Online Masters Programmes
in Public Management
professional development for
public managers
Enquiries
Helen Smith,
Programme Manager
E: spsw-online@york.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1904 321273
Ellen Roberts,
Programme Director
Email: er12@york.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1904 321250
Further details - MA Public Policy and Management
Focus
The focus of this Masters degree course is on developing professional skills and understanding for policy-making and management in public services. Its purpose is to enhance your ability to shape and lead improved public services.
Principles
The programme is based on a number of principles that inform its structure, content and general approach, as follows:
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The policy process and the management of services are and should be closely connected. Most obviously, policy decisions determine what and how public services will be delivered. Just as importantly though, the way in which policies are implemented and delivered on the ground affects what policy outcomes can be achieved. This process in turn throws up issues and challenges that affect the policy agenda. The programme reflects these connections and tackles them in an integrated way.
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The wider context within which governments work is changing rapidly, and reflects global issues, governance and connectedness, the role of e-technology and rising demands and expectations. Managers of public services need to understand this wider context and the pressures it creates in order to function effectively and lead change within it.
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Those involved in public services can gain through learning and sharing experience with those December 9, 2009s. While local contexts are very different, there are common themes and issues that cross these boundaries, and so learning that takes advantage of shared experience can add extra value to professional development.
Who the programme is for
We accept participants from public sector and non-governmental organisations, and from private sector organisations that work with public services. This qualification will be relevant to you if you work in or are looking to develop skills and understanding in relation:
- Public policy: its development, implementation, delivery, analysis and evaluation.
- The management of public services: leading and managing change in public services, assessing performance and outcomes and influencing future policy decisions.
The roles of current students and alumni include:
- Policy and Research Officer in a national non-governmental organisation
- Policy officer in a local government authority
- Performance manager, government department
- Policy evaluation and advocacy officer, UN agency
- Programme Officer, UN agency
- Communications officer, international NGO
Themes and content
The programme addresses four broad themes:
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The policy process: how policy-making works and what influences this process.
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The implementation and delivery of public services.
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Issues that affect both policy-making and delivery - for example globalisation and information age government.
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Policy-making in a number of specialised areas - for example Environment, Work and Welfare, Social Security and International Development. Within these areas the programme adopts a social policy perspective, and draws on the latest thinking and research from the social policy field.
To give a flavour of the programme, here is a small sample of the kinds of questions that it addresses:
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Why do some issues get onto governmental policy agendas while others don’t?
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Why do policies fail?
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What should the role of evidence be in policy-making and what counts as “evidence”?
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What kinds of unintended consequences can arise from the use of performance measures and targets, and how can these consequences be alleviated?
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What is the latest evidence about the impact of public private partnerships on efficiency and effectiveness?
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How is global governance changing public policy-making and the delivery of services?
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What are the implications of information-age government for citizens and the state?
Structure
The programme is structured into three stages:
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Certificate: three compulsory foundation modules.
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Diploma: three further modules chosen from a wide range of electives.
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Masters: either one additional elective module and a 10,000 - word Independent Study Project, or two additional elective modules and a 5,000 - word Independent Study Project.
The content of each stage is shown below:
| Programme stage | Contents |
|---|---|
| Certificate | |
Year 1 (12 months of study) |
Three compulsory foundation modules
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| Diploma | |
Year 2 (12 months of study) |
Three further elective modules chosen from the list below |
| Masters | |
Year 3 (12 months of study |
A choice of One further elective module and an Independent Study Project of 10,000 or Two further elective modules and an Independent Study Project of 5,000 |
| Elective Modules | |
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