The Graduate Diploma in Public Administration is a 36-unit program which is part of The Graduate Program in Public Administration offered by the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences.
It is available on campus, by flexible delivery or in mixed mode, on campus/flexible delivery mode. The Graduate diploma requires one year of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time).
It articulates with:
- Graduate Certificate in Development Administration
- Graduate Certificate in Public Policy
- Master of Public Administration
- Master of Public Administration (Management)
- Master of Public Administration (Policy).
Sequentially developed topics allow progression through the three levels.
Students who have completed The Graduate Certificate or an approved equivalent normally receive credit for 18 units of topics towards The Graduate diploma. In turn, those who complete The Graduate diploma normally receive 36 units of credit should they wish to proceed with a masters degree.
Alternatively, students who enrol directly in The Graduate diploma may choose to complete only the requirements for The Graduate Certificate and exit with that award.
Admission requirements
Applicants must normally hold either The Graduate Certificate in Development Administration, Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management, Graduate Certificate in Public Policy* (or an approved equivalent); or an approved degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution. However, the Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.
Credit may be granted, on application, for relevant work already completed in other approved programs.
* Those who were admitted to The Graduate Certificate without completing an undergraduate degree must have attained an acceptable GPA in The Graduate Certificate to be eligible to proceed to The Graduate Diploma.
Course aims
The Graduate Diploma in Public Administration aims to provide a broad overview of issues in public policy, management and administration and to provide a foundation for those wishing to pursue studies at the Masters level.
Learning outcomes
Graduates with a Graduate Diploma in Public Administration will be able to:
- Understand contemporary trends and developments in public policy, public sector administration and management in both developed and developing countries
- Demonstrate the ability to apply relevant theories in explaining and analysing real world public policy, public sector administration and management problems.
Program of Study
To qualify for The Graduate Diploma in Public Administration, students must complete 36 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.
Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.
Except with permission of the Faculty Board:
- no topic may be attempted more than twice
- the program must be completed within six consecutive semesters or where credit has been granted for previous work, a period determined by the Board.
The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 12 or more units may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.
Core - Year 1 topics
POAD9014 Public Policy (4.5 units)
POAD9022 Public Management (4.5 units)
AND one of:
POAD9005 Contemporary Cases in Public Policy (4.5 units)
POAD9017 Contemporary Public Policy: Theoretical Perspectives (4.5 units)
POAD9138 Governance and Public Policy (4.5 units)
AND one of:
POAD9130 Toolkit for Public Management (4.5 units)
POAD9137 Ethics in Public Administration (4.5 units)
POAD9139 Organisational Politics, Culture and Management (4.5 units)
POAD9142 Leading and Managing Change (4.5 units)
Elective - Year 1 - Group A topics
One topic from Group A:
INTR9054 The Alliance and the Rise of China (4.5 units)
POAD9015 Economics and Public Policy (4.5 units)
POAD9018 Housing Policy (4.5 units)
POAD9030 Indigenous Issues in Public Policy (4.5 units)*
POAD9043 Selected Issues in Public Policy (4.5 units)
POAD9119 Regionalism, Decentralisation and Governance (4.5 units)
POAD9129 Environmental Policy and Governance (4.5 units)
POAD9133 Critical Systems Thinking and Practice (4.5 units)
POAD9136 Culture and Public Policy (4.5 units)
POLI9004 The Politics of Climate Change (4.5 units)
SOAD9109 Social Development (4.5 units)
WMST8008 Engendering Justice, Rights, and Representation: Gender, State and Citizenship (4.5 units)*
*= not available in distance mode
Elective - Year 1 - Group B topics
AND one topic from Group B:
EDUC9601 Strategic Thinking and Planning (4.5 units)
EDUC9605 Knowledge Management for Organisational Learning (4.5 units)
POAD9026 Management in Non-Government Organisations (4.5 units)
POAD9028 Evaluation Methods (4.5 units)
POAD9034 Risk Management - Principles and Practice (4.5 units)
POAD9037 Financial Management (4.5 units)
POAD9044 Selected Issues in Public Management (4.5 units)
POAD9118 Managing Human Resources in the Public Sector (4.5 units)
POAD9131 Development Administration (4.5 units)
POAD9132 Action Learning Project (9 units)
POAD9135 Project Management (4.5 units)
POAD9140 Public Policy Internship (13.5 units)
AND one or two additional topics (to make a total of 36 units).
With approval from the Director of Studies, one topic may be chosen from another post-graduate program within the University.