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Eligibility assessment process - International Development Studies (MA)
Documents to be submitted
a) Application for admission (online application of the online application portal)
b) The first, fundamental university degree with final grade.
If this is not available, a Transcript of Records with a calculated average grade on the basis of at least 80% of the credits required for the bachelor's degree (according to ECTS) can alternatively be submitted.
c) The Transcript of Records for determining your previous course contents and knowledge of
sociological fundamentals of at least 60 credits (according to ECTS) or
economic studies fundamentals of at least 60 credits or (according to ECTS) or
sociological and economic studies fundamentals (in combination) of at least 120 credits.
d) Certification of skills in English at Level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages of the Council of Europe, and another modern foreign language at Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages of the Council of Europe
e) Approx. one DIN A4 page letter in which the applicant presents
- their expectations of the Master of International Development Studies at the Philipps University Marburg and
- their subject-related suitability, which relates to their personal commitment, social skills and teamwork capacity, intercultural competency, self-reflective work, practical experience in the field of Development Cooperation, and foreign language skills or scientific examinations of topics of Development Cooperation (e.g. in the bachelor's thesis).
f) a tabular resume of one DIN-A4 page in length including references to the suitability reasons therein and listed under e), such as practical experience, stays abroad, additional foreign language skills.
Criteria for personal disciplinary suitability
An evaluation of the degree of suitability with a total of at least 70 of 110 possible points is prerequisite for admission to the program.
a) Up to 50 suitability points are assigned for the final grade point average or, if the final grade point average should not be available, a submitted, calculated average grade on the basis of at least 80% of the credits required for the bachelor's degree (according to ECTS), according to the following key:
Grade points 13.9 to 15.0 (= decimal grade 1.0 to 0.7) => 50 points
Grade points 12.7 to 13.8 (= decimal grade 1.4 to 1.1) => 42 points
Grade points 11.9 to 12.6 (= decimal grade 1.7 to 1.5) => 38 points
Grade points 10.9 to 11.8 (= decimal grade 2.0 to 1.8) => 34 points
Grade points 10.0 to 10.8 (= decimal grade 2.3 to 2.1) => 30 points
Grade points 8.9 to 9.9 (= decimal grade 2.7 to 2.4) => 26 points
Grade points 7.9 to 8.8 (= decimal grade 3.0 to 2.8) => 22 points
(Grade scale according to §28 of the General Terms for Examination Regulations in Master Programs at the Philipp University of Marburg in the applicable version)
b) Demonstrated practical work (of at least four weeks each) with governmental and civil supporters of collaboration work or development-based institutions. The work performed there must be related to the studied regions (Asia, Africa, Latin America and the MENA region) (= per internship between one month and five months duration 10 points; per internship from at least 6 months duration 15 points; max. 15 points).
c) Demonstrated non-tourism foreign experience (of at least four weeks each) in countries from the studied regions (Asia, Africa, Latin America and MENA) (= per country and stay from one month to five months 10 points; for a stay of at least 6 months in one country 15 points; max. 15 points).
d) Certified skills in additional modern foreign languages not already introduced and/or unusual foreign languages spoken in the studied regions (e.g. Afrikaans, Arabic, Mandarin, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Kisuaheli, Persian, Swahili, Tongan) (= per additional language not already introduced at B1 level according to "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" 5 points; per language at B2 level according to "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" 10 points; per language at C1 level or higher according to "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" 15 points; per each additional unusual foreign language 8 points; max. 15 points).
e) Evaluation of the letter of interest and resume in addition to associated certifications for subject-related and personal suitability. (max. 15 points).
An evaluation of the degree of suitability with a total of at least 70 points is prerequisite for admission to the program.
Link for further info:
Examination regulations for the International Development Studies (MA) program