English 
Deutsch Who this German-taught Public Management master is designed for
This programme suits internationally minded graduates who want to shape public services and municipal companies in Germany and the EU. Typical profiles include: early-career professionals in the public sector aiming for leadership in city administration or utilities; economics, social sciences or informatics graduates who want to drive digitalisation and AI projects in public organisations; and law or engineering graduates seeking a mission-driven pivot into public management. The presence-based, block-week format held in Friedrichshafen, Berlin and Brussels is especially attractive if you plan to work alongside your studies or relocate to Germany for a compact, networked learning experience.
Admission requirements
To qualify, you need a relevant first degree and solid German language skills. The essentials at a glance:
- First academic degree: a Bachelor’s (or equivalent) with at least 180 ECTS in politics/public administration/state sciences, economics or social sciences, (business or public) informatics, interface/technical programmes, or a Bachelor of Laws.
- Eligibility with foreign qualifications: international Bachelor’s degrees from recognised institutions are accepted if comparable to a German first cycle (180 ECTS). Submit transcripts, degree certificate and, where applicable, certified translations and a grading scale.
- Teaching language: German. You need strong German for seminars, readings and assessments. International applicants typically document proficiency with recognised certificates such as TestDaF, DSH or a Goethe-Zertifikat at an advanced level (C1). Solid English helps with specialist literature.
- Study format and attendance: teaching takes place in approx. five-day on-site block weeks across Friedrichshafen, Berlin and Brussels. Plan for travel and accommodation during these periods.
- Selection: the programme uses individual digital admission interviews scheduled after your application.
- Admission without Abitur: not applicable. This is a Master’s degree—professional experience does not replace the required Bachelor’s degree.
- Start of studies: September (fall semester).
Personal requirements
Success in this programme depends on strong self-management and genuine motivation for public value. Between block weeks you will need to organise readings, group work and project deliverables independently—often alongside a job. Expect intensive, discussion-driven seminars during the blocks and steady preparation and follow-up in between. You should be comfortable studying and collaborating in German, presenting arguments clearly, and engaging with practitioners from municipal companies and administrations. The mobile nature of the curriculum means planning ahead for travel, accommodation and employer coordination. If you study from abroad before relocating, ensure reliable internet for remote coordination and allocate uninterrupted time for coursework so the on-site phases remain productive. A pragmatic mindset, perseverance and clear time blocking will help you balance work commitments with academic deadlines and the Elinor-Ostrom project and master’s thesis.
What will you study in the Public Management (MA) at Zeppelin University?
This programme is taught in German. You need strong German language skills and the university requires formal proof of proficiency for enrolment. The two-year Master of Arts comprises 120 ECTS over four semesters and runs in compact block weeks in Friedrichshafen, Berlin and Brussels. You complete an applied project (Elinor-Ostrom-Projekt) and finish with a master’s thesis.
You will build leadership and governance capabilities for the public sector. Typical topics include leadership competence, public governance and transformation management, so you can steer complex change in administrations and publicly owned companies.
You will work on digitalisation in the public realm. Courses cover the digital transformation of government, data-driven management and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public services, always linked to ethical and legal frameworks.
You will learn how public value is financed and delivered. Teaching spans municipal economy and sustainable public services (Daseinsvorsorge), including utilities, mobility and housing – sectors where many graduates later take responsibility.
You will cultivate innovation skills. Public entrepreneurship, strategy and change form the bridge between theory and application, preparing you to launch and scale new solutions inside administrations and municipal enterprises.
Electives: You can choose one of two optional tracks – “Kommunalwirtschaft” (municipal economy) or “Digitalisierung” (digitalisation) – to tailor your profile. Zeppelin University is a private, staatlich anerkannt (state-recognised) institution of the Fachhochschule type (university of applied sciences) in Germany.
How does studying in the Public Management (MA) work?
Teaching takes place in German – strong proficiency is essential
All regular classes and assessments are delivered in German. You must be able to participate confidently in seminars and exams and provide an accepted certificate of German proficiency as part of enrolment. The university communicates that good German is required for study success.
On-campus block weeks in three cities: Friedrichshafen, Berlin and Brussels
The study model is presence-based in ca. five-day blocks, often paired into two consecutive blocks. Sessions run on the Zeppelin University campus in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance and with practice partners in Berlin and Brussels. The block format makes it feasible to live or work elsewhere and commute for teaching phases.
Small groups, intensive dialogue and a blended learning environment
Seminars are designed for small cohorts with direct access to professors and senior practitioners from the public sector. You learn through interactive discussions, cases and project work; a digital learning environment complements in-person teaching for preparation and follow-up. Networking with visiting executives and alumni is an explicit part of the format.
Assessments focus on application and reflection
Expect a mix of written papers, presentations, project reports and oral contributions tied to the block seminars, plus the Elinor-Ostrom project and your final thesis. The emphasis lies on applying concepts to real public-sector challenges and articulating decisions clearly.
What enrolment means for non-EU students
This is an on-campus programme with mandatory attendance in Germany (and teaching blocks in Berlin and Brussels). Non-EU applicants typically need a university enrolment letter and proof of financing for residence purposes; the university runs the academic selection and enrolment process and holds additional digital admissions interviews for this programme.
What does the Public Management (MA) cost?
Tuition for the two-year track is €6,150 per semester. Over the standard duration of four semesters this corresponds to €24,600 in total. The university also allows monthly payment of tuition; administrative one-off fees are not highlighted for this programme. Payments from abroad are generally handled by bank transfer on a semester or monthly schedule.
Scholarships exist on several levels. The programme collaborates with the Verband kommunaler Unternehmen (VKU), which has enabled scholarships. Zeppelin University additionally awards scholarships that also value civic, cultural or political engagement, not only top grades.
Living costs depend on your housing choice and mobility. As an orientation for Friedrichshafen and the Lake Constance region, plan approximately €900–€1,200 per month for rent, health insurance, food and local transport. Travel and accommodation for block weeks in Berlin and Brussels should be budgeted separately.
What careers and recognition does the Public Management (MA) offer?
You graduate with a Master of Arts carrying 120 ECTS under the Bologna framework. Zeppelin University is a private, state-recognised university in Germany; its degrees are officially recognised nationally. ECTS credits and a German state-recognised master’s degree are widely understood by employers and universities across the EU and internationally, facilitating employment and further study.
Career destinations include leadership roles in public administration at city, regional or federal level; management positions in municipal companies (utilities, mobility, housing, waste and water); digital transformation and IT governance roles across the public sector; strategy and participation units; public-sector consulting; and policy or programme management in Brussels-linked organisations. Alumni examples include project leads for city digitalisation, heads of central city offices and management roles in municipal holdings and innovation hubs.
Who is the Public Management (MA) right for – and who not?
This master’s fits aspiring leaders who want to shape sustainable public services and the digital transformation, and who value close ties to practice and networks in Germany’s municipal sector.
- You want to work in or with public administrations or municipal companies and prepare for leadership.
- You are specifically interested in digital government or the municipal economy and want to choose one as a focus.
- You prefer intensive block seminars in small groups with senior practitioners and alumni involvement.
- You plan a career in Germany or the EU and value a state-recognised German master’s with 120 ECTS.
- You are working already and need a format compatible with employment and commuting for teaching blocks.
There are also clear situations in which this programme is not a match. Read these carefully before you commit.
- You do not speak German well enough for university-level seminars and exams, and you cannot provide formal proof of proficiency.
- You are looking for a fully online or distance-learning degree without mandatory on-site attendance.
- You cannot travel to the teaching locations (Friedrichshafen, Berlin and Brussels) for the ca. five-day block weeks.
- You need the very low tuition typical of German public universities; private-university tuition here is higher.
- You seek entry into a regulated profession (e.g. medicine, law qualifying degree); this master’s is not a licensure programme.
Advisory Service
Have questions about Academic Programs Public Management? Ask your question here, even anonymously. An employee of the institution Zeppelin University or the editorial team will answer you.