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Public Leadership and Management MA

In the fast changing landscape of public management and public policy, the need for professional leadership and service design is required more than ever. This part-time two year master’s programme has been designed to meet the needs of busy practitioners, as well as applicants who wish to pursue a career in public services.
Winner: Best University Careers and Employability Service
NUE Awards, 2021
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Overview

 

In the fast-changing landscape of public management and policy, the demands on public service leaders are more challenging than ever. The social, economic, and political transformations taking place across our communities require us to think differently, developing the innovative leadership of place that meets the changing needs of citizens and communities. 

This part-time two-year master’s programme equips you with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to address the everyday challenges of contemporary local public leadership and management. It will help you to develop your individual leadership and gain the tools to drive forward organisational change and transform service delivery across localities and within communities. 

The programme is designed to meet the career development needs of current practitioners working in the public sector, as well as those of individuals wishing to pursue a career in public services and gain the skills to become a public service leader of the future.

Key features

  • You will be introduced to innovative approaches of place leadership and stewardship, grounding the challenges of public leadership firmly in the politics and policy of the places and communities within which we live and work.
  • You will have the opportunity to reflect critically on your own individual leadership style and to apply your learning to concrete ‘real world’ issues, advancing your personal development while taking your learning back into your current or future employer or organisation.
  • You will be part of a community of internationally recognised academics and practitioners from the Local Governance Research Centre, experts in applying the latest research and scholarship to the everyday experiences of public leadership, governance, local policy and politics, and public management

Interested?

If you are interested in studying for the MA in Public Leadership (commencing in April 2021, subject to validation) please contact the programme leader Dr Steven Parker for more information:

Email: steven.parker@dmu.ac.uk

How is the MA in Public Leadership and Management delivered?

The programme will be delivered through blended learning in part-time mode, taking two years to complete. Modules will be taught in two-day teaching blocks on campus, with supported distance learning activities for students via a programme specific webpage. You will complete one module per semester. 

Modules will be assessed in different ways to enable students to develop the skills and competencies required of public leaders. Traditional assignments will therefore be combined with critical reflections on action learning tasks; practitioner diaries; policy briefings; the formulation of strategic plans and policy development reports; and the delivery of guidance and ‘how to’ good practice documents.

Entry dates

We aim to be flexible as possible in meeting the demands of students undertaking part-time study. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are offering students the exceptional opportunity to begin the MA in Public Leadership and Management in April 2021 or September 2021. 

Students may also start the MA programme at different module starting points at the agreement of the Programme Leader. 

Modules 1 – 4 can also be studied individually.

 

Scholarships

At DMU, we are committed to helping our graduates enhance their careers and personal development through further study.

Postgraduate Alumni Scholarship
Find out more about our Postgraduate Alumni Scholarship, offering up to 30% off tuition fees for DMU alumni.

DMU Global High Flyers Award
The DMU Global High Flyers Award offers students a discount of up to £1,000 towards a DMU Global opportunity (subject to terms and conditions).

DMU Sports Scholarship
Find out more about the DMU Sports Scholarships worth up to £6,000.

International Scholarships
Find out about available scholarships and country specific fee discounts for international students.

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  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

Programme code(s): L4N271

Duration: 2 years part-time

Start dates: April 2021, September 2021

Fees and funding: 

2021/22 tuition fees for UK students: £6,150

Find out more about additional costs and optional extras associated with this course.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

This course is not available for EU/International students

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

The programme is designed for graduates or practitioners from multiple specialisms including local government, housing, human resources, environmental services, neighbourhood services, policy and planning, policing, fire and rescue, health, social services. 

Applicants should normally hold a 2:2 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent professional qualifications. Non-graduates with professional qualifications or significant work experience will also be considered. Enquiries from applicants from other disciplines are welcomed, or from prospective students who may not meet the entry requirements.

 

Structure and assessment

 

Programme outline and modules

 

The programme is composed of the following core modules: 4 modules at 30 credits each, and a dissertation or practice development project of 60 credits. All of the modules have to be completed to achieve the MA in Public Leadership and Management. 

  • Module 1: Leading Change
  • Module 2: Empowering Communities
  • Module 3: Collaborative Innovation
  • Module 4: Designing Public Services
  • Module 5: Policy into Practice

Click here for more detailed module information

Note: All modules are subject to change in order to keep content current.

 

 

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

Hugh Aston Building

You will have access to our purpose-built Hugh Aston Building, equipped with lecture theatres and classrooms, break-out spaces for group work, quiet study zones for individual work and IT labs. Wherever possible, students will be given home access to specialist software.

You’ll also have access to the building’s new £5.5 million extension called The Yard, which provides more than 22,000 square metres of extra space. This is designed to facilitate your learning experience with large and airy breakout spaces, a new Student Advice Centre, and a balcony on the top floor overlooking our beautiful campus. The Yard also features more comfortable classrooms and self-study spaces, allowing you to carry out independent study as well as group work.

Library services

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Blackboard, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

Learning zones

Our Learning Zones and The Greenhouse also provide space for group or individual work and study.

There are 1,600 study places across all library locations, more than 700 computer stations, laptops to borrow, free wi-fi and desktop power outlets.

You can also book rooms with plasma screens, laptops and DVD facilities for group work and presentations, secure an individual study room with adjustable lighting or make use of our assistive technology.

Opportunities and careers

Winner: Best University Careers and Employability Service
NUE Awards, 2021
Learn more
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DMU Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

While overseas DMU Global opportunities are not currently possible, DMU will continue to review government advice and if travel is permitted, we hope to offer a small number of extra-curricular opportunities in the summer of 2021. 

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Graduate careers

Enhance your existing qualifications and global career prospects with a specialist master’s in business economics and business finance.

This course will provide advanced preparation for careers in the policy making, organisational decision making and the financial world.

DMU Open Evenings

The perfect way to find out more about DMU is to attend one of our postgraduate open events.

Here, you can speak with course academics and current students, discuss fees, learn about your career prospects and tour the campus.

Book now

Order a prospectus

Our prospectus will give you a clearer idea of what it's like to live and study at DMU and a snapshot of the courses we offer.

Order your copy

How to apply

We welcome applications from students with a wide range of qualifications and experience.

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More about your DMU

50% off selected PG courses
Open evenings
Online chats
Research at DMU
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50% off selected PG courses

Our dedicated Postgraduate Alumni Scholarship provides DMU graduates with a tuition fee discount of up to 30 per cent. The discount is available on selected full-time and part-time postgraduate taught courses running across multiple start dates in the 2021/22 academic session, with the first intake in September 2021.

The scholarship, based on academic achievement and merit, applies automatically to all DMU UK, EU and international students who are graduating in 2021.

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Open Evenings

The best way to find out more about DMU is to attend one of our postgraduate events. You can also check out our postgraduate live stream schedule for programme-specific talks to find out how our courses can enhance your knowledge and benefit your career path.

These events are a chance to learn more about our extensive careers and employability support, as well as fees and funding opportunities such as scholarships. They're also an opportunity to speak with current students and academics to really get a feel for studying your course. You can also take a tour of our beautiful campus and facilities from the comfort of home via our Virtual Open Day.

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Online chats

Chat with our current students and staff advisers online and have your questions answered. Our team will be available to advise you on anything from information on the current postgraduate courses we offer, scholarships, fees and funding, campus facilities, and life in Leicester. View our upcoming PG Online Chat events.

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Research at DMU

De Montfort University (DMU)’s growing reputation for research which benefits society has been confirmed with the publication of the REF 2014 results. Find out more.