A6028 Master of Public Policy

The course comprises 96 credit points structured into four parts: Part A. Core studies, Part B. Applied studies, Part C. Professional practice studies and Part D. Elective studies. 

A research pathway is also available for students seeking eligibility to apply for HDR studies.

Part A. Core studies 

These studies will introduce you to public policy theory and practice at an advanced graduate level. Throughout these studies, you will gain practical knowledge and skills that will provide a solid foundation for the specialist studies units undertaken in the program.  

Part B. Applied studies

The focus of these studies is professional and project work, focused locally or globally, that can contribute to a portfolio of professional development. In this part of the program you can also undertake higher level research.

Part C. Professional practice studies

Designed in association with industry experts, select from this suite of professional enhancement offerings to build essential competencies for your career pathway.

Part D. Elective studies 

These studies give you the opportunity to further develop your policy studies knowledge, or to engage with other areas of interest across the Arts faculty and/or university.

Master's entry points

Depending on prior qualifications you may receive entry level credit (a form of block credit) which determines your point of entry to the course:

• If you are admitted at entry level 1, you complete 96 credit points, comprising Part. A, Part. B, Part. C and Part. D.
• If you are admitted at entry level 2, you complete 72 credit points, comprising Part. A, Part. B, Part C (6 credit points) and Part. D (18 credit points). 
• If you are admitted at entry level 3, you complete 48 credit points, comprising Part. A (24 credit points), Part. B and Part. D (12 credit points).

Note: Students eligible for credit for prior studies may elect not to receive the credit and complete one of the higher credit-point options.

Course progression maps

The course progression map provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

If you are eligible to enrol in the 1.5-year entry point, you have the option of completing this course intensively over a 12-month period by following the intensive course progression map. 

The course comprises 96 credit points structured into four parts: Part A. Core studies (36 credit points), Part B. Applied studies (12 credit points), Part C. Professional practice studies (12 credit points) and Part D. Elective studies (36 points).

Units are 6 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Core studies (36 credit points)

You must complete 36 credit points from the following units. 

Note: Entry level 3 is only required to complete 24 credit points.

• APG5101 Foundations of public policy 

• APG5102 Governance 

• APG5103 Policy analysis 

• APG5104 Public sector reform 

• APG5129 Evaluation 

• APG5195 Implementation and service delivery 

Part B. Applied studies (12 credit points) 

You must complete 12 credit points from the following capstone units.

• APG5044 Professional skills for internship (12 credit points)

• APG5206 Policy Studio: Technology in the public sector(12 credit points)

• APG5209 Policy Studio: Collaboration for social policy (12 credit points)

• APG5236 Global policy challenge (12 credit points)

• APG5237 Political, social and economic change in contemporary India (12 credit points)

• APG5856 Research project (12 credit points)

• APG5969 Advanced simulation (12 credit points)

Part C. Professional practice studies (12 credit points)

You must complete 12 credit points from the following units. 

Note 1: Entry level 2 is only required to complete 6 credit points.

Note 2: If you intend to enrol in APG5856 in Part B, you must complete APG5084 as a prerequisite.

Note 3: If you intend to pursue the research pathway, please note that APG5084 is a co-requisite for APG5849 Research Thesis A.

• APG5084 Designing research

• APG5055 Australian Foreign Policy

• APG5136 Mindfulness for workplace wellbeing and productivity

• APG5170 Social entrepreneurship challenge in the Indo-Pacific

• APG5189 Monitoring and evaluation

• APG5199 Peacekeeping in the international system: Theory, policy and practice

• APG5393 Ethical theory (12 credit points)

• APG5457 Digital cultures and platforms

• APG5470 Managing multicultural teams

• APG5471 Leadership in intercultural environments

• APG5652 Language and intercultural communication

• APG5805 Project planning and management in international development

• APG5966 Academic and professional presentation skills

• APG5967 Professional enhancement A

• APG5968 Professional enhancement B (12 credit points)

• MON5750 Monash Innovation Guarantee

Part D. Elective studies (36 credit points)

You must complete 36 credit points of elective units, including a minimum of 12 credit points at Level 5.

Note 1. If you are admitted at entry level 2 you must complete 18 credit points of elective units.

Note 2. If you are admitted at entry level 3 you must complete 12 credit points of level 5 units from Parts A, B, C or Monash Indonesia units listed below.

Note 3. You may take up to 12 credit points of study at Monash Indonesia with permission from the Course Director.

When choosing your electives, it may be useful to consider exploring the following options to complement your public policy studies:

• units not completed in other course parts;

• units from any other Arts graduate course; 

• units offered by other faculties including: Business and Economics, Law, and Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; 

• Postgraduate - Monash Innovation Guarantee; and/or

• the following units offered by Monash Indonesia

  • ATI5069 Field studies in urban policy and governance

  • ATI5083 Digital technology and public policy

  • ATI5430 Sustainability and the green economy

  • ECI5590 Poverty, inequality and opportunity

  • PHI5252 Global health care delivery: Principles and challenge

Research pathway (24 credit points) - optional

A pathway to graduate research (e.g. master by research, PhD) is available if you:

• have achieved a minimum weighted average mark of 80% in the units of this course;  

• you have the permission of the Course Director; and

• a suitable thesis supervisor is available.

Note 1: APG5084 Designing research is a co-requisite for enrolment in APG5849 Research thesis A and must be completed in the same semester.

Note 2: Entry into the research pathway does not guarantee admittance into a graduate research degree 

If you are admitted into the course at entry level 1 or entry level 2, the following unit replacements will apply:

• APG5084 Designing research replaces 6 credit points from Part C.

• APG5849 Research thesis A replaces 6 credit points of Elective studies from Part D.

• APG5850 Research thesis B replaces 12 credit points of applied study from Part B. 

If you are admitted into the course at entry level 3, the replacement units will be determined based on previous study in consultation with the Course Director

All students undertaking the research pathway will complete the following units:

• APG5084 Designing research 

• APG5849 Research thesis A 

• APG5850 Research thesis B (12 credit points)