Practical Training

students in class

Public policy is the intervention in and the design of political reality. Therefore, having our students work with practical examples and professional partners and solve real-life problems is an important part of our teaching philosophy and prepares them for their future careers.

Internship (between 2nd and 3rd semesters)

An internship, usually completed 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

  • to give students a practical perspective on and experience in 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 or other non-profit or for-profit organizations.

To get an idea where our students have done their internships in the past, you may browse the following document:

MPP Internship Hosting Institutions

Project group (3rd semester)

In the third semester all students participate in a project group. Under the supervision of an academic staff member, a group of ca. ten students completes an assignment by an external partner ("client") on a real public policy problem or question. The objective of project groups is that students can put the acquired knowledge into practice and work on a specific project task, thus gaining experience in project management. At the same time students learn how to successfully work in teams.

Project group examples

  • ​​​​​"How to include civil society actors in the development of the “Racism Monitor” commissioned by the German Federal Parliament?" (WS 2020/21)
    External Partner: Deutsche Zentrum für Integrations- und Migrationsforschung (DeZIM)
    Output: internal report for the DeZIM
  • ​​​​​"States at Risk: Climate Change in the Security Council" (WS 2019/20)
    External partner:  think tank and public policy consultancy adelphi
    Output: a blog, a comprehensive policy report and a sur place presentation of the key findings with the client
  • „Shaping EU Policy-Making: ECIPE Consulting Project on the Sharing Economy and the Future of Work“ (WS 2017/18)
    External partner: Brussels-based think tank ECIPE
    Output: policy briefs and presentation in Brussels
  • „European Democracy Promotion in Fragile States: The Cases of Africa, Eastern Europe and the MENA Region“ (WS 2016/17)
    External partner: German Development Institute (Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik)
    Output: impact evaluation presented in Bonn
  • „The Social Impact Navigator – A Useful and Free-of-Charge Tool which Needs to Reach the International NPO Community“ (WS 2016/17)
    External partner: Berlin-based think tank and non-profit consultancy PHINEO gAG
    Output: stakeholder engagement and international dissemination strategy presented in Berlin
  • „The EU Project Nopoor“ (WS 2016/17 and WS 2013/14)
    External partner: FP 7-funded international research consortium Nopoor
    Output: participation in the European Development Days in Brussels, contributions to milestone report, stakeholder analysis and dissemination strategy
  • „Illegal Economies in Borderlands – The Case of Western Africa“ (WS 2015/16)
    External partner: Berlin-based think tank German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik)
    Output: report and presentation on drug trafficking in Sierra Leone and Liberia in Berlin
  • „Calculating the Social Return of Investment“ (WS 2015/16)
    External partner: Regionales Bildungszentrum Eckert gGmbH Augsburg
    Output: Social Return of Investment Report
  • „150 Perspectives – Migration and Regional Development in Thuringia“ (WS 2015/16
    External partner: State Development Corporation Thuringia (Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft Thüringen)
    Output: evaluation of the project „150 Perspectives: Campus Zeulenroda-Triebes“

Internships

Florian Heintze
Internship Coordinator
(Willy Brandt School of Public Policy)
Willy Brandt School (Nordhäuser Straße 84) / room 0006
+49 361 737-4646
florian.heintze@uni-erfurt.de

Project Groups

Christian Tischmeyer
MPP Program and Student Inquiries
(Willy Brandt School of Public Policy)
Willy Brandt School (Nordhäuser Straße 84) / room 0005
+49 361 737-4643
publicpolicy@uni-erfurt.de

Public Policy Practicioneers

...start their career, here.

Find out more about applications, requirements, deadlines and scholarships in the section on

Admissions