Master of Public Administration

Entry requirements

We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree or above in a social science* subject. Experience of working in government, public policy, or a managerial role more broadly, is welcome but not necessary. Please explain your motivation for applying for the degree and any relevant experience in your personal statement. If you have extensive experience in a managerial role in government we may be able to be flexible about the academic requirements (subject and grade), but you will need at least the equivalent of a UK Bachelors with Honours.

*Accepted social science subjects include:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Area and Development Studies
• Criminology
• Demography
• Development Studies
• Economics
• Economic and Social History
• Education
• Environmental Planning
• Human Geography
• International Relations
• Law
• Linguistics
• Management and Business Studies
• Media and Communication Studies
• Philosophy
• Politics and International Studies
• Psychology
• Science and Technology Studies
• Social Policy
• Social Statistics, Methods, and Computing
• Social Work
• Socio Legal Studies
• Sociology

Please note, if we receive an application which we deem more suitable for one of our other programmes, such as the MSc Public Policy, we may make an offer for that alternative programme instead.

The MPA with Applied Studies programme is designed for public officials who are sponsored by the organisation they work for (for example their department). If you do not have sponsorship from a public sector employer please apply to the one year MPA.

Months of entry

September

Course content

• The MPA offers the opportunity to develop the skills that managers need to address and respond to complex problems in the public sector and beyond. Our focus is on the challenges facing government but the analytical and decision-making skills you will develop will be valuable in other sectors.
• We focus on practical and problem-centred teaching, informed by high quality research. The MPA offers a range of tailored modules which are designed to fit together in terms of content and teaching style.
• The MPA is suitable for students who want to build a career in government or related fields but you will also develop generic analytical skills which are useful in other sectors. It is also suitable for students who already have experience in a managerial role in government or beyond. If you are more interested in an academic career (for example continuing to a PhD) then the MSc in Public Policy would be more suitable.
• We welcome students from the UK and over the last decade we have also welcomed students from, among other places, the Republic of Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the US and Turkey.
• Many of our students do not have experience in the UK university system and so support for academic skill development is integrated into the MPA degree’s core module. There is also support for English language skills available through INTO. The teachers on the MPA modules are accustomed to working with students from various backgrounds.
• The MPA degree is available full-time (1 year) or part-time (up to 3 years).
• If you are currently in a government role with a training sabbatical you can also consider the MPA with Applied Study (21 months full-time). This entails taking the standard MPA for the first year (worth 180 credits) and then completing a further in-depth policy project and additional training and learning (worth 60 credits) over the following 9 months. This is only available full-time.

You will study a range of modules specifically designed for the MPA. The modules will address key challenges in modern public management and policymaking. You will engage with big questions of how government should respond to public pressure, and improve your ability to understand and solve policy problems while at the same time getting into the details of policy issues. The degree is flexible enough to allow you to develop some of your specialised interests within its framework.

Small group teaching provides opportunities to work collaboratively with students from a variety of backgrounds to explore a range of challenges. As well as providing you with a strong background in the study of government and policy the programme offers the opportunity for you to explore cutting edge ideas in academic debates about government.

The part-time route is suitable for UK students working in the public sector who want to develop skills relevant to their roles and earn a higher level qualification. It is also suitable if you wish to change career or if you are working to support your studies. In the first year of part-time study you will complete the core module in term 1 (‘Management and Governance’) and typically select one further module in term 2. In the second year you will complete two further modules and you can either complete your dissertation in the second or third year. There is some flexibility about this schedule.

Mid-career professionals with government sponsorship can take the extended MPA with Applied Studies which provides you with further opportunity to research and seek solutions to issues and challenges you face in the workplace. The MPA with Applied Studies is only available full-time.

Information for international students

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Fees and funding

We invest heavily in scholarships for talented prospective Masters students. This is in addition to the UK Government’s Postgraduate Loan Scheme. For information on how you can fund your postgraduate degree at the University of Exeter, please visit the postgraduate study pages on our website.