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Managing Public Finances (PADM90003)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
August
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | August |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject provides the theoretical and analytical tools for understanding the nature and practice of finance in relation to public administration and management, drawing on the disciplines of economics and finance. Key ideas that will be explored in this subject include budgets, performance, reporting and decision–making and how these relate to broader notions of governing in complex institutional and policy environments.
Managing Public Finances is one of the core subjects in the Melbourne School of Government's Public Administration program.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this subject should:
- Acquire an understanding of key concepts in public finance;
- Understand the importance of finance to the public manager in both a strategic and operational sense;
- Understand the complexities of developing and executing budgets, evaluating performance, and decision-making; and
- Appreciate the local, national and global aspects of these issues.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject students should have:
- A comprehensive understanding and appreciation of key concepts in public finance;
- A sound understanding of the interconnectedness between finance and politics, economics and law, as they apply to public management processes and decisions and shape the public manager’s environment;
- A high-level ability to combine the theory and practice of public finance in a meaningful way in order to address managerial challenges and reflect critically on one’s own professional practice;
- A high-level ability to combine professional skills such as analysis and decision-making with discipline-based expertise and to apply this complex synthesis to the practice of public finance; and
- Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills necessary to a range of professional activities relating to public finance.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Please note that to enrol in this subject:
- Students must be admitted to the Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Administration (Enhanced), Graduate Certificate in Public Administration (Advanced) or Specialist Certificate in Public Administration unless written permission is obtained from the program coordinator.
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Previous study in public policy, political science, management, law, business, economics, international relations, non-profit management or cognate area.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Written report providing recommendations for reform of a country's approach to Public Financial Management
| 1 Weeks after the end of teaching | 40% |
Assessment Task 2: Written analysis providing an assessment of a country's approach to Public Financial Management
| 4 Weeks after the end of teaching | 60% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend 100% of classes in order to pass this subject and regular class participation is expected. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- August
Principal coordinator Stephen Kinsella Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 35 hours total Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 22 July 2020 Pre teaching requirements Students will be required to access the LMS and the readings provided during the pre-teaching period. Teaching period 5 August 2020 to 11 August 2020 Last self-enrol date 24 July 2020 Census date 5 August 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 21 August 2020 Assessment period ends 8 September 2020 August contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 50 students.
Enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. A waitlist is maintained for this subject if it is full. Please email government-aso@unimelb.edu.au regarding availability.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Readings will be provided online through the subject's LMS page prior to the commencement of the subject.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required.
Last updated: 3 November 2022