MPA Public Administration Master's

Program Overview

Public Administration (Distance Learning) MPA

Overview

The Master's in Public Administration is a one or two-year distance learning course designed to prepare professionals for public sector leadership and management. The course covers public policy, service delivery, and administration from an inter-cultural, inter-professional, and inter-organisational perspective.

Eligibility

• This course accepts UK, EU, and international students.

Course Highlights

• Gain specialist public sector knowledge and skills to advance in your career, including public policy, strategic management, leading change, and new ways of working.
• Compare policy processes and outputs within specific fields, including health, education, welfare, economic development, defence, policing, and intelligence.
• Complete a live strategic plan based on your own workplace that you can put into action in your existing or next role.
• Learn from academics with frontline public sector experience and hear from industry expert guest lecturers, including Members of Parliament and local authority experts.
• Have the opportunity to do a work-based placement with a local authority or public sector institution, such as Hampshire County Council or Portsmouth City Council.

Benefits of Distance Learning

• Work from anywhere, at your own pace, in your own time – with interactive online learning materials hosted on our virtual learning environment, Moodle, and available 24/7 on any device.
• Access to over 600,000 ebooks, 55,000 online journals, digital newspapers, and a postal loan service from our University Library.
• Invitations to online forums where you can discuss your studies with other students and your lecturers.
• Access to all student support services via email, phone, online chat, or video call.

Entry Requirements

Eligibility

• This course accepts UK, EU, and international students.

September 2025 Start

• UK qualifications:
  • A minimum of a second-class honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject, or equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. Preferably, applicants will have experience of working in a managerial role in a public sector organisation.
• Non-UK qualifications:
  • If you're applying as an international student with a non-UK degree, view the equivalent entry requirements we accept for your country.
• English language requirements:
  • English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component score below 5.5.

Course Costs and Funding

Tuition Fees (September 2025 Start)

• UK, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man students:
  • Full-time: £9,400 (may be subject to annual increase)
  • Part-time: £4,700 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
• EU students:
  • Full-time: £9,400 (may be subject to annual increase)
  • Part-time: £4,700 per year (may be subject to annual increase)
• International students:
  • Full-time: £9,400 (may be subject to annual increase)
  • Part-time: £4,700 per year (may be subject to annual increase)

Modules

Full-time

• Year 1:
  • Core modules:
    • Comparative Public Policy - 30 credits
    • Public Management and Administration - 30 credits
    • Partnerships, Problems and Probity: Solving Complex Social Issues - 30 credits
    • Strategic Public Management and Leading Effective Change - 30 credits
  • Optional modules:
    • Dissertation/Major Project (Masters Public Administration) - 60 credits
    • Work Based Project - 30 credits
    • Project Management: Tools and Techniques - 30 credits

Part-time

• Year 1:
  • Core modules:
    • Public Management and Administration - 30 credits
    • Strategic Public Management and Leading Effective Change - 30 credits
  • Year 2:
    • Core modules:
      • Comparative Public Policy - 30 credits
      • Partnerships, Problems and Probity: Solving Complex Social Issues - 30 credits
    • Optional modules:
      • Dissertation/Major Project (Masters Public Administration) - 60 credits
      • Work Based Project - 30 credits
      • Project Management: Tools and Techniques - 30 credits

How You'll Spend Your Time

• This Master's degree will take:
  • 1 year (full-time study)
  • 2 years (part-time study)
• You can expect:
  • 1 optional live online seminar each week for each module you study, held at times when as many students as possible can attend. These will also be recorded for later viewing. All core material is available online at all times so you can create your own study schedule around work or other commitments.
  • 20 to 25 hours of independent study each week if you study full-time, or 12 to 14 hours each week if you study part-time.

Teaching

• Master's study is deeper and more specialised than an undergraduate degree. This means you'll focus on something that really matters to you and your career as you work closely with academics committed to the subject.
• Teaching on this course includes:
  • lectures
  • seminars
  • tutorials
  • student presentations
• This Master's in Public Administration is delivered by supported distance learning. You will receive high-quality course materials via Moodle, our online learning environment.

Career Development

• This Master's in Public Administration is designed to turn ambitious public sector workers into managers and leaders within their field of public administration.
• You'll gain the specialist skills, expertise, and insight to pursue higher-level public sector roles, as well as lifelong transferable skills that you'll be able to apply to complex issues, both systematically and creatively, throughout your career.
• When you graduate, you'll be ready to seek new roles in public sector leadership and management, or to aim for promotion in your current public sector career.

Supporting You

• Master's study is more focused on independent learning than undergraduate study, but you'll get lots of support via video, phone, and face-to-face from teaching and support staff to enhance your learning experience and help you succeed.
• You can build your personalised network of support from the following people and services:
  • Personal tutor
  • Learning support tutors
  • Academic skills support
  • Wellbeing and mental health support
  • Disability advice and additional support
  • Library support
  • Support with English