MPA Public Administration (Degree Apprenticeship)

Overview

Are you ready to take the next step in your central, regional or local government career? This 2-year senior leader MPA Public Administration Master’s degree apprenticeship allows you to build your skills and get your MPA qualification while you work full time.

The course is work-based, and you'll typically spend about 20% of your working week studying. You'll need to do some additional studying outside of work time. The Government or your employer pay your tuition fees – so it doesn’t cost you anything.

You’ll develop your strategic leadership and management capabilities and get the knowledge you need to take on ambitious new roles. You'll cover public policy, service and administration from inter-cultural, inter-professional and inter-organisational perspectives.

You'll also study specialist areas relating to public administration, such as the legal system and corporate governance, and learn transferable skills that will be valuable throughout your career. You’ll have many opportunities to put what you learn into practice, as you’ll be completing the course alongside your job.

When you finish the course, you'll have the confidence to take on more challenging leadership roles in the future and become more effective in your existing role.

What you'll experience

• Critically examine how public policies are made and implemented
• Gain specialist knowledge in fields that match your career aspirations
• Learn how to solve complex issues with a creative approach
• Boost your ability to lead and manage strategically
• Cover topics such as citizenship, the legal system and corporate governance
• Compare policy processes and outputs in specific fields, including health, education, welfare, economic development, defence, policing and European integration
• Examine public policies, management systems and administrative systems from an international perspective
• Assess the effectiveness of public organisations
• Complete a personal project on a topic of your choice
• Get a learning manager from the University and a workplace mentor
• Access our Library resources, including electronic resources which you can accessed from anywhere with a web connection
• Have access to the University's student support services and community including study support and the Students’ Union
• Receive feedback from and take part in discussions with lecturers and other students

Career planning

During your course you'll have expert career support from our Careers and Employability Centre, your tutors and our Business and Law Career-Ready Programme. This support will continue for 5 years after you graduate.

Career support

You'll benefit from:

- Networking events

- Regular emails from the Career Ready Programme sharing job opportunities, application tips and events

- Applied projects with companies such as IBM, Boeing and Hampshire County Council

- Workshops to enhance your employability skills

- Recruitment events including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair

- 1-to-1 appointments

- CV and cover letter advice

- Interview preparation and practice

- Support starting your own business