MPP and MPA Programs
Victoria University of Wellington, School of Government (SOG)
Program Comparison Highlights
Institutional Structure: The School of Government is an academic unit within the Victoria Business School in the Victoria University of Wellington. "The School of Government was launched by the Rt Hon Helen Clark in September 2002 and is 'the' place in New Zealand to study our flagship professional qualifications in public policy, public management, and e-Government." (At http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sog/study/professional-programmes, accessed 16 February 2015.)
Curriculum Design: The Victoria Wellington MPP and MPM degrees are both 12 one-semester-course-equivalent programs which include a dissertation. Typical students in both programs take about 70% of their course work in subjects that we classify as Tools and Skills or Management Functions and about 11% and 2% respectively of their study is in economic or quantitative courses. This places both Victoria Wellington degrees in the "low course requirement, less economic/quantitative, tools/management leaning" curriculum type, along with such programs as the UPenn MPA and the Canberra MPA. For a program of this length, Victoria SOG has a greater than average number of elective courses taught within the school. The elective course mix is influenced by the related degrees being offered in the school, particularly the recently created Master of e-Government.
A comparison of the Victoria Wellington MPP and MPM is interesting because of the recent curriculum review where "because of the increasing interconnection of management and policy practice in public sectors, the public management and public policy qualifications have been redesigned to overlap where appropriate (foundation and elective courses) and yet to retain their separate specialisations (core courses)" (At http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sog/study/professional-programmes/mpp, accessed 16 February 2015)." The revised offerings provide one recent answer to the longstanding question of the difference between an MPP and an MPA (or MPM). The Victoria Wellington answer lies in six courses. The two degrees have very similar course offerings and requirements with the exception that MPP students are required to take Policy Analysis and Advising, Economics and Policy, and Policy Workshop whereas MPM students are required to take Managing Public Resources, Managing People in the Public Sector, and Leading Change in Public and Community Organisations.
Professional Program Features: The program website does not detail its professional program features but the Prospectus notes that the school is geographically located at the centre of the national government and that it has close links with the central and line agencies of central government. It also works closely with the New Zealand Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM), Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and with many councils throughout the country. In recent years, the School has also started forging relationships with community sector organisations belonging to groups like the Association of Non-Government Organisations of Aotearoa (ANGOA) and the New Zealand Council of Social Services (NZCOSS).
Program Summary
Website: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sog/study/professional-programmes/mpp
University: Victoria University of Wellington
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Degree: Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Management (MPM)
Marketing Approach: "The Master of Public Policy degree is designed for policy analysts and advisors engaged in policy analysis, development and evaluation in the public and non-government sectors. The programme helps develop students' policy analysis skills and offer advice to assist decision-makers. Students learn practical problem-solving skills and techniques drawing on concepts and frameworks from economics, politics, philosophy and law, and how they can be applied to specialised areas including social policy and local government, health and education." (At http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sog/study/professional-programmes/mpp, accessed 16 February 2015.)
Degrees Awarded per Year: TBD [Information will be requested from the School]
Academic Unit within University: The School of Government is an academic unit within the Victoria Business School in the Victoria University of Wellington.
Related Academic Units and Degrees: The Victoria University’s School of Government works with agencies of government in New Zealand to provide, broker and facilitate access to the best resources for professional, management and organisational development available in the tertiary sector in New Zealand. Professional education degrees – the Master of Public Management (MPM), Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of e-Government (MEGov) - are the school’s flagship degrees. The MPP was first offered in 1975 and the MPM in 1997. The Master of E-Government (MEGov) is a new degree, first offered in 2014.
Posted Tuition: The tuition for domestic students is charged on a per point basis. PADM courses are $122.61 per point so a 180-point program is roughly $22,070 in local currency or $16,552 in US$ at February 2015 exchange rates (at http://www.victoria.ac.nz/documents/policy/finance/fees-statute-2015-appendix-a.pdf, accessed 14 February 2015).
Concentration/Curriculum Overview:
MPP and MPM Degree Requirements
Summary: "2015 sees the introduction of exciting new developments in our Public Management and Public Policy Master’s degrees... Following extensive internal and external reviews, including consultation with the public sector, the structures and contents of these qualifications have been significantly revised. Most importantly, because of the increasing interconnection of management and policy practice in public sectors, the public management and public policy qualifications have been redesigned to overlap where appropriate (foundation and elective courses) and yet to retain their separate specialisations (core courses).
"The MPP is designed for policy analysts and advisors engaged in policy analysis, development and evaluation in the public and non-government sectors, and aims to develop and improve participants’ skills and competencies in these fields. Participants learn practical problem-solving skills and techniques drawing on theories, concepts and frameworks, models and methods from economics, politics and a range of additional disciplines, and their application to specialised policy areas...
The MPM is designed for those aspiring to, or already in, management in the public and nongovernment sectors. The courses allow students to enhance their understanding of the theory and practice of public management, upgrade their personal skills and competencies as a manager and develop ways of improving practice in their organisations. Governance and public sector reform, managing strategy and achieving results, managing budgets, finances and organisational capital, planning, service delivery, monitoring and evaluation, managing and leading people and achieving desired change – and much more – are all covered in the degree." (Prospectus, page 6, 7)
The Master of Public Policy consists of courses totalling 180 points. For part-time students, the MPP is usually completed in six trimesters over three years, taking two courses per trimester, while full-time students usually complete in three-four trimesters over two years, taking three-four courses per trimester. Students can choose to enter directly into their desired qualification or can 'staircase' their studies (complete the Postgraduate Certificate, then complete the Postgraduate Diploma, then complete the Master's degree).
Duration: 3 to 4 trimesters. "For part-time students, the MPP (or MPM) is usually completed in six trimesters over three years, taking two courses per trimester, while full-time students usually complete in three-four trimesters over two years, taking three-four courses per trimester." (At http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sog/study/professional-programmes/mpp, accessed 15 February 2015.)
Academic Prerequisite: Same for both degrees: a Bachelor's degree and two years of relevant work experience (with potential for waiver).
Number of One-Semester-Equivalent Courses Required for Completion: 12 (See Note 1)
For MPP: GOVT 501, 502, 503 (foundation MPP/MPM courses); GOVT 562 (Research Paper, worth 2 course-credits); GOVT 521, 522, 523, 524 (core MPP courses); 3 elective courses.
For MPM: GOVT 501, 502, 503 (foundation MPP/MPM courses); GOVT 562 (Research Paper, worth 2 course-credits); GOVT 511, 512, 513, 514 (core MPM courses); 3 elective courses.
Note 1: We are treating a standard 15-point course as equivalent to a one-semester course. This is consistent with our treatment of UK Master's programs which also use a 180 point degree. Courses at Victoria SOG are delivered in one of three formats: modular, intensive, or weekly. The first specifies that each course "includes 24 hours of structured course time" and the second specifies that it includes "a minimum of 24 hours contact." (Prospectus, page 13.)
Number of Required Courses: 9
Number of Electives Typically Taken (difference between above two entries): 3
Number of Electives Offered within Program: xx.
Comprehensive Examination: No
Thesis Required: Yes
Internship Required: Elective
International Study Required: No
Co-curricular Activities Supportive to Degree
Professional Development and Career Support: No
Student-run Journal: No
Applied Projects: No
Pro Bono Consulting: No
Courses Offered: The full list of courses is found at xxx, accessed 14 February 2015.
Course Material Online: One-sentence course descriptions are found in the Prospectus and many syllabi can be found at http://www.victoria.ac.nz/vbs/studenthelp/course-outlines. In the Course Map below, the courses linked to syllabi are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Instructional Distribution (PEACO Profile): The table below indicates the distribution of instruction offered, based on the course assignments to subjects in the Course Map below, weighted by estimated enrolment determined by the PEACO Algorithm.
|
|
Victoria |
Victoria |
|
|
MPP |
MPM |
|
I. Courses Required and Offered |
|
|
|
Number of one-semester courses required for degree |
12 |
12 |
|
Number of required courses |
9 |
9 |
|
Number of elective courses taken |
3 |
3 |
|
Number of courses offered |
30 |
30 |
|
Enrolment weight of elective courses |
0.10 |
0.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
II. Distribution of Courses (Enrolment-Adjusted) among Atlas |
|
|
|
Domains and Subjects |
|
|
|
Tools and Skills |
60.0% |
42.0% |
|
- Strategy and Structure |
25.0% |
25.0% |
|
- Economic Analysis |
11.0% |
2.0% |
|
|
- Quantitative Methods and Management Sciences |
13.0% |
4.0% |
|
- Leadership, Communication, Professional Practice |
11.0% |
11.0% |
|
Institutions and Context |
26.0% |
26.0% |
|
- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process |
14.0% |
14.0% |
|
- Ethics and Accountability |
1.0% |
1.0% |
|
- Socioeconomic, Political, and Global Contexts |
11.0% |
11.0% |
|
Management Functions |
10.0% |
28.0% |
|
- Public Financial Management |
0.0% |
0.0% |
|
- Evaluation and Performance Measurement |
2.0% |
11.0% |
|
- Other Management Functions |
8.0% |
17.0% |
|
Policy Sectors |
4.0% |
4.0% |
|
- Fiscal, Monetary and Tax Policy |
0.0% |
0.0% |
|
- International Development |
1.0% |
1.0% |
|
- Health |
1.0% |
1.0% |
|
- Other Policy Sectors |
2.0% |
2.0% |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
|
|
|
|
|
III. Number of Courses in "NASPAA-required Subjects" taken by |
|
|
|
Typical Student in NASPAA Required Competency Domains |
|
|
|
Lead and Manage in Public Governance |
2.84 |
3.83 |
|
Participate and Contribute to the Policy Process |
2.12 |
2.57 |
|
Analyze, Synthesize, Solve Problems and Make Decisions |
3.30 |
2.40 |
|
Articulate and Apply Public Service Perspectives |
1.79 |
0.80 |
|
Communicate and Interact with Workforce and Citizenry |
0.78 |
1.50 |
|
Total Course Equivalents taken in Required Competencies |
10.83 |
11.10 |
|
|
|
|
|
IV. Ratio of Courses in "NASPAA-required Subjects" taken by |
|
|
|
Typical Student to Estimated Requirement for Competency |
|
|
|
Lead and Manage in Public Governance |
1.58 |
2.14 |
|
Participate and Contribute to the Policy Process |
0.98 |
1.19 |
|
Analyze, Synthesize, Solve Problems and Make Decisions |
0.88 |
0.64 |
|
Articulate and Apply Public Service Perspectives |
1.19 |
0.53 |
|
Communicate and Interact with Workforce and Citizenry |
0.99 |
1.89 |
|
Ratio of Total Instruction in Competencies to Amount Needed |
1.08 |
1.11 |
|
|
|
|
|
V. Number of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics or Quantitative |
|
|
|
Methods Courses taken by Typical Student |
|
|
|
Economic Analysis |
1.32 |
0.24 |
|
Fiscal, Monetary and Tax Policy |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Quantitative Methods |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Total |
1.32 |
0.24 |
|
Ratio of Quantitative Courses to Total Courses Required |
11.0% |
2.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
Sum of Tools and Skills and Management Functions |
70.0% |
70.0% |
Source: At http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sog/study/professional-programmes/mpp and related sites (accessed 16 February 2015).
Page Created By: Ian Clark on 16 February 2015 and edited by Dave Marshall on 3 April 2015. Updating and editing may consist of substantive and/or formatting changes. Unless otherwise noted, however, information regarding a program's structure, curricular offerings and PEACO score is based on the program as it was on the date of page creation. The content presented on this page, except for the assignments of courses to Atlas subjects, the Instructional Distribution analysis, and the Commentary is drawn directly from the source(s) cited above, and consists of direct quotations or close paraphrases.
Victoria School of Government MPP and MPM Course Map
C o u r s e s O f f e r e d, l i s t e d b y P u b l i c P o l i c y a n d M a n a g e m e n t S u b j e c t
Required courses for both MPP and MPM marked by (R); for MPP marked by (R - MPP); and for MPM marked by (R - MPM)
Courses linked to syllabi are indicated with an asterisk (*)