Master of Public Policy and Management

The Master of Public Policy and Management is the premier public policy program in Australia. For more than 30 years it has prepared students for leadership roles in Australia and internationally. It is designed for current and aspiring public, private and community sector leaders and managers, who seek to develop their public policy expertise. The program draws upon the expertise of academics and practitioners engaged in researching and practising public policy and management.

Students who complete the Master of Public Policy and Management should:

• Understand the dilemmas posed by the interdependence, diversity and dynamics of global, national and local institutions and actors and appreciate the potential and limits of public policy action;
• Become familiar with the key theoretical and analytical perspectives and debates in public policy, governance and management;
• Gain broad and deep knowledge of the institutions, actors, processes and practices of contemporary government and policy making;
• Develop high level analytic skills to meet the demands of complex contemporary public policy making and an ability to locate the evidential and other resources needed to apply these skills;
• Acquire a critical appreciation of the role of leadership (and followership) in policy making and public service delivery; and
• Develop advanced management skills appropriate to complex public service systems.

200 point program

Duration: 2 years full-time/up to 4 years part-time

• four compulsory subjects (100 points)
• two core subjects (25 points)

and

Coursework Option

• elective subjects (75 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option

• PPMN90002 Minor Thesis - Public/Social Policy (37.5 points)

• POLS40013 Social Sciences Research Seminar (12.5 points)

• elective subjects (25 points)

150 point program

Duration: 1.5 years full-time/up to 3 years part-time.

• three compulsory subjects (75 points)

and

Coursework Option

• elective subjects (75 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option

• PPMN90002 Minor Thesis - Public/Social Policy (37.5 points)

• POLS40013 Social Sciences Research Seminar (12.5 points)

• elective subjects (25 points)

100 point program

Duration: 1 year full-time/up to 2 years part-time.

• two compulsory subjects (50 points)

and

Coursework Option

• elective subjects (50 points)

or

Minor Thesis Option

• PPMN90002 Minor Thesis - Public/Social Policy (37.5 points)

• POLS40013 Social Sciences Research Seminar (12.5 points)

Capstone Requirement:

All students are required to complete the Capstone Requirement for the program (at least 25 points). Students must complete one capstone option:

Capstone Stream 1: PPMN90039 Executive Internship

Purpose: An opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in policy making to solve problems that arise in professional contexts and develop an integrated understanding of research and practice

Capstone Stream 2: PPMN90006 Public Management

Purpose: An opportunity to integrate knowledge and skills in public management to a practical management problem through a sustained piece of applied scholarship

Capstone Stream 3: PPMN90007 Policy Design and Implementation

Purpose: An opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in policy design to a practical policy problem through a sustained piece of applied scholarship

Capstone Stream 4: PPMN90002 Minor Thesis - Public /Social Policy

Purpose: An opportunity to integrate knowledge and research skills to address a research question; Pathway to the PhD

For policies that govern this degree, see Academic Services Policy in the University Melbourne Policy Framework.

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

• an undergraduate degree in any discipline, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent.

Meeting this requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

• prior academic performance; and
• relevance of previous studies; and, if relevant
• the professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Applicants with the following may be awarded up to 50 points of credit:

• An undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent; or
• An undergraduate degree in any discipline with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%) or equivalent, and at least one year of documented, relevant work experience

Applicants with the following may be awarded up to 100 points of credit:

• an honours degree in a cognate discipline, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent; or
• an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline, with a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%), or equivalent, and two years of documented, relevant work experience.

Applicants seeking credit for relevant work experience must document their experience with a brief curriculum vitae detailing the experience, contact details of two referees who can confirm the authenticity and nature of the experience claimed, and a covering letter that explains how the experience is relevant to the program and prepares them for it.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Students who complete the thesis option may be eligible for entry into the PhD.

Please see http://learningandteaching.unimelb.edu.au/curriculum/graduates for further information