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The World of Public Administration (PADM90007)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
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July
Overview
Availability | February July |
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The World of Public Administration is the foundation subject in the Melbourne Master of Public Administration. The Melbourne MPA is an interdisciplinary, globally-focused degree program for managers that work within or with government. This subject sets out the foundations of public administration and explores how the theory and practice of public administration has adapted over time and in various settings to address the challenges faced by policy makers and managers.
The subject will particularly focus on understanding management and administration and the strategic environment in which managers operate. Students will develop an understanding of administration and management across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, the strategic environments that shape their actions, and the relationships these managers develop to deliver on the public policy challenges of the 21 st century.
This subject introduces students to the interdisciplinary aspects of public administration, in particular making connections to political science, law and economics, which are explored in depth in the three discipline core subjects in the Melbourne MPA.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this subject will:
- Understand the foundations of public administration and management and contemporary debates related to this;
- Appreciate the connections between public administration and management and a range of disciplines including political science, law, and economics;
- Understand the strategic environment in which managers operate and the relationships they develop to deliver on public policy goals; and
- Explore the local, national, regional, and global factors that impact on these managers and their environment.
Generic skills
On successful completion of this subject students should have:
- A comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness and complexity of the fields of public management and administration, and the strategic environment in which managers operate;
- A sound understanding of politics, economics and the law as they are connected to key ideas in public administration;
- A high-level ability to combine theory and practice in a meaningful way in order to address managerial challenges and analyse contemporary issues of administration in a global environment;
- A high-level ability to combine professional managerial and administrative skills with discipline-based expertise and to apply this complex synthesis to professional practice;
- Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills necessary to a range of professional activities including report writing, workplace discussions, negotiation and management and lobbying strategies;
- Flexible communication skills with a highly attuned sensitivity to a diverse audience, and to the issues specific to cross-cultural communication; and
- The ability to draw upon an extensive repertoire of advanced professional skills, in particular in decision-making, providing advice and collaborating across sectors.
Last updated: 3 November 2022