Key Dates:
- Start Date: April 2012
- Application Deadline: 5th March 2012
For further information on start dates and application deadlines please click on Key Dates
MPA online: Programme structure
The online MPA is a closely supported, interactive programme built on substantial experience at York of providing distance-based degrees for busy professionals. It comprises three stages Certificate, Diploma and Masters, with each stage lasting for twelve months. This is based on the assumption that the majority of students will be in full-time work and studying part-time, (at the rate of one module per term). It is possible for students to complete the programme at a faster rate if personal circumstances allow.
Participants are registered for the postgraduate Certificate in the first instance and then progress after successful completion to the next stage. As the York MPA has been designed with maximum flexibility, it is possible for participants to take a break between stages, or elect to stop the programme at the end of a particular stage.
After completion of the compulsory foundation modules, students can choose which elective modules are taken. Guidance is also provided for those wishing to pursue a particular field/path of study. For those students electing to take the full Masters, an Independent Study project is part of the curriculum. This can be tailored to a particular field of interest.
Each module requires approximately 10-15 hours of study time per week, although you are not expected to be online for all of that time. Participants spend around a third of their time online, with the rest of the time spent completing ‘private study’ activities and reading. Participants are expected to log on three times a week to contribute to the online discussions.
A gentle word of warning, although the programme is flexible in that you decide when and how you study, the curriculum is as rigorously academic as any of its campus-based counterparts. It requires a regular time commitment, and participation in weekly discussion groups. (You can take part in the weekly discussions at any time to suit your routine). The group discussions help build a strong learning community and so adds to the value of the programme.
The structure of the programme is summarised below.
| Programme Stage | Contents |
|---|---|
Certificate |
|
Year 1 (12 months of study) |
Three compulsory foundation modules
|
| Diploma | |
Year 2 (12 months of study) |
Three further compulsory modules
|
Masters |
|
Year 3 (12 months of study) |
A choice of: One elective module chosen from the list below and an Indepenent Study Project of 10,000 words or Two elective modules chosen from the list below and an Independent Study Project of 5,000 words |
| Elective modules | |
|
|
An International Learning Community
Elective Modules are shared with participants on York’s other online Masters programmes including,
- Masters in Public Policy and Management
- Masters in Policy, Management and Government
This uniquely collaborative approach enables participants to become part of an international body of public managers.
The Learning Process
Each module comprises 10 weeks of taught interaction followed by three weeks for preparation of the module assignment. The taught interaction is structured into weekly Units, each of which addresses a particular theme. During each Unit participants study the module material on this theme, undertake further reading and research, and take part in an online tutorial group discussion. You can join in the discussion at any time by logging in to the online forum where you can make your comments, read the comments of others, and receive the guidance of the tutor. The discussions are thus a forum for debate, reflection, and exchange of ideas and experience within a supported and collaborative environment.
Examinations and formal assessment
There are no closed examinations. Each module is assessed by one or two pieces of written work, due for submission approximately three weeks after completion of the module. Participants need to have successfully completed a module before moving onto the next.