Masters in Public Administration MPA (PGCert PGDip)
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Overview
This postgraduate programme offers both part and full-time students the opportunity to examine the rapidly changing context of public work, including the pressures of globalisation, and international examples of how local communities can maintain public value and traditions.
The programme offers a critical social science appraisal of the international privatisation, marketisation and business reforms in the public sector. The course has core elements in managing public and voluntary organisations, partnerships and networks, participation and democracy, and strategy and planning in the public services. Local policy examples are examined in the context of different international examples of how localism evolves with national and international policy. There are also options to examine personal development and personal transformation as part of one's career development.
Course duration
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2-3 years
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Course content
Areas of study
Learning includes an examination of the political and democratic context of public work and the current discourse of adding 'public value' to the limited governmental, managerial and business approach of the last two decades. The organisational coverage has at its core an examination of the organisation of partnership working, the current inter-organisational complexity of the public sector and the impact of the market fragmentation on the network world of modern public administration. This will include an examination of the contradictions of 'collaboration' versus 'competition'.
Students will find opportunities to examine the micro changes in public life, including the impact of policy and administrative changes on participation and democracy and the attempt to 'managerialise' most aspects of public life. This will include a critical deconstruction of concepts like choice, performance and strategy.
The course includes a guided choice of research methods options in order to prepare students before they start their dissertation.
Syllabus
Management in the Public Service Environment
Partnership Interagency Working and User Involvement
Strategy and Planning in the Public Sector
Policy Analysis
Policy Analysis
Learning by Objectives
Participation and DemocracyOne research module from:
Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences
Principles of Social Research
Doing Qualitative Research -
Entry requirements
Typical entry requirements
individual offers may varyFor non-native speakers of English:
IELTS 6.5 overall, 6.0 in writing (or equivalent qualification).Degree and/or experience:
Normally a good first degree or equivalent professional qualification and experience. -
Location
Location
Falmer -
Career opportunities
The course, while critically evaluating the public sector reforms of the last two decades, will also be of applied relevance to those working in the field as they face the current partnership, organisational and managerial reforms. The course will allow students to make better sense of the social contradictions in these reforms allowing them to emerge as more confident and informed practitioners.
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Fees and costs
The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2012-13. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study.
The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take. Different rules apply to research degrees - please contact the Doctoral College for advice.
To help you plan for your time here we will be providing further information about what is included in your tuition fee, and any optional costs you may need to budget for, later in the autumn.
Our website wwww.brighton.ac.uk/money provides advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.
Masters in Public Administration (Full time) [L1BE001] UK/EU (Full Time) 4,320 GBP Island Students (Full Time) 7,700 GBP International (Full Time) 11,000 GBP -
Apply online
You should not apply unless you can meet all the entry requirements for this course. Please contact the course team before applying if you are unsure about any of the specific entry requirements.
Entry requirements
For non-native speakers of English:
IELTS 6.5 overall, 6.0 in writing (or equivalent qualification).Degree and/or experience:
Normally a good first degree or equivalent professional qualification and experience.