Find out more about studying Masters of Public Administration MPA at University of the West of Scotland? We've gathered all the key details, entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
MPA - Master of Public Administration
London Campus
Part Time
Jan 2028
2 Year
Make an impact in your public or third sector career with a Master’s qualification in Public Administration. With a rigorous focus on governance, public organization management and policy making this course will give you the theoretical and practical understanding needed to take your career to the next level. This high level, specialist qualification will equip aspiring modern public managers and policymakers with the skills required to manage organizations and make a decisive contribution to solving public policy issues that are either global, national or local. The programme combines a rigorous social science focus on governance, public administration and management with a strong grounding in public policy. Our MPA has a strong international focus and is ideal for professionals looking to progress into a global career. It focuses on key societal challenges, particularly the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), and the way these are addressed by administrations and via policies that involve numerous actors and organizations at various levels of government and governance across different country contexts. Whether you’re looking to enter the world of public management or policy making, or uplevel your current work experience by expanding your sector knowledge, this course will help you develop the knowledge, skills and connections you need to take those vital next steps.
This module examines a range of contemporary social issues, drawing on various case studies and research across sociology, political science, social policy, social work, criminal justice and psychology.
The module is aimed primarily at those working at leaders and managers at senior and middle levels within the public sector or those who are planning a career in the public sector. The module engages students in what is now an important aspect of public sector activity: the strategies for managing crises, threats risk, and uncertainty, urgency. Leaders in the public sector are now, more than ever before, being held to account for their performance for managing crises which can affect the integrity and effectiveness of their organisations and the policy sector in which they operate/oversee. Crises come in various forms and are heavily contextual. This requires adaptive leadership strategies and a high level of resilience in order to work with stakeholders to bring crises to an end. The common denominator of crises are that they pose a threat to prevailing patterns of organisational, social, economic and political interactions.
This module has been designed to appeal those students with an interest in working, or already working, in local, devolved or central government, third sector organisations and civil society organisations. In the module students will gain experience of applying key concepts and theories used in academic literature on civil society and public affairs to complex and real policy environments. It offers students the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and research skills to the practical understanding of public services and affairs.
During this module students are encouraged to develop their understanding of methodology to enable them to conduct independent research. Students will learn how to apply methods and analyse data in a rigorous manner that will withstand critical scrutiny. Students will learn about a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including the main techniques associated with the analysis and interrogation of data generated using qualitative and quantitative approaches.
This module provides students with an understanding of the models, theories, structures and processes of governance and public administration in a comparative context. Students will gain an understanding of the structures and functions of public administration at national, regional and local levels. It explores dimensions such as culture, executive and non-executive power, accountability and governance. The module draws on contemporary case studies to illuminate the issues and dimensions of organisational theory and how these are relevant to the study of the internal and external organisation of public administration. Although the case studies are contemporary, they are considered within a historical context in order for students to understand the patterns of administrative reform at multiple levels of governance. Students will consider, amongst other debates, the extent to which we are now living in an era of ?post-New Public Management? and how such debates are relevant within different state contexts.
The module provides students a critical understanding of the communication issues before, during and after a crisis, and aims to let students reflect on effective policy and decision making. Students will learn how to apply different methodological approaches in a rigorous manner to study crisis communication, and demonstrate awareness of the limitations of each approach. Furthermore, students are provided with an opportunity to consider key problems in the practice of crisis communication, including the influence of new communication technologies, and the global, ?wicked? character of crisis management. The module then turns to examine the practice of crisis communication in a more focused manner. Students will learn about crisis communication in different organizational and political contexts, using case studies about the oil industry, and educational settings.
