Overview

This is a part-time, postgraduate-level programme delivered wholly online in fully supported environment. The programme can be completed to Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Masters level.

Principles

The programme is based on a number of principles that inform its structure, content and general approach, as follows:

• While the focus of the programme is on the delivery of services, this activity can only be fully understood and improved when it is linked to the processes of policy development and decision-making. The programme therefore addresses all of these issues.
• The wider context within which governments work is changing rapidly and has created pressures quite unlike those faced by public managers in earlier decades. Key issues in this wider environment are the role of global institutions and the implications this has had for governance and decision-making; the rising demands that governments and citizens are making on public service managers, against a background of constrained resources; and the conflicting drivers facing managers in many sectors of innovation and standardisation. Public managers need to understand this wider context in order to function effectively within it.
• Effective service delivery increasingly involves leading and managing change. The skills that this involves include understanding change at the level of the individual, organisation and society.

Who is the programme for?

The programme accepts participants from public sector and non-governmental organisations, and from private sector organisations that work with public services. It will be relevant to you if you work in or are looking to develop skills and understanding in:

• Leading and managing change in public services.
• Working across boundaries (public, private and non-governmental).
• Influencing policy decisions in order to shape service delivery for the future.
• Innovation and enterprise in the context of constrained resources and pressures for standardisation.

The roles of current students and alumni include:

• Assistant Chief Executive, Borough Council
• Strategic Development Officer, City Council
• Team Manager, Children's Services Team
• Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, UN
• Partnerships and Projects Advisor
• Service Delivery Manager, government department
• Corporate Officer for Performance and Improvement
• Volunteer Coordinator for a national charity
• Consultant, EU energy-related projects
• Audit Manager and Financial Analyst, Correctional Service 
 

Structure

Themes and content

The programme addresses four broad themes:

• The delivery, management and improvement of public services.
• The links between service delivery and the policy process, including the means by which policy decisions are made and the influence on this process of service delivery on the ground.
• Strategic capability, including strategic planning, the management of public finances, leadership and organisational learning.
• The wider context of public service delivery: the implications of global governance and information age government.

To give a flavour of the programme, here is a small sample of the kinds of questions that it addresses:

• Why do some change initiatives fail, and what skills and approaches are important in leading change?
• How does the implementation of policy decisions affect services on the ground?
• What contribution do strategic planning techniques make to public service delivery, and how are these different in public and private sector contexts?
• What is the role of leaders and managers in enabling organisational learning?
• How do global institutions affect public sector governance?
• What role do partnerships and networks play in public sector delivery, and how can they be made more effective?
• What kinds of unintended consequences can arise from the use of performance measures and targets, and how can these consequences be alleviated?
• What skills do the leaders of public services require in the 21st century, and how can leaders best empower their staff to deliver better services?

Course structure

The programme is structured into three stages, each stage typically takes twelve months:

• Certificate: three compulsory foundation modules.
• Diploma: three further modules chosen from a wide range of electives.
• 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.

For Module Outlines please click here.

Online study

Our approach to e-learning is distinctive and may be different from your general perceptions about this mode of study.

• Flexible, fully supported, modular delivery.
• Taught exclusively online.
• Three stages: Certificate, Diploma, Masters. Each stage typically takes 12 months.
• Up to 8 modules plus an Independent Study Project.
• Part time study (approx 10-15 hours per week) allows participants to structure their learning around the demands of a career.

The following is a short summary of how online study works at York. We strongly encourage you to take a look at our full guide, including videos and an online demonstration containing example module content.

Key points

The key points about our approach are:

• These are not self-study programmes which leave you on your own. You will be part of an active learning community with regular contacts and activities.
• While the e-based approach means that our programmes are very flexible - you can study them anywhere and at any time - they also involve a structured approach to learning. You will be asked to take part in some tasks and activities each week.
• A key part of this weekly study pattern is a weekly discussion topic. You can join in with this discussion at any time during the week to suit you: you never have to be online at the same time as other people. You will join in with the discussions by posting your comments in a discussion forum. The forums are very simple and easy to use. They provide a reflective and supportive environment, providing all the benefits of studying as part of a community but without having to be in a physical classroom or even online at the same time as other people.
• As well as interacting with your fellow students in the forums, you will also have regular and structured contact with a dedicated and friendly academic and administrative team at York.
• The programmes are situated within a Virtual Learning Environment. This is a very convenient and user-friendly integrated website that provides access to study resources, discussion forums, the University of York Online Library and your University email account.

The York Team

A key feature of our programmes is the availability and quality of support that we offer through module tutors, academic supervisors and a dedicated administrative and technical support team..

eMA conference

We hold an optional annual two-day eMasters conference at York in September for all students registered on our Online Masters programmes. This optional event is an opportunity to study a theme relevant to the programme, use the University facilities and network with fellow students and academic staff. There is a modest charge which covers all expenses during the conference, including accommodation on the attractive park-land campus.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

A second class honours degree and at least one year's work experience. If no honours degree is held: relevant professional experience in the field of public policy or public management.

For non-native English speakers, or those whose previous degree was not taught in English, one of:

• IELTS score of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any element
• TOEFL iBT 100
• Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English A and B, or Certificate in Advanced English A

A personal (home) computer with an internet connection (minimum 56k dialup). An office software suite compatible with Word and Excel formats.

Sufficient study time: approximately 15 hours per week including the capacity to take part regularly in the online weekly discussions.

Willingness to share experience and learning with your fellow students.

Class profile

Class statistics for September 2011 cohort

63% Male and 37% Female

Average Age: 33

Age Range: 22 - 39

This class includes students from 7 different countries.