Global Political Economy and Development (MA GPED)

PROGRAMME PROFILE Our two-year Master’s programme is a research-oriented graduate programme that leads to the degree of Master of Arts in Global Political Economy and Development. It introduces students to the institutions, actors, and processes characterising globalised capitalism, North-South relations, and development cooperation. It focuses on the global level, but it also looks at regional and national settings from a comparative perspective. Our curriculum stands out because it approaches political economy from a North-South perspective that is informed by development theory and practice and postcolonial perspectives. The programme is interdisciplinary and is taught by scholars with a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, among them political science, sociology, and economics. The curriculum is based on a pluralist understanding of political economy and covers both mainstream and critical perspectives. Moreover, there is a practical component to GPED: students are expected to complete a two-month internship at NGOs, international organisations, research centres, etc. INTERNATIONAL SCOPE The student body is truly international: about 75 percent of the students are from other countries than Germany. Guest lecturers from partner universities around the world regularly offer classes. MA finishing scholarships (six months) are available. For more information, please see the website of the Global Partnership Network (GPN). RELEVANCE The Master’s programme Global Political Economy and Development offers students a comprehensive perspective on the world economy as well as the political dynamics, institutions, and actors that shape it and the imaginaries of development and progress that permeate it. It investigates the forces of globalisation and its contestations and critically analyses contemporary forms of political and economic governance on the global level as well as actors and policies in international development. A COMPETITIVE EDGE ON THE JOB MARKET A critical understanding of the global political and economic dynamics, time spent abroad, and good language skills give graduates a competitive edge in the job market. Correspondingly, the Master’s programme aims at facilitating learning on how to interpret and analyse transnational economic and political processes and how to cooperate with peers from all over the world. In so doing, it prepares graduates for careers in areas concerned with globalisation and development, for example, in international organisations, NGOs, consultancies, journalism, and academia. Thanks to its focus on both theory and empirical research, it provides rigorous training for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD after graduation. The following core courses are offered: Foundations of GPED (first semester) From Colonialism to Globalisation (first semester) Governance of the World Market: Institutions and Actors in Trade, Finance and Development (first semester) Theories of Global Political Economy and Development (second and third semesters) Research Methods (second and third semesters) Master's thesis plus colloquium (fourth semester) Specialisation optional courses are offered in the following fields: Labour in the Global Economy Politics of Money, Debt and Finance Issues of Postcolonial Political Economy Gender and Race in Globalisation Global Governance and Development Cooperation Global Political Ecology and Environmental Politics European Integration and Migration Policy Urbanisation and Agrarian Studies Postcolonial, Decolonial and Post-Development Theory State, Civil Society and Social Struggles PDF Download