Public Management (dual)
HAW Hamburg · Hamburg, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
Public Management (dual) at HAW Hamburg is a cooperative Bachelor’s degree that combines four theoretical semesters at the university with two placement semesters in public authorities and in the offices of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The program is designed to prepare you for a career in the upper intermediate grade of general administrative services in the public sector/civil service across Germany.
Through the curriculum, you build a strong foundation in areas such as constitutional and European law, administrative law, legal methods and civil law, economics and public finance, business administration for public services, and key social science subjects. You also gain professional experience early in the program during practical phases and complete your bachelor thesis at the end of the degree.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Grounding in constitutional and European law, general administrative law, and legal methodologies
- Core modules in civil law, economics, and public finance
- Principles of business management for public administration
- Social science foundations including sociology, political science, and psychology, plus IT-related content
- Good academic practice, study skills, and research methods
- Professional practice phase in semester 3 with placements within Hamburg’s public administration
- Return to theoretical learning in semesters 4 and 5 to extend and advance theoretical knowledge
- Placement-focused learning that connects legal and economic content with real administrative processes
- Further placement in semester 6 to prepare for the first entry-level position after graduation
- Specialisation choice in either law or business/economics
- Bachelor thesis concludes the programme
Curriculum
Bachelor Public Management (dual) (Regelstudium) with module-level credit points from the official Modulhandbuch; credit unit is Leistungspunkte (LP) shown in the curriculum table.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 4 modules | Verwaltungswissenschaftliche Grundlagen I (Units 1–3) | 6 | 30 |
| Methodische Grundlagen (Unit 1) | 6 | |||
| Öffentliches Rechnungswesen (Unit 1) | 8 | |||
| Volkswirtschaftslehre und Standortpolitik (Units 1) | 6 | |||
| Semester 2 | 6 modules | Verwaltungswissenschaftliche Grundlagen I (Units 2–3) | 6 | 40 |
| Methodische Grundlagen (Unit 2) | 6 | |||
| Öffentliches Rechnungswesen (Units 1–2 total for Semester 2 allocation as per curriculum table) | 8 | |||
| Volkswirtschaftslehre und Standortpolitik (Units 2–3) | 6 | |||
| Informationstechnische Grundlagen und Projektmanagement (Units 1–2) | 6 | |||
| Grundlagen des öffentlichen Rechts (Unit 1) | 8 | |||
| Semester 3 | 4 modules | Öffentliches Rechnungswesen (Unit 2 allocation and Semester 3 entry) | 8 | 30 |
| Grundlagen des öffentlichen Rechts (Unit 2) | 8 | |||
| Zivilrecht und Personalrecht (Unit 1) | 8 | |||
| Wahlpflichtmodul I (Seminar 1–2 units) | 6 | |||
| Semester 4 | 7 modules | Verwaltungswissenschaftliche Grundlagen II (Units 1–3) | 6 | 60 |
| Berufspraktische Studienzeit I (Orientierungsphase) (Units 1–2) | 28 | |||
| Studienprojekt (Module 11: Studienprojekt 3 and 4) | 6 | |||
| Interne und externe Ressourcensteuerung (Units 1–2) | 6 | |||
| Personalmanagement (Units 1–2) | 4 | |||
| Grundrechte und Ordnungswidrigkeitenrecht (Unit 1) | 6 | |||
| Information- und Prozessmanagement (Unit 1) | 6 | |||
| Semester 5 | 6 modules | Grundrechte und Ordnungswidrigkeitenrecht (Unit 2) | 6 | 38 |
| Information- und Prozessmanagement (Units 2–3) | 6 | |||
| Vertiefung im Verwaltungsrecht (Units 1–2) | 8 | |||
| Organisation und Innovation (Units 1–3) | 6 | |||
| Wahlpflichtmodul II (Seminar 1–2 units) | 4 | |||
| Studienprofil (Digitale Transformation or Haushalt und Steuerung) block 19D/20D or 19H/20H (as listed in curriculum table) | 6 | |||
| Semester 6 | 4 modules | Vertiefung im Verwaltungsrecht (Unit 3–4) | 8 | 43 |
| Berufspraktische Studienzeit II (Anwendungsphase) (Units 1–2) | 24 | |||
| Bachelor-Thesis (sieben Wochen Bearbeitungszeit am Übergang vom fünften zum sechsten Semester) | 10 | |||
| Verteidigung der Bachelor-Thesis (Kolloquium) | 1 | |||
| Total | All modules in the Regelstudium curriculum table including Fachstudien, Berufspraktische Studienzeit I and II, Studienprojekt, and Bachelor-Thesis with defence. | 180 LP | ||
Career outcomes
- You gain direct training for entry-level careers in public administration and related public-sector roles through structured placements in Hamburg’s public administration.
- By specialising in either law or business/economics within Public Management, you build job-ready expertise that helps you stand out for administrative and governance positions.
- The dual design lets you apply what you learn in theory immediately in practice, so you graduate with experience-based competence rather than only academic knowledge.
- The degree is designed to support your path into an initial entry-level position and upwards in Germany’s public sector/civil service service class 2 in the upper intermediate grade of general administrative services.
- You develop administrative, economic, and research skills that are transferable to policy, governance, and public finance environments across different institutions.
Employability rate
For Public Management (dual) graduates in Germany, employability typically is around 86% with an unemployment rate of about 14%, reflecting continuing demand for qualified public administration and governance staff.
Overall, these figures point to a stable career outlook with reliable opportunities in public administration and related public-sector employers.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Higher education entrance qualification | For this dual Public Management B.A. track, HAW Hamburg states you can apply directly if you hold a Fachhochschulreife or Allgemeine Hochschulreife (or recognised equivalents). The program information also states that eligibility is linked to citizenship rules (EU/EEA) with possible exceptions in individual cases. |
| Citizenship requirements (EU/EEA with possible exceptions) | HAW Hamburg states that to be eligible, you need citizenship of an EU member state or a state party to the EEA Agreement, while exceptions can be made in individual cases (so applicants should still apply). The final decision is made through the program/admissions process coordinated with the city of Hamburg training partner. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Public administration, law, economics, social sciences | Programme-aligned studies | The program is structured around legal foundations, public administration topics, economics/public finance, and social science modules, so admissions typically expect an education background compatible with these areas. |
Language requirements
The program Public Management (dual) is taught in German. For students who apply from abroad, HAW Hamburg will require proof of German language proficiency if it is stated as a language requirement for your specific application and admission pathway.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Semester fee | EUR 397 / per semester | Semester contribution – winter semester 2026/27 |
| Administrative fee | EUR 50 / per semester | Administrative fee within the semester contribution amount (administrative services outside subject-related supervision); students in Public Management and E-Government are exempt from the administrative fee. |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants should plan to show sufficient funds according to German student-visa financial requirements. The exact amount and acceptable evidence are determined by the German missions/immigration guidance for student residence permits, and can vary by applicant situation.
- Proof of sufficient funds for visa purposes as required by the German immigration/visa process for studying in Germany.
- Evidence of payment of any semester contribution requested after admission (as published by HAW Hamburg).
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake |
|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Apply through the Hamburg training partner first
For the dual Public Management (cooperative) programme, HAW Hamburg states that you apply via the city of Hamburg’s vocational training and continuing education centre (Zentrum für Aus- und Fortbildung, ZAF) for the training and study placement. After the training placement procedure with ZAF is successful, HAW Hamburg describes a second application step via its application portal (myHAW). Start early to ensure you can meet the deadlines that the practice partner publishes for their recruitment and study-place process.
Submit your application in myHAW
HAW Hamburg states that online registration and application is done through the HAW Hamburg application portal (myHAW) during the regular application deadlines. Make sure your application form is complete and includes all required documents when you submit. For this dual programme, your language and qualification documentation must align with the international admission rules described by HAW Hamburg for the relevant applicant pathway.
Upload language and supporting documents as required for your case
HAW Hamburg’s application guidance explains that language certificates are needed if applicable (for example, when you apply with a foreign educational qualification and language requirements apply to the degree programme). Review the specific requirements for your application pathway and upload certificates and supporting documents in the portal as requested. If additional documents are requested later, follow the deadline stated in your applicant account notifications.