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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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Masters MA in Public Administration and Public Policy
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Postgraduate Diploma Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration and Public PolicyPlease 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 and Public PolicyPlease 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:2022-23
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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 Department of PoliticsDepartment of Politics
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Other contributing Departments:
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Route code
(existing programmes only)
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Admissions criteria
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This course is open to all UK and overseas applicants with a good first degree and/or significant relevant practical experience. For applicants whose first language is not English, IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6 in each component (or equivalent) is normally required.
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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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MA in Public Administration and Public Policy1 yearFull-timeSeptember intake onlyPlease select Y/NYesPlease select Y/NNoN/A
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MA in Public Administration and Public Policy2 yearsPart-timeSeptember intake onlyPlease 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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Programme leader: Seb Booth
Key staff: Kate Williams, Simona Davidescu
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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 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 MA in Public Administration and Public Policy gives you a comprehensive insight into what drives the creation of public policies, how they are made, framed and managed. The focus on policy analysis in theory and practice will provide you with the knowledge to explain to academic, business, professional and lay audiences why policies emerge, change, fail and why some societal problems do not end up on the policy agenda in the first place. The course will also strengthen your ability to convincingly frame an issue as a policy problem, provide advice on the most suitable policy to solve this problem, as well as fostering your ability to consume policy advice critically. Moreover, you will be equipped with independent research skills, enabling you to gather, interpret, and visually present data through the use of appropriate research methods and tools. As part of your dissertation project you will learn how to use data for creative problem solving and for the construction of persuasive arguments.  As a result of the programme’s holistic perspective on policy-making, you will (re)enter the employment sector with enhanced confidence, capabilities and expertise to navigate your career progression in public and private organisations that are involved in or affected by policy-making processes.
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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 can be expected to do.
If the document only covers a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma please specify four to six PLO statements for the PG Certificate and four-eight for the PG Diploma 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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1Identify and understand the key determinants of policy processes in different countries and levels of government by applying an advanced understanding of current theories, paradigms, concepts and principles of policy studies.
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2Critically apply different theoretical perspectives, methods and concepts to policy-making processes in order explain policy dynamics, variation, and outcomes, and to provide expert advice to decision-makers.
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3Use intellectual reasoning and systematic empirical testing to evaluate the respective strengths and weaknesses of different policy options and theories of the policy process as a means to advocate particular policies and policy-making perspectives.
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4Construct and clearly present persuasive, analytical and critical written reflections that effectively communicate sustained policy analysis to academic and professional audiences.
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5Independently design a research project about the creation, design, implementation, success or failure of policies by conceiving of and operationalising research questions, by selecting and justifying the use of appropriate theories and concepts, gathering and interpreting data, and arriving at appropriate and justified conclusions.
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6Understand and engage with the need for public integrity and ethical conduct of policy analysts in academia, the public and the private sector through the development of a holistic perspective of the complexities of policy-making.
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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) Why the PLOs are considered ambitious or stretching?
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Our MA in Public Administration and Public Policy provides a holistic perspective of the policy-process. It is particulalry distinctive in requiring students to develop applied and theoretical policy analysis tools, thus bringing together two distinct parts of the discipline. Students are required to navigate and effectively communicate with the community of academic policy scholars as well as with policy practitioners.  The programme is hence highly ambitious in its aims, which is reflected in its PLOs.
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ii) The ways in which these outcomes are distinctive or particularly advantageous to the student:
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The focus of the programme on 'theoretical' and 'applied' policy analysis allows students to develop a critical perspective on policy-making processes, while equipping them to become effective practitioners in policy-making processes at the same time.
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iii) Please detail how you would support students from diverse entry routes to transition into the programme? For example, disciplinary knowledge and conventions of the discipline, language skills, academic and writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity
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The MPAPP programme offers an extensive induction activity to provide students with an overview of the programme learning objectives and the annual programme benchmarks including progression indicators. This orientation enables students to better assess their learning and studying requirements to successfully engage with the course materials and to navigate the theoretical and practical components of the programme. In addition, throughout the autumn term, the department run regular Study Skills sessions for PGT students. Sessions focus on: reading and taking effective notes; participating in seminars; and developing academic writing skills. For non-native English speakers these study skills sessions are supplemented by English language classes run by the Centre for English Language Teaching. All students participate in department-run Turnitin workshops and complete the University's academic integrity tutorial.
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iv) Please explain how the design of the programme enables students to progress through to the end of the award? For example, in terms of the development of research skills, enabling students to complete an independent study module, developing competence and confidence in practical skills/ professional skills, (See: QAA Mater's degree characteristics http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2977#.WS1JOevyu70).
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Teaching is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, one-to-one supervision and independent study. Students' academic and personal development is supported and monitored closely through continual supervision and feedback. They will be trained how to think, act, engage, reflect and communicate as a researcher and practitioner in public administration and public policy. 
Students will develop academic and writing skills through written assignments, build their capacity to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different policies and of different theoretical perspectives of the policy process, and learn how to conduct sustained independent academic research though their dissertation.  
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v) How the programme learning outcomes develop students’ digital literacy and use technology-enhanced learning to achieve the discipline and pedagogic goals which 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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All summative assessments require that students make extensive use of online and library databases to find sources for their research. Students will acquire experience and expertise in use of databases, assessed by the comprehensiveness and presentation of produced bibliographical work and referencing in essays and dissertation. Students will learn to discern between relevant and non-relevant data, how to compile a typology of different resources and to communicate these by organising resources in terms of academic debates in summative assements. For several years it has been departmental policy that all modules are supported by a VLE site on Yorkshare and the Department of Politics also provides further support via the 'MA Study Skills’ VLE site. A VLE module template is used to ensure a minimum standard across the department. This includes: the course announcements tool; module information; seminars; assessments (formative and summative); links to EARL software; and contacts. All summative coursework is submitted via the VLE so the departmental administration team are responsible for ensuring that generic material regarding instructions for submission, marking criteria etc are uniform and in the correct place across all VLE platforms.In addition to module sites the Department provides further support via the 'MA Study Skills’ VLE site. Programme learning outcomes 3, 4, and 5 are directly related to the students' digital skills, in that students will be able to use multiple online sources and research databases effectively, use digital tools like online storage facilities and software to securely store, organise, and analyse data, and use programmes like Word, Powerpoint, or Prezi to present their work.
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vi) How the PLOs 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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Students gain practical skills especially through the core module Policy Advice and its summative assessment, which requires students to perform applied practitioner policy analysis that needs to be effectively communicated to professional audiences. Students are also exposed to practitioners in a practitioner seminar series, which provides them with first-hand insights into the type of skills expected of them in the 'real world'. They will also enhance their employability skills through  the other core modules of the programme that foster critical thinking and research skills. Through these students will be trained how to think, act, engage, reflect and communicate as a researcher and practitioner in public administration and public policy.  They’ll gain the skills and knowledge to play an effective role in highly complex policy-making processes in different countries, sectors and levels of government.  The type of knowledge accumulated and type of assessments used in this programme will allow our students to gain key transferable skills that employers are looking for, such as developing research, planning and time management skills.
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viii) How is teaching informed and led by research in the department/ centre/ University?
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Students will benefit from our research-led approach to teaching. Many of our academics are internationally recognised in their fields, and all are active researchers. Students will gain knowledge from top academics at the forefront of current debates.
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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 PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of the set of modules or part thereof, and provide appropriate detail of the module diet students will need to complete.

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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i) If the Postgraduate Certificate is an exit award only please:
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Provide a global statement to explain what a student who exits with a PG Cert award will be able to do (this should capture the extent of the achievement of the programme learning outcomes).

NB: Where more than one PG Cert is available as an exit award a statement should be provided detailing what a student exiting with each award will be able to do		Detail the module diet that students will have to have completed to gain the PG Cert as an exit award.

NB: Where more than one PG Cert is available as an exit award the module diet required for each award should be given
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Students who exit with a PG certificate will have met PLOS 1,2, and 6: they will have improved their knowledge base, evaluation and interpersonal and communication skills. Although the three core- modules also touch upon PLOs 3,4 and 5, students will develop these to a lesser extent than students completing the MA programme as a whole, as PG Cert students will gain less experience in writing essays and will not write a dissertation. As a result, their ability to use intellectual reasoning and systematic empirical testing (PLO 3), construct and clearly present persuasive, analytical and critical written reflections (PLO 4) and independent research skills (PLO5) will be less developed. To qualify for a Postgraduate Certificate students must pass three of the four core modules of the programme, worth a total of 60 credits: Theories of the Policy Process (20 credits), Comparative Institutions and Public Policy (20 credits), Public Management and Delievery (20 credits), Principles of Policy Advice (20 credits).
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ii) If the Postgraduate Diploma is an exit award only please:
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Provide a global statement to explain what a student who exits with a PG Dip award will be able to do (this should capture the extent of the achievement of the programme learning outcomes)Detail the module diet that students will have to have completed to gain the PG Dip as an exit award
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Students who exit with a PG dip will have met PLOs 1,2, 4, and 6: they will have improved their knowledge base, evaluation, analysis, and interpersonal and communication skills. Although the core- and option modules also touch upon PLOs 3 and 5, students will develop these to a lesser extent than students completing the MA programme as a whole, as PG Diploma students will not have successfully completed a dissertation. As a result, their ability to use intellectual reasoning and systematic empirical testing (PLO 3) and independent research skills (PLO 5) will be less developed. To qualify for a Postgraduate Diploma students must pass the four core modules of the programme (worth a total of 80 credits), and two additional taught optional modules worth 40 credits: Theories of the Policy Process (20 credits), Comparative Institutions and Public Policy (20 credits), Public Management and Delievery (20 credits), Principles of Policy Advice (20 credits).
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5.e. Other features of the programme
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i) Involvement of partner organisations
Are any partner organisations involved in the delivery of the programme?
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Please Select Y/N: Noif Yes, outline the nature of their involvement (such as contributions to teaching, placement provision). Where appropriate, see also the:
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University guidance on collaborative provision
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ii) Internationalisation/ globalisation
How does the programme promote internationalisation and encourage students to develop cross-cultural capabilities?
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The very nature of international political economy means that the curriculum is international, as demonstrated by the module titles and descriptions. Almost by definition, most international political economy-related modules promote awareness of international issues, contexts and cultures. The Department has benefited from a staff recruitment strategy in recent years that has resulted in an incredibly ‘international’ department - at least half of the Department was educated overseas (including Spain, Greece, Romania, USA, Argentina, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, Finland, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Canada)  and around 50% are non-native English speakers, so students will benefit from this rich and diverse range of cultures and approaches.  Our student intake at the PGT level is similarly diverse. We are not overly reliant on one country or region, rather students come to study with us from across Europe, Africa, the US, Central and South East Asia and the Middle East. Many of these students join us with a wealth of professional experience spanning many countries, which they share with one another through seminar discussion.Also see inclusivity below
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iii) Inclusivity
How will good practice in ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion be embedded in the design, content and delivery of the programme?
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This refers to the protected characteristics and duties on the University outlined in the Equality Act 2010
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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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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 invidual 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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Full time structure
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CreditsModuleAutumn TermSpring Term Summer Term Summer Vacation
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CodeTitle12345678910123456789101234567891012345678910111213
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20POL00012MTheories of the Policy ProcessSEA
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20POL00077MComparative Institutions and Public PolicySEA
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20Option moduleSEA
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20POL00011MPublic Management and DeliverySEA
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20POL00081MPrinciples of Policy AdviceSEA
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20Option moduleSEA
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60POL00041MDissertationSEA
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Please indicate when the Progression Board and Final 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 BoardWeek 6 summer term
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ReassessmentWeek 10 summer term
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Exam BoardNovember of following academic year
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Part time structures
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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Year 1 (if you offer the programme part-time over either 2 or 3 years, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
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CreditsModuleAutumn TermSpring Term Summer Term Summer Vacation
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CodeTitle12345678910123456789101234567891012345678910111213
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20POL00012MTheories of the Policy ProcessSEA