Effective managers are in demand, not only in profit-oriented organizations. Public administrations, public enterprises, and state-affiliated nonprofit organizations depend on flexible, innovative, and well-qualified specialists to help reach their ideological and social aims, such as general welfare, solidarity, or a smooth-running society. The MSc program in Public Management deals with problems and issues at the intersection of business, society, and politics which, more often than not, require both a scientific and a practice-oriented interdisciplinary approach.

Potential employers include the federal administration, cantonal and communal administrations, national and international governmental organizations, and institutions such as associations and foundations. They represent a job market with some 650,000 positions in Switzerland.

The modules of the Public Management specialization will provide you with in-depth knowledge of the special framework conditions of administration, public companies, and non-profit organizations. In addition to applying tools for planning resources, quality, project, and stakeholder management, you will analyze and design complex operational structures and develop an understanding of interdisciplinary relationships. As you complete applied research projects on behalf of partners from the public sector, you will improve your ability to do scientific work.

By choosing a specialization, you will gain in-depth knowledge of issues in your chosen area of interest. The following focus areas are available:

• Digital Transformation
• International Development Cooperation
• Innovation and Collaboration

This study program will allow you to meet work or family obligations of approx. 50% in addition to pursuing a higher education degree.

Your standard course of study lasts four semesters. Most of the modules take place on Mondays or Tuesdays during the semester and are taught as face-to-face, online, or flex classes. In addition, there are two one-week summer schools outside the semester, which are also taught in the classroom (before the 1st and 3rd semesters).

In the third semester, you will be able to immerse in the focus area you have chosen. Alternatively, you can spend this semester abroad at one of our numerous partner universities.

At the end of the program, you will write an academic Master's thesis on a practically relevant issue of your choice.

• Project management
• Research work
• Assisting members of executive boards
• Controlling
• Demanding specialist work
• Public affairs
• Corporate social responsibility
• Consulting

• Public administrations (city, canton, and state) in the areas education, health, law, security, economics, social services, culture, sports, environment, finances, and human resources
• Public enterprises in areas such as energy, transportation, telecommunication, social security, postal service, health 
• State-affiliated nonprofit organizations (associations, foundations, societies) in the areas politics, health, social services, social security, economy
• Private-sector organizations, such as Business consultancies or banks

Applicants are admitted to the program subject to an application procedure. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• A bachelor's degree in Business Administration from an officially recognized accademic university or university of applied sciences.
• Successful completion of a related degree program worth at least 180 ECTS credits and high grades in the relevant subjects.
• Excellent communication skills in German and English.
• Willingness to learn and high degree of motivation.
• Positive result of ability test.

If needed, please feel free to contact the Head of Program without obligation to confirm whether you meet the admission requirements outlined above.