Global Political Economy and Development University of Kassel

Overview

The University of Kassel's Global Political Economy and Development course's different seminars introduce students to the institutions, actors, structures and processes characterizing globalized capitalism, North-South relations and development cooperation. 

It focuses on the global level, but also looks at regional and national settings from a comparative perspective. The program is interdisciplinary in character 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 as well as development and covers both mainstream and critical perspectives. It stresses the importance of an integrated approach to research, which links empirical analysis with methodological and theoretical considerations. 

Moreover, there is a practical component to GPED: Students are expected to complete a two-month internship that is relevant to the program topics. These internships can be undertaken at NGOs, international organizations, research centres etc.

Students at the University of Kassel:

• are encouraged to participate in work/study programmes abroad;
• are free to take courses from related Master Programs such as the Master in Political Science or Economic Behaviour and Governance;
• have the opportunity of taking courses at the Language Centre in a variety of languages and specialist areas including German, English, French, Spanish, and German for economists, political scientists and sociologists.

International students are also invited to participate in a four-week intensive German course before the programme begins.