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Professional Practice in Policy Research (PPMN90010)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 25On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
September
Overview
Availability | September |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject, a capstone option in the Master of Public Policy and Management, will examine contemporary real-world issues in public policy making, public sector governance and public management in a variety of contexts. Using input from professional practitioners as well as independent research, students will draw on the expertise that they have developed during the MPPM and apply it in real time to a contemporary project. Working both in teams as well as independently, students will identify and formulate key problems, develop a set of alternatives to address them, evaluate the alternatives against a set of criteria and recognise the trade-offs between them. Students will address the political, as well as the empirical aspects of the problems, and will develop advanced analytical, research and report-writing skills.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this subject should be able to:
- Identify and explain major challenges in contemporary processes of public policy making and public sector management with a nuanced appreciation of the expectations and roles of key actors and institutions;
- Critically select and employ appropriate research methods and techniques based on rigorous analysis, careful consideration of a range of data sources and cogent methodological frameworks along with an appreciation of emerging and innovative professional practices to establish strong evidentiary foundations;
- Demonstrate mastery of the latest scholarship with confidence to meticulously and analytically discern and appraise contextual factors that could influence or impact desired policy or organisational outcomes;
- Comfortably and assuredly work within complex policy and managerial environments to creatively and expertly distinguish between different dilemmas and opportunities and to tailor strategies to empower a range of key actors to negotiate change;
- Create a substantial public policy and management research project and clearly and persuasively communicate to key decision makers through comprehensive presentations and written reports.
Generic skills
- advanced understanding of complex policy, governance and public management concepts and the ability to express them lucidly in writing and orally;
- critical and strong reasoning skills, and creativity in applying theory and research practices to complex practical problems across diverse contexts;
- autonomy, self-motivation, self-direction and outstanding organisational skills to set goals and manage time and priorities.
Last updated: 10 November 2023
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into the 344AB Master of Public Policy and Management
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
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: 10 November 2023
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Group presentation (4-5 students per group and the group presentations will be 20 minutes)
| Day 6 | 20% |
Collectively written component of group project
| Day 6 | 20% |
Research report and recommendations
| During the examination period | 60% |
Hurdle requirement: As this is an Intensively-taught subject, Lecture/Seminar attendance is compulsory for all classes and regular class participation is expected. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
Last updated: 10 November 2023
Dates & times
- September
Principal coordinator Michael Breen Coordinators Michael McGann, Kate Williams, Maria Katsonis, and Paul Fawcett Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours This subject will be taught intensively from 9am to 5pm over 6 days. Total time commitment 340 hours Teaching period 9 September 2023 to 14 October 2023 Last self-enrol date 15 September 2023 Census date 22 September 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 20 October 2023 Assessment period ends 3 November 2023 September contact information
Time commitment details
Total of 340 hours
Additional delivery details
Seminars will be held from 9-5pm
Last updated: 10 November 2023
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Readings will be provided online through the subject's LMS site prior to the commencement of the subject.
- Links to additional information
Last updated: 10 November 2023