
3. Global governance challenges

Starting in September, the EMPA programme also includes international partners and study abroad opportunities as well as a professional exchange with international peers across numerous sectors, and life-long career services. 

Whether you’re a mid- or senior-level manager, already a leader, or just looking for opportunities to fine-tune your professional profile and boost your career, the Executive MPA programme provides just the environment for you to explore topics in public policy, management, global governance and digitalisation, learn from practitioners and exchange with a tight-knit group of peers from various sectors and backgrounds around the world.

Reasons to start an Executive Masters in Public Administration

If you’re still not sure whether an Executive Master in Public Administration at Hertie School is the right next step in your career, consider some of the following reasons to start one:

1. Solutions for modern problems

The Executive MPA equips students with knowledge of key governance and policy debates that helps them understand and analyse tricky policy problems as they are embedded in institutional contexts, political structures and organisational networks. 

To best prepare students for future leadership roles, the programme focuses on leadership and managerial skills. As future leaders, students will need to understand and manage change, communicate effectively with a diverse range of actors and through various channels, and negotiate and manage conflicts and webs of organisational networks. 

Strategic thinking is crucial to lead organisations in today’s turbulent environments. With concentrations in "Leading innovation and managing change", "Digitalisation and big data", as well as "Global governance challenges", the Hertie School offers a range of options to suit your career goals. You'll develop practical, applicable skills through hands-on skills courses, including a multi-day workshop in Brussels or Berlin.

2. Flexibility for working professionals

The Hertie School EMPA programme is designed to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals, with part-time and full-time options, so that you can balance your coursework with your professional and personal responsibilities. 

Students can study full-time (one year) or part-time (two years, extendable to three or four years) to complete a total of 14 courses (60 ECTS) in Berlin and one four-day workshop in Brussels or Berlin. They can also combine courses in one- or two-week sessions to reduce the number of trips to Berlin.

3. Career development

The need for trained policy analysts and policy managers is a critical one, as public policy issues become larger and more complex. The Executive MPA is a springboard for those who wish to take their career to the next level. A core set of modern theories of governance and management combined with a broad choice of practice-oriented electives on the challenges and complexities of modern policy-making represent the foundation of the Executive MPA programme. 

Participants also complete skills training for personal and professional development, getting the tools and analytical perspectives as well as opportunities to learn about governance challenges and reflect on the application of skills in a specific institutional context.

The skills courses put practical application centre-stage and aim to strengthen students’ soft competencies. Students choose two skills courses out of a selection that may include but is not limited to: negotiation and mediation, policy writing, political communication and scenario-building. The objective is to equip students with interpersonal or transferable skills that fit their lifelong learning aspirations.

To accompany you on this executive master’s journey, the Career Development team provides a variety of services to help you hone your skills both inside the classroom among your peers and in the workplace through a variety of formats and spaces, including: 

• Process coaching: Highly individualised sessions that serve to address your most pressing career questions.
• Job search strategy sessions: One-on-one sessions to prepare you for the job hunt: self-presentation, application materials, CV checks, mock interviews and more.
• Virtual networks: Such as on LinkedIn or the internal networking platform Hertie School Connect.
• Success teams: Peer group coaching that will help you develop a vision for your career
• Workshops: On sector-specific (e.g. working for the EU) and career-related topics (e.g. diversity and inclusion, networking through social media)
• Professional perspectives: Exclusive networking events with alumni and companies. Grow your network with alumni panels, coffee chats and informational interviews.
• Annual career fair: Network with potential employers at the Hertie School career fair.

4. An international network 

But it's not just about what you'll learn – it's about who you'll learn with. The Hertie School Executive MPA cohort is highly diverse in terms of regional composition, educational backgrounds and career paths, providing a rich learning environment that will challenge and inspire you. The international faculty is widely known for their research and teaching excellence, offering you numerous opportunities to connect and engage with professors as well as a variety of international and policy organisations to enhance and expand your professional networks.

As an Executive MPA student at the Hertie School, you will join a dynamic group of leaders united by a desire to improve policy-making worldwide. The expertise each programme participant brings to the classroom is invaluable to the Executive MPA experience, and students learn not only from renowned international faculty and practitioners, but also from their peers.

5. Scholarship opportunities

Scholarships are just one way the Hertie School supports Executive MPA students in financing their studies, covering up to 50 percent of the tuition fees. Executive MPA applicants are eligible for seven partial scholarships from the Hertie School. The deadline for applying for these scholarships is June 1.  

The Hertie School offers two types of partial scholarships: general scholarships that every applicant with demonstrable financial need can apply for and special scholarships targeted towards applicants with specific profiles or interests.

For all scholarships, the admissions committee bases its decision on the personal suitability (including previous relevant professional experience), academic excellence, motivation and financial need of the candidates. The scholarships do not cover living expenses. You can read more about funding opportunities on the Hertie School website. 

Learn more at the Hertie School Executive Evening event on June 12

Want to learn more about the Hertie School's programmes? You are invited to the Hertie School campus on Monday, June 12, from 6 to 7pm to learn more about the Executive Master’s of Public Administration programme, the application process, partial scholarships, and how the Hertie School can help you acquire the tools you need to effect positive change in the public, private and non-profit sectors. 

Join the Hertie School community for a reception and take a tour of the campus in central Berlin. Visitors can sit in on an information session and presentation from Prof. Dr. Thurid Hustedt, Dean of Graduate Programmes and Professor of Public Administration and Management at the Hertie School, to find out more about their flexible mid-career programme for working professionals. This event is free to attend.

Here is what you need to know about the event: 

• Date: Monday, June 12
• Location: Hertie School, Friedrichstraße 180, 10117 Berlin
• Cost: Free (reserve your place now!)

Agenda:

• 6-6.30pm: EMPA information session with Prof. Dr. Thurid Hustedt, Dean of Graduate Programmes and Professor of Public Administration and Management at the Hertie School
• 6.30-7.30pm: Reception and campus tour