Course overview

This career-enhancing course is designed for both practitioners and newly graduated students who wish to make a career in public administration and related areas, whether this is in central, regional or local government or in private and voluntary sectors in partnerships with governments.

Applicants must normally hold a good honours degree from an approved university or a relevant professional qualification. We will also consider those without a relevant degree, but with substantial experiential learning. We prefer applicants to have experience of working in a managerial role in a public sector organisation, although exceptions will be made in the case of new graduates wishing to pursue postgraduate study, if they have a good relevant degree.

It involves the advanced study of the management and administration of public sector organisations within changing global, international and national contexts. You will examine the ways in which public policies are made and implemented. You will also compare policy processes and outputs within specific policy fields including health, education, welfare, economic development, defence, policing and European integration. This will allow you to acquire specialist subject knowledge in fields relevant to your career choices.

Our comparative approach ensures that in addition to a detailed study of the UK, you will obtain a wider international perspective of public policies, management systems and administrative systems, reflecting the increasing importance of international policy learning in all three areas.

This course brings together people from a wide range of organisations involved in public service delivery in the UK, Europe and other countries. This provides for an inter-cultural, inter-professional and inter-organisational education and development within a challenging and stimulating environment.

Find out more

This course is offered as a one-year programme for overseas, European Union and home students. The part-time course allows home or EU students to combine work and study and to undertake the programme over two calendar years.  The course is run by the School of Social, Historial and Literary Studies. For an application pack and details of fees, or to arrange an informal discussion with the course leader, please contact the Humanities Admissions Centre.

Course content

We will introduce you to different ways of delivering public services and how to access their efficiency and effectiveness. As a result, you will gain knowledge and develop an understanding of the following areas:

• the impact of contextual forces on public organisations including:
  • the legal system
  • ethical, economic, environmental, social and technological change issues
  • international developments
  • corporate governance

• the role of public sector organisations in economic development and regeneration
• the marketisation of service delivery
• citizenship issues in public organisations
• the concepts, processes and institutions in the management of resources and operations
• financing the public sector (sources, financial management, accountability and financial reporting)
• management and development of people within organisations, human resource management, human resource development and change management
• the uses and limitations of quantitative and qualitative research methods for providing information and evaluating options in an uncertain organisational environment
• the development, management and exploitation of information systems and their impact on organisations
• the use of relevant communication and information technologies and applications in public sector management within a global knowledge-based economy

Core units

• Dissertation / Major Project
• Comparative Public Policy and Administration
• Public Management
• Public Sector Strategic Management and Leading Effective Change

Optional units

You select one option from:

• Practice Based Knowledge in British Public Administration
• Work Related Learning / Independent Learning 
• Europe and the World
• Contemporary Security In International Relations: Providers & Challenges
• Policies and Networks; the Governance Of The EU
• Nation and Identity in Europe
• Management of Resources, Finance And Information Systems

Please note that units may be subject to change.

For part-time students a number of distance learning management units are available in addition to a work-based learning unit, which allows you to achieve credit for study or a project undertaken in the workplace.

Credit for prior learning may be awarded, provided that the course studied relates to the Portsmouth MPA curriculum.

Awards

To qualify for the Masters Degree in Public Administration you must:

• complete all the core units and the dissertation
• obtain 180 credits

To qualify for the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration you must:

• complete all the core units excluding the dissertation
• obtain 120 credits

To qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration you must:

• complete 60 credits of core units

Teaching and assessment

You will be taught using a variety of lectures, seminars, tutorials, student presentations, visiting speakers and structured visits to public sector organisations. International students will have a full portfolio of activities that will include English language classes, visits to public organisations and structured advice on how to develop their academic performance.

All students receive an induction to our library and how to use our electronic sources of information. Each student will have a personal tutor, as well as the support of an extensive system of student services.

Assessments

These include work-related assignments, extended essays, examinations, assessed presentations, reports, completion of logs and a dissertation or extended piece of work-related research culminating in a management report.

Career prospects

The course delivers transferable lifelong skills that you will be able to apply to complex issues, both systematically and creatively. This will improve your capabilities and enable you to work with self-direction and originality, as well as help you contribute to public administration and society at large.

Facilities and features

Course members will have full access to the University’s extensive library and research facilities. The University Library is at the centre of academic life. Open from 8am until midnight every day during term-time, it provides a variety of information to help with study and research. It has also invested heavily in the purchase of electronic resources. There are over 10,000 electronic journals available, together with thousands of ebooks, which can be accessed across campus, from home or wherever there is an internet connection.

In addition, Portsmouth is a modern university with extensive sports and cultural facilities. For those who seek University accommodation, we offer a wide range of catered and self-catering options delivered to a high standard.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for Masters in Public Administration are shown above, for more detailed information please contact:

Department: School of Social, Historical and Literary Studies
Tel: +44 (0)23 9284 8299
Email: humanities.admissions@port.ac.uk