It provides public policy-makers and Government sector managers with the advanced knowledge and high-level critical skills that their professional lives demand. Students explore how public policy-making has evolved, and is continuing to evolve, as a result of changes in the structure and practices of the modern state. The programme will enable policy-makers to gain a comprehensive understanding of issues and patterns of governance in the country and overseas.
The DGov programme:
- Provides a unique curriculum of doctoral level education.
- Is delivered under the direction of a team of acknowledged academics and practitioners.
- Focuses on applying academic understandings and skills to professional practice.
- Facilitates research into, and debate on, key issues affecting policy-making and governance.
- Creates opportunities to develop inter-jurisdiction networks.
- Involves scheduled webianrs/seminars to facilitate learning and esprit de corps among participants and teaching staff
- Includes a doctoral research project on a subject of the participant’s choice.
- Provides extensive participant support, including an induction workshop, a personal tutor and progress tutorials at each study session.
Basic Modules
The first two years of the programme are devoted to ten modules:
- Governance and the Modern State
- Governance in Europe
- Governance and Regulation
- Economics and Governance
- Corporate Governance
- Government Administration and Governance
- Governance, Policy and Implementation
- Social Justice and Governance
- Research Methods
- Professional Practice Module
Leadership, Strategy and Performance in the Public Sector
This module will examine the role of leadership in the public sector. It will discuss different concepts of:
- leadership
- organisational culture and change
- performance in the public sector
- the use of knowledge and information in organisation learning
- performance improvement in public sector organisations
- the use of strategy in the public sector
Policy Analysis: Concepts and Theories
This module provides an applied, critical and informed understanding of policy-making and policy analysis in government.
It examines key concepts, models and theories of policy-making and policy analysis, and illustrates them by examining policy-making in Britain and other countries.
Proposal for Research in Public Policy or Management
This module provides guidance on writing both a thesis proposal and a thesis. The module considers academic debates about different methodologies alongside practical issues.
You will critically appraise relevant literature and prepare a detailed plan of your programme of research in terms of a research design, theoretical framework, milestones, resources required, and ethical considerations.
On successfully completing the three semesters, students can exit the programme with the award of Master in Government Governance.
Government Management and Governance
This module will cover models of management and governance in the public sector.
It will critically examine comparative and historic trends in managerial practices and theory and contextually relevant ideas about management and governance in the public sector, including specific professional contexts.
This will include critically exploring specific debates about the alleged move from public administration to new public management and new public governance, from hierarchical to networked and marketised forms of organisation, and those involving communities in the design and delivery of public services.
Research Design and Methods
This module is provides a general introduction to a range of key issues in the design and practice of social research. The module combines more formal taught sessions with practical exercises, some of which are group based.
By the end of the module, you will be equipped with the methodological and practical skills to carry out independent research using a variety of research designs and methods.
Subsequent Years:
The remaining years of the programme are devoted to a research project of 50,000 words on an agreed subject of the participant’s choosing. During this dissertation phase, students work under the direction of a supervisor and attend periodic webinars/workshops.
Assessment
Assessment is based on assignment papers prepared under the direction of the tutors in the vairous modules and on the final research project.
