Program Overview

Master Program in Public Administration (National Development)

The Master Program in Public Administration (National Development) (MPA/ND) is an economics-centered multidisciplinary program that combines rigorous analytical work with an emphasis on policy and public leadership. It is designed for mid-career candidates with a record of academic distinction and exceptional professional accomplishment and promise. Candidates for this program are expected to have obtained an undergraduate degree or above in a relevant field and at least three years of substantial work experience, typically in government or the public sector.

Program Requirements

All ISSCAD degree candidates have course load requirements to ensure the successful completion of their designated degree program by the date of graduation. The following table shows the number of credits required for graduation in the master degree program offered at the Institute.

• Master
  • Core Courses: 17 credits
  • Specialized Courses: 9 credits
  • Courses: >=9 credits
  • Courses: 2 credits
  • Field Study: 3 credits
  • Thesis:
  • Total Credits Required: >=40 credits

Curriculum

Core Courses

• China Immersion Program: Required, 3 Credits
• Public Policy – Legal and Microeconomic Analysis: Required, 3 Credits
• Statistics in Social Science Research: Required, 3 Credits
• Public Administration and Leadership: Required, 3 Credits
• Politics and Comparative Political Institutions: Required, 3 Credits
• Research Methodology and Thesis Writing: Required, 3 Credits

Specialized Courses

• The Role of State in Economic Development: Required, 3 Credits
• The Political Economy of China’s Economic Growth: Required, 3 Credits
• New Structural Economics and Policy Designs: Required, 3 Credits

Elective Courses

• International Economic Development: Elective, 3 Credits
• Public Policy – Macroeconomic Analysis: Elective, 3 Credits
• Politics of International Economic Relations: Elective, 3 Credits
• Political Philosophy: Elective, 3 Credits
• Seminars on Inclusiveness and Sustainable Development: Elective, 3 Credits
• Development Financing: Theories, Practice and Institutional Design: Elective, 3 Credits

Chinese Language Course

• Chinese Language: Required, 2 Credits

Social Practice

• Field Study: Required, 3 Credits

China Immersion Program

During the first semester, students are required to attend a China Immersion Program, which is composed of a series of lectures, covering various topics related to national development, such as political institutions and national governance, economic system reform and development planning, China’s opening up and globalization, peace-development-cooperation foreign policy, “One Belt, One Road” initiative, educational reform in China, etc.

Chinese Language Course

In accordance with Peking University’s regulation, all international students are required to take a one-semester Chinese language course which is worth 2 credits.

Field Study

Field study trips will be arranged for students to visit China’s special economic zones, industrial clusters, government agencies, and business corporations, to gain first-hand knowledge of how governments and markets operate under various changing conditions in the reform and opening-up process of China, and to learn about China’s success and lessons in economic development. All students are required to participate in the field study trips, which will take place in both fall and spring semesters.

Thesis

The thesis shall be written in English, and under the guidance of an advisor. The thesis shall make an attempt to tackle a major issue emerging from the development practices of the student’s home country. Students are expected to apply the theories, knowledge and analytical skills acquired from the program to examine the phenomena, analyze inherent principles, and eventually produce a quality paper with both academic value and practical implications. By the end of the first semester, each student shall choose a professor as his/her advisor, and determine the subject matter of the thesis. In the second semester, students are expected to complete their thesis and pass an oral defense.

Degree Conferment

A master degree of Public Administration will be conferred upon a candidate in the master’s program after his/her successful completion of the required credits and a thesis.