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1. Admissions/ Management Information
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Title of the new programme – including any lower awards
Please provide the titles used for all awards relating to this programme. Note: all programmes are required to have at least a Postgraduate Certificate exit award.

See guidance on programme titles in:
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https://www.york.ac.uk/media/staffhome/learningandteaching/documents/programmedevelopment/Framework%20for%20Programme%20Design%20-%20PG.pdf
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Masters MPA CASPPER (Master of Public Administration in Comparative Applied Social and Public Policy, Evaluation and Research).
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Postgraduate Diploma Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration in Comparative Applied Social and Public Policy, Evaluation and Research.Please indicate if the Postgraduate Diploma is available as an entry point, ie. is a programme on which a student can register or as an exit award, ie. that are only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.Exit
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Postgraduate Certificate Postgraduate Certificate in Public Administration.Please indicate if the Postgraduate Certificate is available as an entry points, ie. is a programme on which a student can register, or as an exit award, ie. that are only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.Exit
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Level of qualificationLevel 7
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This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:2018
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Awarding institutionTeaching institution
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University of York University of York
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Department(s):
Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department		Board of Studies
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Lead Department Social Policy and Social WorkSocial Policy and Social Work
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Other contributing Departments: N/A
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Route code
(existing programmes only)		N/A
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Admissions criteria
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You will normally be expected to have at least a 2:1 undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification. This may be from the social or natural sciences, arts or humanities. You will also be considered if you have significant
and relevant work experience and academic potential. All applicants must have at least three years work experience in the public sector (local, regional, national) or NGO sector. IELTS requirement is an average of 6.5
across all components (with no less than 5.5 in all components).
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Length and status of the programme(s) and mode(s) of study
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ProgrammeLength (years/ months) Status (full-time/ part-time)
Please select		Start dates/months
(if applicable – for programmes that have multiple intakes or start dates that differ from the usual academic year)		Mode
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Face-to-face, campus-basedDistance learningOther
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MPA CASPER21 monthsFull-timeSeptember 2018Please select Y/NYesPlease select Y/NNoN/A
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Language(s) of study
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English
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Language(s) of assessment
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English
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2. Programme accreditation by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies (PSRB)
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2.a. Is the programme recognised or accredited by a PSRB
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Please Select Y/N:Noif No move to section 3
if Yes complete the following questions
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3. Additional Professional or Vocational Standards
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Are there any additional requirements of accrediting bodies or PSRB or pre-requisite professional experience needed to study this programme?
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Please Select Y/N:Noif Yes, provide details
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4. Programme leadership and programme team
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4.a. Please name the programme leader for the year to which the programme design applies and any key members of staff responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing the programme.
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Prof Neil Lunt
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5. Purpose and learning outcomes of the programme
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5.a. Statement of purpose for applicants to the Masters programme
Please express succinctly the overall aims of the programme as an applicant facing statement for a prospectus or website. This should clarify to a prospective masters student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
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The MPA CASPPER aims to equip you with a systematic understanding of contemporary policy development, governance, delivery and evaluation. The study of social and public policy draws from a wide range of disciplinary traditions that explore the role of political, economic and institutional explanations for the development of effective policy responses to contemporary social problems. You will gain in-depth understanding of the policy process and analyse complex social problems by drawing on relevant and appropriately advanced, research methods skills. The programme is strongly comparative and international in focus, drawing on experiences of OECD countries, and relevant international agencies. As professionals who are working in policy and practice the programme offers you flexibility and support in developing your own learning experience, allowing you to develop a tailored set of activities built around a portfolio-learning process. You will gain from Masterclass activities (including invited sessions led by local, national and international agencies as well as Departmental staff) and a world class research active environment that will allow you to develop an in-depth understanding of independent project management. The Programme is aimed at those currently working in policy roles (policy development, research and evaluation, implementation and delivery, and lobbying). Graduates of MPA CASPPER will become well-equipped social policy analysts (policy design, governance and evaluation) that could pursue opportunities in advocacy, consultancy, policy analysis within local, national, cross-national and global policy organisations.
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5.b.i. Programme Learning Outcomes - Masters
Please provide six to eight statements of what a graduate of the Masters programme will be able to do.
If the document only covers a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma please specify four to six PLO statements in the sections 5.b.ii and 5.b.iii as appropriate.
Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
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PLOOn successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
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1Engage and inform policy discussions at local, national, cross-national and global levels through ensuring students have in-depth knowledge of key theories and
analytical methods on social and public policy analysis.
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2Identify and synthesise theories and concepts from multiple disciplines and critically apply them to real world contexts to contribute to the informed construction of social and public policy responses to social
needs.
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3Effectively design policy research projects drawing on appropriate research theory and methods; retrieve, generate and interpret relevant primary and secondary data, digital resources and work within appropriate ethical codes of conduct and data protection laws.
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4Communicate research findings and policy analyses authoritatively to a specialist and informed audiences in ways that balance academic rigour and accessible presentation of complex information.
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5Reflect on their own independent learning experience by conducting and facilitating the management of an applied policy transfer project and scoping project that would require them to analyse policy context, devise policy strategies and take into account multiple and multilevel interests.
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6Work effectively in teams, with sensitivity to the individual perspectives, organisational positions and institutional dynamics of peers and other actors, and recognition of their own subjective positions.
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7Critically apply knowledge and skills to the pursuit of social progress beyond the local and domestic policy-making context as active and participatory citizens.
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5.c. Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning Outcomes
Please explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
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i) ... in what way will these PLOs result in an ambitious, challenging programme which stretches the students?
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The Learning Outcomes for this programme are stretching because they enable students to develop in depth and systematic knowledge of complex frameworks for the analysis of policy and practice. They are ambitious because they contain an expectation that students will complete their studies with the ability to demonstrate originality and independent capacity to develop and undertake research projects that contribute towards the pursuit of social progress. In doing so, students are expected to demonstrate comprehensive understanding of research methodologies and demonstrate ability to manage and reflect on their own requirements for continuing professional development.
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ii) ... in what way will these PLOs produce a programme which is distinctive and advantageous to the student?
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The Learning Outcomes for this programme are distinctive because they offer both core skills in appropriate policy theories and research methods, and the flexibility within a range of Masterclasses that best fit students' research, academic and professional ambitions. These range from key themes on governance, leadership, culture, audit, evaluation and behaviourism. The programme places the study of policy theories in a multi-scalar context which considers local, national, international and global influences on policy design and implementation. In this way, graduates from the programme will be in a position to further their careers in research organisations, think tanks, NGOs, civil service and other public offices within a range of national and regional organisation either in their own country of origin or in other countries.
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iii) ... how the design of the programme enables students from diverse entry routes to transition successfully into the programme? For example, how does the organisation of the programme ensure solid foundations in disciplinary knowledge and understanding of conventions, language skills, mathematics and statistics skills, writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity
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Students will benefit from a range of supports already developed for this student body, including: a well-established induction programme covering key study skills issues; an essay writing and referencing workshop delivered by Departmental staff early in the Autumn Term (with subject specific practice essay option); and, pre-sessional and in-session language classes options. In addition, the core Autumn Term module 'Social Policy Analysis' will provide an overview of key disciplinary knowledge and conventions. Additionally students that lack a background in social policy are provided prior to the start of the programme key readings that enable them to familiarise with introductory terms and concepts of social policy analysis and research. Individual supervision sessions monitor the student progress, particularly those students with qualifications in less closely related subjects. The background of each student (within social and public policy) is an aid to ensuring understanding of key concepts and issues. These experiences are drawn upon to good effect during the Autumn masterclasses.
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iv) ... how the programme is designed to enable students to progress successfully - in a limited time frame - through to the end of the award? For example, the development of higher level research skills; enabling students to complete an independent study module; developing competence and confidence in practical skills/ professional skills. See QAA masters characteristics doument http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Masters-Degree-Characteristics-15.pdf
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Students study core modules: providing a grounding in the key social policy analysis theories, and approaches to comparative understanding of governance, and comparative and globalised contexts of policy, delivery and research (year 1). In autumn of year 2 they receive a grounding in research skills. In the spring term (year 2) they enhance their research skills. The masterclasses that run through the 21 months (consisting of internal delivery and externally-led sessions) explore practical and professional skills, with a key emphasis on team work and collaboration. Independent study modules (summer term and summer vacation year 1; summer term year 2), provide an opportunity for students to synthesise knowledge and approaches and communicate the research structure and aims of their independent study module to members of staff and their peers. Core skills, including presentation, team work and reflection are developed and practiced within the masterclass activities (year 1 and 2) and the small group projects that run during summer (year 1) and autumn (year 2). There are regular discussions about the role of portfolio-based learning requirements and the part of reflective practice within this. Topics for discussion in masterclasses include organisational and national culture and cross-cultural working - these are themselves routes to self-reflection.
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v) ... how this programme (as outlined in these PLOs) will develop students’ digital literacy skills and how technology-enhanced learning will be used to support active student learning through peer/tutor interaction, collaboration and formative (self) assessment opportunities (reference could be made to such as blogging, flipped classrooms, response 'clickers' in lectures, simulations, etc).
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Digital literacy development is directly linked to the practices relevant to the discipline, for example, engagement with policy debate which includes both academic knowledge and understanding, and the ability to undertake engagement activities across social media fora and to contribute as well as utilise online information sources. Working effectively in groups will require that students manage digital presence and identity sensitively, both as individuals and within their groups. In working towards the PLOs students will undertake reflective and critical use of digital resources and digital practices; use technology for effective communication and to increase the efficiency with which they engage with learning; contribute to and share digital resources. The PLOs enable students to learn to retrieve and evaluate a substantial range of information sources and they will gain familiarity with qualitative and quantitative software and online data sources relevant to Social Policy. Individual Masterclass activities may also focus on a particular datasets and their manipulation (e.g. Charities, Neighbourhood Statistics). The PLOs allow substantial use of material provided on the VLE to support learning as well as social media; digital tools for research, production and presentation of communications (both written and visual); management of data and documents (including e.g. the management of references using digital tools); learning support tools such as lecture recordings and online library tutorials. The PLOs will equip students with the ability to effectively combine digital and physical forms of learning and working, individually and together.
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vi) ... how this programme (as outlined in these PLOs) will support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)?
The programme's employability objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
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http://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/support-and-admin/careers/staff/
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The PLOs include a suite of transferable skills that can be applied in a wide range of problem-solving contexts, such as being able to interpret and critically evaluate complex material and communicate such material in a variety of formats. Students will develop a rounded awareness of and sensitivity to a range of perspectives and interests that will be essential for employability in the social and public policy fields and more widely. Students will develop independent and team-based working skills, including planning and time-management culminating in their dissertation work. The programme's substantive focus on social policy delivery and evaluation will enhance the employability of MPA graduates, including employment in international and national organisations dedicated to social and public policy research and analysis including public, private and non-for-profit organisations that are involved in the designing, consultation and delivery of social and public policy. Students completing the programme will be well-placed to apply directly for PhD studies in social and public policy.
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viii) ... how learning and teaching on the programme are informed and led by research in the department/ Centre/ University?
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All teaching staff are active researchers and the programme content is driven by research-led interests and strengths. In particular, the programme reflects the Department's strengths in social policy research plus our strengths in comparative and global social policy analysis, drawing on the work of our Centre for Research in Comparative and Global Social Policy. The MPA also draws on our extensive professional networks and organisational links related to applied and public sector/ NGO activities. Our expertise in applied social research methods also underpins the programme.
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5.d. Progression
For masters programmes where students do not incrementally 'progress' on the completion of a discrete Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma, please summarise students’ progressive development towards the achievement of the PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of the set of modules or part thereof. This summary may be particularly helpful to students and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules and in circumstances where students registered on a higher award will exit early with a lower one.

Note: it is not expected that a position statement is written for each masters PLO, but this can be done if preferred.
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On completion of modules sufficient to obtain a Postgraduate Certificate students will be able to:
If the PG Cert is an exit award only please provide information about how students will have progressed towards the diploma/masters PLOs. Please include detail of the module diet that students will have to have completed to gain this qualification as an exit award.
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Students exiting with a PG Cert in Public Administration will have made some progress towards PLOs 1,2, 4, 5 and 7. Students need 60 credits from the taught modules (i.e. not including the Independent Scoping Report) to acquire the PG Cert as an exit award.
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On completion of modules sufficient to obtain a Postgraduate Diploma students will be able to:
If the PG Diploma is an exit award only please provide information about how students will have progressed towards the masters PLOs. Please include detail of the module diet that students will have to have completed to gain this qualification as an exit award.
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Students exiting with a PG Diploma in CASPPER will have made significant progress towards all the PLOs . Students need 120 credits from the taught modules (i.e. not including the Independent Scoping Report) to acquire the PG Diploma as an exit award.
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6. Reference points and programme regulations
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6.a. Relevant Quality Assurance Agency benchmark statement(s) and other relevant external reference points
Please state relevant reference points consulted (e.g. Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, National Occupational Standards, Subject Benchmark Statements or the requirements of PSRBs): See also Taught Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Framework for Programme Design:
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https://www.york.ac.uk/media/staffhome/learningandteaching/documents/programmedevelopment/Framework%20for%20Programme%20Design%20-%20PG.pdf
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http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Masters-Degree-Characteristics-15.pdf
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http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements
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http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2843#.VthM1fmLS70
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Social Policy Subject Benchmark Statement: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=3046#.WwQjti-ZNyo .
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6.b. University award regulations
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The University’s award and assessment regulations apply to all programmes: any exceptions that relate to this programme are approved by University Teaching Committee and are recorded at the end of this document.
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7. Programme Structure
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7.a. Module Structure and Summative Assessment Map
Please complete the summary table below which shows the module structure and the pattern of summative assessment through the programme.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
If the structure of your programme does not fit the usual academic year (for instance students start at the beginning of September or in January) please contact your Academic Quality Team contact in the Academic Support Office for guidance on how to represent the structure in an alternative format.

To clearly present the overall programme structure, include the name and details of each individual CORE module in the rows below. For OPTION modules, ‘Option module’ or 'Option from list x' should be used in place of specifically including all named options. If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists by term of delivery or subject theme these lists should be provided in the next section (7.b).

From the drop-down select 'S' to indicate the start of the module, 'A' to indicate the timing of each distinct summative assessment point (eg. essay submission/ exam), and 'E' to indicate the end of teaching delivery for the module (if the end of the module coincides with the summative assessment select 'EA'). It is not expected that each summative task will be listed where an overall module might be assessed cumulatively (for example weekly problem sheets).

Summative assessment by exams should normally be scheduled in the spring week 1 and summer Common Assessment period (weeks 5-7). Where the summer CAP is used, a single ‘A’ can be used within the shaded cells as it is understood that you will not know in which week of the CAP the examination will take place. (NB: An additional resit assessment week is provided in week 10 of the summer term for postgraduate students. See Guide to Assessment, 5.4.a)
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http://www.york.ac.uk/about/departments/support-and-admin/registry-services/guide/
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Year 1 structure
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CreditsModuleAutumn TermSpring TermSummer TermSummer Vacation
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CodeTitle12345678910123456789101234567891012345678910111213
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20Social Policy AnalysisSPY00026MSSEA
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20Comparative & International Social Policy Research Methods.SPY00033MSS
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10Practice-focused professional learning I (year 1).SPY00108MSA
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20Globalisation and Social Policy.SPY00009MSSEA
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20Comparative Social Policy: Governance, management and delivery.SPY00004MSEA
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40Applied Policy TransferSPY00064MSEA
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Please indicate when any Progression Board and Exam board will be held and when any reassessments will be submitted. NB: You are required to provide at least three weeks notice to students of the need for them to resubmit any required assessments, in accordance with the Guide to Assessment section 4.9
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Progression BoardAutumn Week 0
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ReassessmentAugust Summer Term
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Exam BoardN/A
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Year 2 structure
Please indicate the modules undertaken in each year of the part-time version of the programme. Please use the text box below should any further explanation be required regarding structure of part-time study routes.
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CreditsModuleAutumn TermSpring TermSummer TermSummer Vacation
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CodeTitle12345678910123456789101234567891012345678910111213
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20Introduction to Social Research Methods.SPY00016MSEA
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10Practice-focused professional learning II (year 2).SPY00109MEA
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20Advanced Qualitative Methods.SPY00001MSEA
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20Advanced Quantitative Methods.SPY00002MSEA