ObjectivesThe principal aims of the MA in Public Services Management are to equip you with the appropriate skills and knowledge to enable you to have a critical overview of public service management, and to enhance your capacity to contribute to the formulation of strategies, their implementation and review. The course is particularly useful for people who deliver public services at either central or local level who wish to improve their understanding of the changing nature of those services. It recognises that modern public services are no longer exclusive to the public sector, hence the emphasis on public service management. The course also looks at the local, national and international contexts of public services. Initiatives to improve the quality of public services and to improve the relationship between the citizen and the state are international agenda items and by looking at developments in other countries, you are encouraged to develop a critical and comparative focus. Furthermore, the course encourages you to recognise and apply the imperatives of diversity and equity.
Entry requirementsA good Honours degree in a relevant subject is the normal entry requirement. However, the overriding criterion is the ability to demonstrate the knowledge base, academic skills and motivation to benefit from and succeed in a Masters level award. Applicants with lower qualifications but substantial work or voluntary experience in a relevant area will be considered.
Academic titleMA Public Services Management
Course descriptionCourse structure
The MA course comprises three core taught modules:
-Managing Public Services
-Public Service Policy and Strategy
-Social Research: Principles and Practice
You choose one of the following:
-Evaluating Success
-Evaluation Strategies
-In addition, you choose two options and undertake a triple-module dissertation.
Option choices include:
-Developments and Management in Community Care
-Issues in Contemporary Health Policy
-Issues in Social Policy
-The New Professionalism
The dissertation is a substantial piece of work of approximately 14,000 words on a public services management topic.
Assessment
In keeping with the nature of the course, a wide variety of assessment activities is used. Assessment tools include essays, report writing, management exercises and evaluation assessments.
Career opportunities
Public service practitioners looking to update their skills and knowledge, and those wishing to move into this field will benefit from the course. Graduates can also apply for further study.
Attendance & duration
-Full-time: one year, three evenings or equivalent per week
-Part-time (eve): two years, two evenings or equivalent per week