MA Public Policy and Management: The University of Manchester

MA International Development: Public Policy and Management

Course description

The programme is designed to provide:

• a comprehensive knowledge of the main concepts and skills required to provide leadership in public policy formulation and implementation within a development framework;
• an opportunity to undertake a range of optional subjects to satisfy the specialist needs relevant to modern public sector management and public policy in a changing environment;
• an understanding of the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policy in developing countries;
• an infrastructure for postgraduate research in the fields of public policy and public management, in developing and transitional economies

Course aims

At the end of this programme students will:

• have an understanding of the different conceptual and theoretical perspectives applied to public policy and management
• have an understanding of the principles and practices underlying the implementation of public policy and management processes
• have developed skills in initial analysis of public policy and management and in communicating their analysis in the form of clearly written and readable documents
• have a good command of current theory, policy and practice in relation to some of the following specialist areas; public policy process and methods, public sector economics, development and economic policy, privatisation and pubic enterprise reform, public sector accounting and organisational change
• have developed basic research skills through a supervised dissertation project

Career opportunities

The programme is intended primarily for those with experience of the public sector and those involved in public policy formulation and implementation, or those intending to pursue a career in the public sector or in public policy.

IDPM has a large and diverse postgraduate population, including a large number of students from outside the UK (85% of their students are drawn from outside the UK, particularly from Africa, Asia and Western Europe, but also reaching out to Latin America, the Middle East, North America and the Pacific). Many of their alumni have gone on to prestigious careers in the public service or in the NGO/charitable and private sectors, as policy officers, managers, consultants or development practitioners - while others have pursued further academic study leading to a PhD and academic careers. Since its foundation, IDPM has trained over 7000 individuals from 170 different countries.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview:

Applicants should have a good bachelors degree (minimum 2:1 or equivalent), or its International equivalent in a relevant discipline, from an approved university.

Admission of candidates who do not meet this criterion may be approved if satisfactory evidence of postgraduate study, research or professional experience can be provided.

English language:

In addition to this, applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:

• an IELTS Test score of 7.0 or more overall with a minimum writing score of 7
• or a TOEFL Test (Paper-based) score of 600 or more with a minimum score in Test of Written English of 5
• or a TOEFL Test (Computer-based) score of 250 or more with a minimum essay rating of 5
• or a TOEFL Test (Internet based) score of 100 or more with a minimum writing score of 25.
• an NCUK PMP EAP Grade A