Public Service Management

The University has developed an enviable reputation for delivering world-class business and management programmes and for undertaking internationally recognised research. The Public Service Management MBA embraces the functional and generalist disciplines of conventional MBA programmes but is distinguished by its public sector orientation. The programme is designed to help public service managers reach corporate or senior managerial positions, its participants include managers from the health service, police force, prison and fire services, the civil service, the voluntary sector and local authorities.

Programme Objectives

As well as offering managers greater insight into functional and general disciplines such as managing people, finance and information, the MBA programme aims to provide you with a better understanding of the role of the public service and how it is affected by its political and economic environment. It helps you to develop a range of practical management skills and encourages you to learn from each other’s managerial experience. Contemporary key managerial and strategic issues are covered.

Entrance Requirements

A first degree or an equivalent qualification, together with some managerial experience will usually be required. Non-graduates with appropriate qualifications and substantial relevant experience may be considered.

English Language Requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency such as a minimum IELTS score of 6 (minimum 5.5 in each skill), or TOEFL: Listening 21, Reading 22, Speaking 23, Writing 21.

Funding

This programme is normally employer or self-funded.

Further information on possible sources of funding is available

Modes of Study

Part-time modular:
MBA: minimum 30 months
Diploma: minimum two years
Certificate: minimum one year

Programme Start Date

There will be no recruitment of students until September 2012.

Structure and Content

You can complete either a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or Master’s. Students studying for the Postgraduate Certificate take the following modules:

• The Public Service Manager: Equips you with knowledge about the fundamental principles and practice of management in public service settings, and provides a foundation for subsequent management modules
• The Political Environment: Gives you an understanding of the political environment in which public services operate and equips you with the necessary skills to respond to this environment
• Managing People: Develops the skills required to enable managers in the public sector to manage their people more effectively
• Managing Finance: Introduces the purpose and nature of financial statements and equips you with the understanding and skills necessary to prepare them. The purpose of budgets and their preparation is also considered
• The Economic Environment: Considers the role of government, market failures, central versus local government provision of services, public expenditure and its growth, distribution of income and the relief of poverty
• Managing Information: Concentrates on the business and management context of information systems and technology. It also considers a number of important issues relating to the management of information systems
• Marketing and Public Relations: Aims to develop your understanding of the applications of marketing ideas and techniques within a public service context
• Decision Support Systems: Introduces the use of decision support systems in improving decision-making. It emphasises the use of information and communications technologies, which increasingly enable managers to develop and use decision support systems directly
  

• Strategic Planning in the Public Service: Introduces the role of strategic management in public service organisations, and enables you to use essential strategic management techniques
• Strategic Financial Analysis: Introduces you to the role of financial and business planning in the strategic planning process and identifies the main sources of finance available to public service organisations
  
• Managing Service Quality: Provides you with an insight into quality issues, including Total Quality Management, quality standards, measuring quality and service quality models
  
• Managing Change in the Public Sector: Covers the issues and difficulties associated with managing change in complex public service environments
  
• Managing Partnerships: Partnership working is of increasing importance to public services. This module covers a number of types of partnership and considers the factors that lead to successful service outcomes
  
• Research Methods and Dissertation Planning: Aims to introduce you to research methods for managers and also explores how these methods are used in practice. The module covers essential qualitative and quantitative research techniques as well as issues associated with topic selection, access and data collection

In addition to this, you will take three option modules chosen in consultation with the Programme Director. Recent options include Risk Management, Managing Projects, the Management in Practice Case Study and Contemporary Issues in Public Policy and Management.

Dissertation

To complete the MBA you will submit a 15,000-word dissertation. This is usually a research-based investigation into a management problem or policy of direct relevance to you and to your employer.

Delivery and Assessment

The programme is taught on one afternoon and evening per week during semester, and considerable emphasis is placed on active and participative learning using seminars, case studies, role play simulations and workshops as well as formal lectures. Assessment is by coursework only.

Timetable

Contact the School for information on your timetable and reading lists.

RAE Rating

The reputation of our research staff was recognised in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), where 85 percent of our research activity was rated as being of ‘International Significance’.

Career Opportunities

Programme participants are normally working in the public sector already. Many have gone on to more high-level strategic posts, such as Chief Executive of a voluntary organisation, Director of Education in a local authority or Deputy Prison Governor.