Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin
Department of Economics and Law

Master in International and Development Economics

Promoting sustainable development in an inadequate world

The Master's degree in International and Development Economics (MIDE) at HTW Berlin prepares students for the responsible and demanding work involved in the context of development. Students gain an in-depth working understanding of the economic and political global context in which developing countries are integrated.

The profound theoretical and methodological training provided equips MIDE graduates with a thorough understanding of the socio-economic methods and theories necessary to address urgent problems in development countries. The wide range of optional courses allows students to shape their professional profile according to their preferences.

High academic standards combined with practice-oriented teaching

MIDE graduates are ideally equipped to work in development cooperations or international organisations. Featuring a wide variety of courses to choose from, ranging from "Social Protection in Low and Middle Income Countries" to "Project Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation", MIDE provides students with a well-rounded education. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical expertise, graduates are capable of analysing the current challenges of development and formulating actionable strategies for meeting them.

Interactive discussions on an international level

After being provided with a comprehensive understanding of the central debates and current issues concerning international and development economics, students address similar discussions in class:

- What does globalisation really amount to? Does globalisation benefit developing countries or does it result in a widening gap between rich and poor countries?

- Should developing countries provide unfettered access to international trade and capital flows?

- What are the lessons for developing countries of the "Asian Miracle"?... the transition debacle in Russia?... Argentina's financial crisis?

- What specific policies are required to promote key sectors such as agriculture and finance?

- Do poverty-reduction strategies, as advocated by the World Bank, help the poor or contribute to their problems, as some critics allege?

Services and support for our students

A one-stop service concept is available from a dedicated programme office throughout the duration of studies - from application to graduation, even extending to alumni support.

To further support the academic success of our students, the programme starts with an intensive welcome week with an introduction to the university and the study programme as well as tutorials (i.e. databases, presentation skills, online tutorials for study preparation). Furthermore, students travel to the Baltic Sea for a three day seminar in “Intercultural Training and Conflict Resolution”. During our excursion to Geneva students visit UNCTAD WTO, ILO and UNHCR and learn more about the work of these organizations. Extra-curricular courses (i.e. Academic Writing Skills, language courses offered by the university such as German as a foreign language, Spanish, French, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Arabic) complement the service for our students.


Admission requirements
- First university degree (equivalent to at least 180 ECTS)
- Proof of proficiency in English:

• TOEFL (Institutional TOEFL is not accepted): paper-based: 580 points; computer-based: 237 points; internet-based: 96 points
  
• IELTS grade 7.0
• CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English), all levels
• CAE (Certificate in Advanced English), all levels
• BEC Higher (Business English Certificate)
• TOEIC 800 points or higher.
• All tests confirming that the level of proficiency in English complies with the level C 1 or C 2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.

HTW Berlin

Wide range of subjects

HTW Berlin offers over 70 study programmes in the areas of technology, computing, business, culture and design. It is the largest university of applied sciences in Berlin. Subjects range from classical disciplines such as mechanical engineering, automotive engineering and business administration to new and innovative study programmes such as facility management, economic policy and game design.

High education quality

Rankings regularly confirm the high level of education provided by HTW Berlin. Great importance is attached to foreign languages and key qualifications such as presentation skills. To facilitate the transition into working life, the university’s Career Services department also offers specially developed training courses. Students wishing to complete part of their studies abroad have plenty of opportunities to choose from. HTW Berlin actively collaborates with 140 universities worldwide and has an established network of cooperation partnerships.

Practice-oriented research

Research is a core task of HTW Berlin and a key success factor. Research activities connect the university with the professional world, scientific networks and companies, simultaneously guaranteeing a high level of quality in our study programmes and teaching. HTW Berlin’s researchers contribute their ideas, expertise and contacts to over 150 third-party funded research projects every year. Covering a wide variety of topics, these projects are generally carried out in cooperation with partners from industry. Many projects are specifically geared towards meeting the innovation needs of individual companies and industries or the development potential of the region.

Interdisciplinary research teams

The research agenda also includes topics that bundle a wide variety of specialist expertise and skills. It is only through interdisciplinary teams that integrated strategies can be developed, for example for a climate-friendly transformation of our energy supply, improved healthcare system, meeting the challenges of an aging society or the digitalisation of culture and society.