PMG
...Public Management & Governance?
Public Management & Governance is essentially concerned with the management and administration of public organisations with a focus on efficiency, effectiveness and legitimacy. It is about how public organisations can be managed in such a way that they respond effectively to the needs of citizens, implement laws and other regulations efficiently and make optimal use of resources. Management methods and governance strategies play a central role in adapting the public sector to modern challenges.
A degree in Public Management & Governance opens up a wide range of career opportunities in the public sector. You can work in management positions in local or state administration, take on management functions in public organisations or work in consulting for politics and administration. Other fields of activity include the management of non-profit organisations, the development of administrative strategies and the implementation of reform projects in public administration.
| Study programme | Info |
|---|---|
| Short description: | PMG |
| Academic degree: | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
| Standard period of study / scope of services: | 3 semesters / 90 ECTS credits i |
| Teaching language: | German |
| Form of study: |
|
| Study start: | either for the summer semester or the winter semester |
| Pre-internship: | not required |
| Application period Start of the winter semester: | 1 April - 31 August |
| Application period Start of the summer semester: | 15 November - 15 March |
| Admission restriction: | none |
| Admission requirements: | A successfully completed first professionally qualifying degree at a state or state-recognised university. A good final grade (minimum overall grade of 2.5 or ECTS grade „C“) is a further requirement. |
| Tuition fees: | none |
The Master's degree course in Public Management & Governance at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences prepares you comprehensively for demanding positions in public administration and other organisations that perform public tasks. In just three semesters, you will acquire the in-depth knowledge and application-oriented skills you need to organise administrations efficiently and in a citizen-oriented manner and to perform management and advisory tasks in the public sector. The degree programme combines sound theory with practical application modules that will help you to master the challenges of modern public administration. With a clear focus on teaching management and governance skills, you will be optimally prepared for a career in the public sector, where you can make a decisive contribution to shaping and developing public institutions.
The consecutive Master's degree programme covers administrative, economic, legal and social science content in particular. It is offered in two variants with partly differing course content in order to enable an optimal qualification structure depending on the previous first degree programme. More about the programme content
The Master's degree programme is aimed at Bachelor's graduates who aspire to demanding management activities or a leadership role in the public sector. The programme is also suitable for those who wish to continue their career in the public sector and qualify for higher positions. It doesn't matter what you have studied before. We offer the programme in two versions: one for graduates with a first degree in administration, economics, law or social sciences and one for graduates with another first degree. Everyone is welcome to join us and learn what they need for their future career in addition to their first degree.
A Master's degree in Public Management & Governance opens up a wide range of career opportunities in the public sector and beyond. The skills and knowledge you acquire will qualify you for challenging management tasks and leadership positions in various areas of state or municipal administration and other organisations that perform public tasks. Typical occupational fields and employment opportunities:
Promotion opportunities: The Master's degree programme in Public Management & Governance offers the opportunity to join the senior civil service, which opens up access to top positions in the public sector. After three years of professional experience in the senior civil service, you can also become a civil servant, which offers further career security and promotion opportunities. Salary prospects: The salary prospects for graduates of the degree programme are promising. You can expect an attractive salary in management positions in the public sector or in advisory roles. In particular, access to the higher civil service, which is possible with this Master's degree, offers very good long-term financial prospects.
To apply, you will need a scan of your Bachelor's certificate in pdf format and - if it is not recognisable or not completely recognisable - a list of all modules completed with grades and ECTS credit points.
Master of Arts (M.A.), recognised postgraduate degree from a state university, qualifies students for demanding management tasks, opens up access to the higher civil service and entitles them to a doctorate. The degree programme was assessed by ACQUIN and is accredited by the Accreditation Council without conditions until 30 September 2034: "In detail, the structure and course of the degree programme is convincing. Students are very well equipped to pursue a qualified career. The degree programme is rated as very good by the panel."
All regulations, such as the study and examination regulations for your degree programme, can be found on the page Orders.
A career in the public sector offers numerous advantages and opportunities that are often not available in other sectors. The public sector is characterised by a high level of job security, as positions in state and municipal institutions are less affected by economic fluctuations. You also benefit from transparent and fair entry and promotion opportunities, which are supported by clearly defined career paths and further training programmes. Another major advantage is the work-life balance: flexible working hours and the option to work part-time or from home help you to achieve a good work-life balance. As a public sector employee, you also enjoy attractive social benefits, such as a company pension scheme and extensive health programmes. In addition to these practical benefits, working in the public sector also gives you the opportunity to make a positive contribution to society. You will work on projects that promote the common good, for example in the areas of education, the environment, social affairs or urban development. This gives your work a special meaning and fulfils you with the knowledge that you are actively helping to shape our society.
Practice-orientated learning: Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences attaches great importance to practical training. The Public Management & Governance degree programme is designed in such a way that you not only acquire theoretical knowledge, but can also apply it directly in projects and case studies.
Individual support and small study groups: With us, you benefit from a personal learning atmosphere characterised by small study groups and direct contact with professors and other teaching staff. This individual support enables you to organise your studies according to your personal interests and strengths and to receive intensive support. The close collaboration with experienced teaching staff helps you to develop your skills in a targeted manner.
Modern equipment and innovative teaching methods: Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences has modern facilities and excellent technical equipment to provide you with optimal conditions for your studies. HSN relies on innovative teaching methods such as blended learning, which allows you to study flexibly.
Strong regional and international networking: HSN is not only excellently networked in the Thuringia region, but also internationally. You benefit from co-operations with public institutions, companies and universities, which offer you a wide range of opportunities for internships, project work and exchange. This network opens doors to exciting career prospects both in Germany and internationally.
Highly recognised and accredited: The Public Management & Governance degree programme at HSN is accredited by the renowned accreditation, certification and quality assurance institute ACQUIN. This accreditation confirms the high quality of the degree programme and the recognition of the degrees both nationally and internationally. This gives you the certainty that you are receiving a high-quality education that offers you the best opportunities on the labour market.
Sustainability and social responsibility: Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences is known for its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. The Public Management & Governance degree programme prepares you to take into account not only economic organisational requirements, but also social and ecological aspects in your future career. This value-orientation of HSN runs through the course content and makes you a manager who is committed to the sustainable development of society.
Attractive study conditions: In addition to an excellent academic education, HSN also offers you attractive study conditions. These include low semester fees, a lively campus culture and a high quality of life in the region. The familiar atmosphere of the university and its proximity to nature make Nordhausen an ideal place for your studies.
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Below you will find a summary of some of the questions about the Master's degree programme in Public Management & Governance that are frequently asked by the student advisory service. If you have any further questions, we will of course be happy to answer them.
A consecutive Master's degree programme builds on the content of a professionally qualifying degree programme and serves to continue and/or expand it in an interdisciplinary manner.
Yes, for admission to the Master's degree programme in Public Management & Governance, the name of the academic degree from the first degree programme is irrelevant.
All compulsory courses on the Master's degree programme in Public Management & Governance are held in German. Only in the optional supplementary modules is it possible to choose English-language courses to a limited extent. For this reason, persons whose native language is not German and who have not completed their university entrance qualification or their first degree in German must provide proof of sufficient German language skills for admission. Proof can be provided by a DSH-2 certificate (German Language Examination for Admission of Foreign Students) or level 4 in each skill in the „German as a Foreign Language“ test (TestDAF), a pass in the „German“ section of the assessment test at preparatory colleges or a German Language Diploma (Level II) from the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (DSD II). A telc certificate German C1 is also recognised.
No. As this is a consecutive Master's degree programme, there are no tuition fees. However, long-term tuition fees of 500.00 euros/semester must be paid if you exceed the total standard period of study for the first degree programme and the consecutive Master's degree programme. Further details and special regulations can be found in the Thuringian Higher Education Fees and Charges Act (ThürHGEG). You will also have to pay a fee of 95.00 euros/semester for the Studierendenwerk, 5.00 euros/semester for the student body and 208.80 euros/semester for the Deutschlandticket, i.e. a total of 308.80 euros/semester (as of summer semester 2026). For the first semester, there is an additional one-off charge of 20.00 euros for the Thuringian Student Union Card Thoska, unless you already have one from your previous studies.
Please apply online. Submit the required documents to the Study Service Centre at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. This is possible until 28 February (if you are starting in the summer semester) and until 31 August (if you are starting in the winter semester). If you fulfil the admission requirements, you will then receive a letter of admission authorising you to enrol as soon as you have paid the fees for the first semester. If you have to complete bridging modules, this will be indicated on the letter of admission.
Yes, this is possible. If it is expected that you will fulfil the admission requirements, you will receive a letter of admission subject to the fulfilment of the admission requirements. You can then enrol as soon as you have paid the fees for the first semester, but must then prove that you have fulfilled the admission requirements by 31 December (for enrolment for the winter semester) or 30 June (for enrolment for the summer semester). If you are enrolled at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, you may already attend the courses of the Master's degree programme.
In accordance with international requirements, 300 ECTS credits are required for a Master's degree, including the previous degree programme. These are usually acquired through a combination of degree programmes with standard study periods totalling ten semesters (30 ECTS credits/semester). The Master's degree programme in Public Management & Governance comprises a study volume of 90 ECTS credits. If you have previously earned fewer than 210 ECTS credits - this usually applies to graduates of degree programmes with a standard period of study of six semesters - the missing ECTS credits must be earned through bridging modules.
As a rule, you can choose the bridging modules from the wide range of our degree programmes according to your interests. It is only not possible to choose modules as bridging modules that are already covered by your previous degree programme.
If you are studying according to the study option for graduates of a first degree in administration, economics, law or social sciences and have earned fewer than 10 ECTS credits in business administration content from the fields of human resources, organisation, investment, financing, accounting, controlling and/or management, you can be admitted on condition that you make up the corresponding modules as part of the bridging modules or as part of the supplementary modules of the Master's degree programme.
If you are studying according to the study option for graduates of a first degree programme in administration, economics, law or social sciences and have earned fewer than 10 ECTS credits in the field of public law, you can be admitted on condition that you make up the corresponding modules as part of the bridging modules or as part of the supplementary modules of the Master's degree programme.
Yes, this is possible. If, after your first professionally qualifying degree programme, you have acquired knowledge and skills through a professional activity that go beyond those that were to be acquired as part of the first professionally qualifying degree programme, then they can be credited to the required bridging modules.
To do this, you need to write a report describing the content of your professional activity and the knowledge and skills you have acquired as a result. Please read the guidelines published by the German Rectors' Conference beforehand Practical formulation of learning outcomes and use the taxonomies presented therein to describe your learning outcomes precisely. Your report should be confirmed by your employer; alternatively, confirmation by a meaningful work reference can be considered. The examination board will then assess the extent to which the knowledge and skills acquired outside of higher education correspond to the scope of the Bachelor's degree programme.
Before you prepare the report and submit an application for credit transfer, it is best to seek advice from the Dean of Studies.
You will be enrolled on the Master's degree programme when you start your studies at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. You can already complete modules on the Master's degree programme from the first semester. You complete the bridge modules until you register for the Master's thesis. If you have to catch up on bridging modules worth 30 ECTS credits (especially if you only gained 180 ECTS credits in your first professionally qualifying degree programme), you will generally need four semesters to complete the Master's degree programme. Individual bridging modules can usually be completed „on the side“ without extending the duration of your studies (with „overtime“, of course).
The Master's degree programme opens up access to the higher civil service and is therefore equivalent to Master's degree programmes at universities in this respect. However, „access to the higher civil service“ should not be confused with a „career qualification“, as can be obtained, for example, as a result of completing our Bachelor's degree programme in Public Business Administration/Public Management or our Bachelor's degree programme in Digital Administration Management for the higher non-technical civil service. While the two practical semesters in the Bachelor's degree programme correspond to the preparatory service and the Bachelor's examination can replace the career examination for the higher non-technical administrative service, a preparatory service (administrative traineeship) and a career examination would have to be added to the Master's degree programme in order to obtain the „career qualification for the higher civil service“. However, after completing the Master's degree programme, employment as an employee in a pay grade corresponding to the higher civil service (EG 13 TVöD/TV-L) is possible, as well as subsequent appointment as a civil servant. The federal and state governments have made different regulations for their respective areas of responsibility. It is usually possible to become a civil servant after two and a half or three years of employment at the higher civil service level.
It's easy to secure your place on your desired degree programme online!
Our Campus Management System HISinOne makes it possible: Simply upload all your application documents in PDF format to the corresponding fields in the online portal.
And if you still need to submit something, that is No problem! You can easily send missing documents by e-mail to our Study Service Centre:
Simply contact us at .
We know that student budgets are often tight. To help you finance your studies, we provide you with the following information at BAföG helpful tips on how to apply and ensure that your application is complete. You will also find important contacts there.
We want to support and encourage particularly talented and motivated students. Under Scholarships you will find information on various scholarship programmes. There are also other funding options, such as the "StudiumThüringenPlus" start-up grant, parental funding, child benefit and the opportunity to earn your own money through a student job.
Students in continuing education programmes can find all information on the Funding opportunities.
What is the difference between studying at a University of Applied Sciences (UAS) and at a „Universität“ (university)? At our University of Applied Sciences, you will receive much more support throughout your learning process than at a traditional university. We provide self-assessment questions to help you check your understanding, offer practical exercises to deepen your knowledge, and encourage a high level of interaction in lectures and seminars. This is very different from courses with more than 300 students.
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Study Service Centre
+49 3631 420-222
House 18, Level 1, Room 18.0105