Core Curriculum

Fundamentals of Public Policy is the entry point to the Brandt School's MPP. This module introduces students to the "art and science" of policy analysis, the policy cycle and to (the history of) Public Policy as a discipline. It takes place in the first semester and consists of the lecture "Fundamentals of Public Policy", an Academic Writing course devoted to learning the relevant academic tools and a module examination.

Fundamentals of Public Policy focuses on theory and methods of policy analysis and offers a general overview of the theoretical background, issues, actors and processes involved in the analysis, formulation and assessment of public policy. It also provides the basic analytical toolkit for both the subsequent curriculum as well as for further professional practice. The course reflects the distinctive approach to the study of public policy at the Brandt School and is based on a multi-disciplinary approach. In addition to selected texts that have defined the field, the course uses practical case studies devoted to a range of policy problems.

The aim of public policy is to advance the public interest and produce public goods. Sometimes it is, however, not obvious what constitutes the public interest. This course discusses the ethical issues and moral dilemmas within the public sector, for example, regarding the production and consumption of public goods. It focuses on a set of modern attempts to answer these problems and questions.

The course examines the normative dimension of government, administration and politics (individual freedom, collective decision-making and electoral systems, distributive justice, competitive distribution of goods) as well as of international politics (peace, war, poverty, inequality) and international distributive justice. Students learn to reflect political and public action with regards to ethical aspects. They examine normative requirements expeted of political and economic institutions and their representatives with respect to public and private goods, personal virtues, legality and legitimacy, finances and taxes. They are thus capacitated to represent public and societal interest.

Taking place in the third semester, students consolidate their competencies in research design and research methods in order to be able to independently plan and carry out a research project in the framework of their Master thesis in the following semester.

This module consists of the course "Comparative and International Public Policy" and a module examination. The course equips students with an understanding of theoretical frameworks and methodologies in order (1) to analyze and compare public policies and politics across a variety of national and sub-national contexts and (2) to analyze and learn how to shape international and global policy processes.

This module introduces students to Public Administration, from the classic conception of public administration (Max Weber) via organizational theory, organizational change and governance to New Public Management and entrepreneurial government. 

The contemporary management revolution in the public sector that is driven by political, economic, technological and cultural forces has led to a re-evaluation of the role of public administrators. The state has lost the monopoly for creating public value, globalization has exposed public value creation processes to new competitive pressures, and new collaborative technologies are enabling new “business” models and strategies. After framing the issue analytically, the course draws out their implications for the public manager. The course discusses contracting as a new form of managing public administration, develops a sensibility for the accountability issues involved, and proposes policy entrepreneurship as a guiding model to strategically manage public value creation processes in multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder policy networks. Aspects of management of public finances may also be discussed here. 

In this module, MPP students have a choice, depending on their previous knowledge of Economics: 

a) Economic Policy
"Economic Policy" introduces micro- and macro-economic concepts and tools needed to analyze public policy problems and to evaluate policy alternatives and decisions. The scope of the course covers economic data analysis for decision-making, forecasting, demand analysis, pricing, and cost analysis; topics include market structure, cost and production, international trade and finance, national income determination, and monetary and fiscal policy. 

b) Microeconomics I: Game Theory
"Microeconomics I: Game Theory" introduces the basic concepts of non-cooperative game theory. Special emphasis is put on applications to political and social sciences. The course examines game theoretical models and economic theories of individual and collective decision-making. Students should have a basic background in mathematics and statistics.