Public policy decisions have a profound effect on nearly every aspect of daily life, touching on the economy, healthcare, and the environment. As the challenges facing our communities—both locally and globally—grow ever more complex, the need to understand and apply sound public policy is critical.
In the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, you can gain the skills needed to address public policy issues and create solutions that will have a positive impact on society. Discover how to formulate, implement, and evaluate public policy within government agencies or in the nonprofit or private sector.
Through a curriculum that blends theory, practice, and a virtual city that simulates real-life scenarios, you can enhance and refine your analytic and quantitative skills while developing a thorough understanding of the political institutions and processes through which public policies are created. Coursework focuses on policy analysis, management and leadership, empirical analysis, ethics, and politics and is designed to prepare you to work in a wide variety of organizations that create, analyze, or operate according to public policy.
You can apply what you learn immediately in your profession and prepare for a role in public policy management or leadership.
Graduates of this program will be prepared to:
Find detailed information for the general specialization of this program, or all other specializations of this program, including possible occupations, completion rate, program costs, and median student loan debt.
Various leaders and policymakers who have launched successful public policy careers hold a Master of Public Policy.* A broad range of career options is available for those who hold advanced degrees in public policy, including positions in governments at all levels, nonprofit organizations and NGOs, and higher education and at private-sector companies.
Walden’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) can prepare you for careers as a:
Policy-makers create strategic and operational policies that make life better—locally, nationally and internationally.
Give yourself the opportunity to get a high-level overview of the latest public sector developments and insights. You'll develop your abilities, broaden your perspective, deepen your understanding, challenge your thinking—and increase your employability.
You'll study at the School of Government, learning to help decision makers get the best outcomes in environmental, economic and social areas. Find out about the machinery of government and get the skills to design, evaluate and put in place strategic and operational policies that improve our lives.
Victoria is the only New Zealand university that is connected to the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG)—so you know your qualification is of the highest standard.
Our lecturers are actively involved in the public sector, exchanging ideas on key policy and management issues. They're connected to decision makers from local, regional and national government, giving you the opportunity to meet and learn from those in the know.
We're also associated with important public and volunteer sector organisations like the Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM), Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), the NZ Council of Social Services (NZCOSS) and Hui E! Community Aotearoa.
Be part of a school that attracts not only local professionals but a talented group of international students—many highly experienced employees of government organisations in their own countries. Take advantage of the diverse experience in public policy and public management these students take to the classroom—providing valuable insights and bringing the comparative perspective alive.
Choose the qualification that suits your career goals, time constraints and financial situation.If you are initially accepted for a certificate or diploma, you can apply to transfer to the Master’s degree at a later stage. Both your performance in the programme and your professional work experience will be taken into account when looking at your application.
If you're working towards a Master of Public Policy and illness, promotion or other reasons for leaving your studies come up, you may still be able to graduate with a certificate or diploma.
You'll take a mixture of foundation and core courses that will give you the skills and capability to design, implement and evaluate policy for a range of different outcomes.
Learn about the theory and practice of policy making and examine the role of government and others in policy creation and implementation. Understand the issues at play in different policy areas like local government, health or development. If you're working while you study, you can apply what you learn to your own workplace policy challenges immediately.
MPP students should also take a research paper as part of their qualification. This could be a research topic that is relevant to your workplace. If you want to complete your Master's by coursework only, you need to get approval from the Master's Programme Director.
Most classes are delivered on-campus in a block format. That means you'll need to attend day-long classes on three different days each semester, each of these separated by about six weeks. You'll also need to complete an additional six hours of structured class work, which may be face-to-face or online.
Some classes are delivered in a weekly or intensive format. Intensive courses are structured as one-off blocks of four days, or two blocks of two days separated by six weeks. Classes for weekly courses usually take place in the evening during the standard university trimesters.
Whatever format your course is delivered in, you'll need to attend all of the classes to pass and to get the most out of your study.
Because of the block format of the classes, you can fit your study commitments around your work and home life. And if you're struggling at any time, just let us know—we want your study to be a success.
If you are studying full-time you can expect a workload of 40–45 hours a week for much of the year. Part-time students doing two courses per trimester will need to do around 20–23 hours of work a week. Make sure you take this into account if you are working full-time.
You can estimate your workload by adding up the number of points you'll be doing. One point is roughly equal to 10–12 hours work.
The MPP can be completed in three years part-time, or in two years of full-time study.
Surrounded by Parliament Buildings, government offices and corporate headquarters, you'll benefit from the strong links the School of Government maintains with the industry.
Postgraduate study at Victoria will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, university staff and future colleagues.
There will be opportunities to attend events, workshops, social functions and seminars such as the Student Learning Postgraduate Research skills sessions. You'll also have access to the postgraduate student workspace on the 2nd floor of Rutherford House—make use of the spacious computer lab, meeting rooms, printer and kitchen.
The Postgraduate Students' Association can give you information and provides a voice for you on campus.
Skilled-policy makers are in demand both in and outside of government, due to their technical and creative skills and commitment to solving society's challenges.
You might find work in central, local or regional government, a Crown entity or a not-for-profit organisation, or a private consultancy or corporation active in policy-making and implementation processes.
In the Master of Public Policy and Management you’ll refine a high-level analytic skillset that meets the demands of complex public policy-making. Use the theoretical and analytical perspectives and debates you learn in public policy, governance and management to generate understandings of the institutions, processes and practices of contemporary government and policy.
With over 30 years of teaching and learning, the Master of Public Policy and Management is the premier degree of its kind in Australia. Understand the challenges and opportunities of interdependence, national and local institutions, diversity and dynamics of global, and appreciate the potential and limits of public policy action.
Prepare yourself for a career in national and international leadership and government roles through this comprehensive postgraduate program. Benefit from hands-on experience in public, private or community sector management and gain the transferrable theoretical and practical skills you need for a mobile career.
Draw on the expertise of senior leaders from state and federal government and public service delivery organisations. The tutors and mentors in the Master of Public Policy and Management have a vast range of experience across government, politics, public service, parliament, the media, academia, and international development organisations.
On graduation from the Master of Public Policy and Management, you will be ready for work in professional fields including:
eGovernance and the digitalization of the public sector are most likely one of the most important reform trends for the future public sector. That’s why the public sector of the future needs experts who combine knowledge in public administration and public management on the one hand, and information systems and eGovernance on the other hand. The Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance (PIONEER) is a new and unique programme delivering those experts.
Experience our excellent research-based education in an international student group, providing you all the opportunities for a rich learning experience. A specific focus is placed on the use of case studies; the emphasis is placed on how new problems in the field of public administration and public policy can be solved through the use of (technological) innovations. Moreover, specific courses are built to help you increase your international experience and interdisciplinary expertise. Added value is created by giving attention to the practical challenges of professionals in policy, administrative and consultative functions.
PIONEER is:
The main objective of the PIONEER programme is to provide students with specialised competencies about public sector innovation and the role of ICT and technological evolutions in the innovation process. This is a joint master programme between 3 universities in Europe aimed at both addressing state-of-the art expertise in Public Administration, Information Systems and eGovernance and building bridges between these fields.
Each university will offer courses with a total workload of 30 ECTS. Students start in the first semester at the KU Leuven with courses on Public Administration and Management, a general introduction in the use of information systems in the public sector and an introduction into eGovernance practices.
In the second semester students will move to the University of Münster where they gain insights into the use of ICT in relevant business processes, ICT projects, new approaches of service delivery and the possibilities of ICT for governance purposes.
In the third semester, students move to Tallinn University of Technology to gain in-depth knowledge on the potential benefits, risks, factors of failure/success of eGovernance, the role of eGovernance towards society and trends in public sector innovation. By this semester students will have received enough expertise on Public Administration and Information Systems to reflect from both fields, in an integrated way, on eGovernance and the use of ICT for public sector innovation.
In the fourth semester the students will concentrate on their master thesis (30 ECTS). The master thesis can have two tracks: students can choose to do an internship in a professional organization being an integral part of their master thesis, or they can conduct research at a research institute. All courses are obligatory.
If your answers to the above questions are YES, then the Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance (PIONEER) is the right type of programme for you!
This intensive 2-year programme is an excellent opportunity to build expertise that is of increasing interest for many organisations. Our graduates have the opportunity to work in a variety of public organisations, at all levels of government (federal, local or regional) and in European and international institutions. Graduates can also find careers in non-governmental organisations, consultancy companies and the private sector. The programme can also be considered as a preparation for PhD research in public administration or information systems.
Whether it is at the local, state, or federal level, providing public service increasingly involves collaboration with multiple government agencies as well as private and nonprofit organizations. When you earn your online master’s in public administration, you can be prepared to meet these challenges.
Walden’s online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program is designed to help you develop the advanced competencies that are essential to becoming a successful leader in public administration. Gain the skills that can prepare you for cross-sectoral governance and enable you to deliver services to citizens through plans that are transparent, efficient, and ethical. As a student working toward your online MPA degree, you can learn effective ways to balance budgets, write and negotiate contracts, manage conflict, and build partnerships.
Prepare to advance your career as you gain the knowledge to translate policies into programs that work for the public good. Through in-depth research, practical coursework, and a virtual city that simulates real-life scenarios, you can acquire the organizational capabilities you need to administer and oversee diverse and complex agencies.
Graduates of our online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program will be prepared to:
Find detailed information for the general specialization of this program, or all other specializations of this program, including possible occupations, completion rate, program costs, and median student loan debt.
Graduates of this program will be well-prepared for a number of occupations across an array of areas, including government and politics, health, nonprofit, and public affairs. Students can prepare for a career in a variety of roles, including:
Career positions may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.
Study your specialist subject in detail and take the opportunity to contribute to the world's knowledge in that area. Enhance your critical thinking, communication and problem-solving abilities and learn to create and assess new ideas.
Working alongside some of New Zealand’s leading academic staff, you'll complete a research thesis of up to 40,000 words and emerge as an expert in your subject with highly developed research skills.
Victoria's MA is offered in more than 40 subjects. Most programmes are by thesis only but some include coursework and require a shorter thesis, and others you can complete doing mainly coursework and a research project.
A Master of Arts will give your career prospects a boost and open doors to new opportunities. Be a leader in a humanities or social science field and help make New Zealand a better place.
If you are doing an MA by thesis you'll normally need to complete it within 12 months, or two years if you're studying part time.
If you are doing your MA by coursework and thesis you'll normally be able to complete your degree within 12 months, but you can take up to one year and six months. Part-time students can take up to four years to complete this MA.
If you are studying full time you can expect a workload of a minimum of 30 hours a week for much of the year. If you can't commit this many hours you should enrol as a part-time student.
Our Master of Public Policy (MPP) programme is designed for graduates looking for an advanced professional qualification to provide a launch pad for careers in the public sector, nonprofit sector or international policy community.
The MPP is a theory-based empirically informed and practice-oriented. It aims to:
The programme benefits greatly from being located in Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city and seat of government allowing ready access and collaboration with central and local government, parliament, as well as a range of public service and non-profit organisations.
Core courses in first semester give you a grounding in politics, economics and policy analysis; these inform a fourth, a case-based investigation of a specific policy domain. Optional courses (one in first semester and two in the second semester), chosen from across a wide range of graduate courses offered by the School of Social and Political Science, provide specialist understanding of different issues, topics and contexts. The programme culminates in a placement-based dissertation of 8-10 weeks in a policy organisation.
You will be taught using a variety of innovative teaching methods with a focus on providing a strong practice-oriented element to provide you with the skills necessary for a career in the public sector. Classes typically last up to three hours and include academic presentations, student-led discussion and practitioner contributions.
The types of assessment used will include:
This programme offers an opportunity to undertake a work placement (approximately 8-10 weeks) with a policy organisation. Students undertaking a placement are required to produce a professional analytical report, based on their placement, which explores an existing public policy problem faced by a real-life public or non-profit sector organisation and your recommendations for a strategy to address it.
Placements are not guaranteed and are dependent on overall academic performance as well as the availability of suitable placements. Students who do not undertake a placement will complete a research report in which they will engage with a policy problem, collecting data, and presenting policy recommendations.
By the end of the programme, you will have gained skills in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
Intellectual skills
Professional/subject-specific/practical skills
Transferable skills
The MPP is a recognised professional qualification. The combination of academic excellence and practical experience ensure that MPP graduates are well placed for careers in public policy, government, think tanks, consulting firms, NGOs, party politics, and advocacy/lobbying organisations, among others.
The transferable skills you will gain from the programme, and the experience and networking opportunities from the placement, will give you a competitive edge in the employment market whatever your eventual career.
The University’s Academy of Government also offers an Executive Programme in Public Policy, aimed at mid-career professionals from the public sector, international organisations, business and civil society organisations, on a flexible, credit-accumulation basis:
eeGovernance and the digitalization of the public sector are most likely one of the most important reform trends for the future public sector. That’s why the public sector of the future needs experts who combine knowledge in public administration and public management on the one hand, and information systems and eGovernance on the other hand. The Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance is a new and unique programme delivering those experts.
If your answers to the above questions are YES, then the Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Public Sector Innovation and eGovernance (PIONEER) is the right type of programme for you!
Experience our excellent research-based education in an international student group, providing you all the opportunities for a rich learning experience. A specific focus is placed on the use of case studies; the emphasis is placed on how new problems in the field of public administration and public policy can be solved through the use of (technological) innovations. Moreover, specific courses are built to help you increase your international experience and interdisciplinary expertise. Added value is created by giving attention to the practical challenges of professionals in policy, administrative and consultative functions.
PIONEER is:
WHAT THE PIONEER PROGRAMME HAS TO OFFER YOU:
Successful applicants are holder of a bachelor degree in social sciences, political sciences, public administration, information systems, information science, informatics, engineering, business, law, or an equivalent degree in the mentioned areas. Other applications will be taken into consideration depending on the other selection criteria. The admission policy is intended to ensure equal opportunity of access to higher education for qualified students. In general the programme will assess students individually on the basis of their previous academic record, a letter of motivation, reference letters, and the availability of places. Applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English (both spoken and written), either by showing that some of their previous studies were successfully completed in English, or by submitting the results of a recognised English language proficiency test.
The admission policy is intended to ensure equal opportunity of access to higher education for qualified students. The programme will assess students individually on the basis of their previous academic record, a letter of motivation and the availability of places.
Be aware that you fulfill the registration and application before March 1st 2017. Test-results of the language proficiency test can be provided later, but not later than March 20th 2017. The language requirements are stipulated as following: at least a score of 100 on the TOEFL internet based test (at least 22 on the different components) or 7 on the IELTS-test (at least 6 on the four different components).
For the application procedure, please follow this link: http://www.kuleuven.be/english/application/instructions.
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