Public Administration Thesis (PADM90004)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 25On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

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The thesis in Public Administration is a capstone option in the Master of Public Administration. The Melbourne MPA is an interdisciplinary, globally-focused program for managers that work within or with government. This subject provides students with an opportunity to undertake a program of independent research from which they produce a thesis of 10,000 words. The subject is undertaken in one semester and students will be supervised by a member of academic staff.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students shoud be able to:



  • demonstrate a specialist understanding of the subject being studied;
  • show advanced skills of analysis pertinent to the subject;
  • show a detailed sense of the theoretical debates in the subject area;
  • demonstrate an ability to undertake critical independent research; and
  • show a good capacity to communicate research in written form.

Generic skills

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

  • semonstrate a critical understanding of the operation of governments in Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and across the world, and an ability to situate an area of specialisation within this context;
  • show a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness and complexity of the fields of public management and administration, and a specialist understanding of a particular topic in the field;
  • show a sound understanding of politics, economics, law and sciences, as they contribute to theoretical debates in the field of public management;
  • demonstrate flexible communication skills with a highly attuned sensitivity to a diverse audience, and to the issues specific to cross-cultural communication;and
  • conceptualise, plan and execute a substantial, independent, research-based project in the form of a minor thesis, demonstrating high-level skills in interdisciplinary and comparative research, analysis and critique, underpinned by a thorough understanding of academic protocol and presentation.

Last updated: 3 November 2022