Master in
Public Administration - MPA

Master in Public Administration - MPA

Application Date: 1 Aug - 31 Dec every year
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MPA CURRICULUM

MPA students will be required to achieve 40 Units and obtain at least a Grade Point Average (GPA) of minimum 3.0 to graduate. You need to complete the following:

4 Core Courses

2 Elective Courses from the Management & Leadership Specialisation area

4 Elective Courses

Core Courses

The core courses focus on imparting practical skills, disciplinary knowledge, and interdisciplinary competencies necessary for the work done by policy practitioners, researchers, public managers and leaders.

List of core courses

PP5801 Economic Analysis (4 Units)
This course is organized into two broad sections of microeconomics and macroeconomics. The course starts with an introduction to core concepts in microeconomics, including game theory, behavioral economics, and information economics. This sequence closes with a discussion of topics in labor economics and human capital accumulation. The macroeconomics sequence studies the macroeconomy in the short and long run. Topics include financial crises, the impact of automation on workers, and growth accounting. Broad topics are studies in each part through different lenses and include applications that draw insights from Singapore’s policy landscape and contrast them with policies of other countries.
PP5802 Policy Analysis (4 Units)
Public sector managers are frequently confronted with decisions about whether or not to initiate, continue, modify, or terminate policies or programs, and the knowledge and skills in policy analysis and program evaluation are essential for them to make intelligent choices. The course will cover important considerations in conducting policy analysis and evaluation, such as identifying policy problems, establishing criteria, assessing policy alternatives, choosing among policies, and evaluating policy impacts.
PP5803 Public Management (4 Units)
Public managers are answerable to various groups of people including those within hierarchical structures, political parties and politicians, citizens and civil society groups, and international actors and organizations. Also, public managers are often caught in policy dilemmas and are tasked to carry out policy promises in very challenging contexts. This course aims to introduce students to key concepts in the discipline of public administration.
PP5804 Governance Study Project (4 Units)
A key feature of the MPA Programme is the Governance Study Project (GSP), which aims to expose students to a complex public policy issue of relevance to Asia, and share insights on how local policymakers are addressing this issue through a multi-agency, multi-pronged effort. Learning journeys relevant to the GSP themes are also organised.

In this course, students work together in groups to prepare a policy memo and report under faculty supervision. This applied learning component provides an opportunity for students to reflect on the knowledge and insights gained from the course. They will then share their research findings at a conference at the end of the Semester 2.

Electives from the Management and Leadership Specialisation

MPA students will have to take 2 Courses from the Management and Leadership Specialisation area.

Electives

You can choose to read any 4 Elective Courses. For a list of all Elective Courses offered, click here.

Cross-Faculty Courses

Students may also register for a maximum of 2 Elective Courses offered in other postgraduate programmes, such as Business Administration, Economics, Political Science and Southeast Asian Studies.

Typical MPA Academic Calendar

Semester 1
Mid-July to Aug – Orientation Programme
Aug to Nov	2 Core Courses 3 Elective Courses*
End-Nov to early-Dec	Examinations
Dec	Vacation
Semester 2
Jan to Apr	2 Core Courses Governance Study Project 2 Elective Courses*
End-Apr to early-May	Examinations
Special Term
Mid-May to end-June	1 Elective Course*
End-June	Examinations
* Students have an option to complete their MPA in Semester 2 instead of Special term if they can complete all 6 electives by Semester 2. MPA students must complete 2 electives courses from the Management and Leadership specialisation area in any of the semesters. AY2024/2025 Semester 1 Course Schedule, click here.

Continuation and Termination

A student who fails a core course must retake and pass the examination in that core course in a subsequent semester. A student who fails an elective course may subject to approval of the school, retake the course or choose an alternative course and pass the examination in the course in a subsequent semester or the special term.

A student’s GPA should not fall below 2.5 for two consecutive semesters or 3.0 for two consecutive semesters. A student who fails to maintain the minimum GPA as stipulated would have his/her candidature terminated. A student who fails in a course in a second attempt or fails three courses throughout the course of study will be required to terminate his/her candidature.

Governance Study Project

The GSP connects the beginning to the end of the MPA degree programme, requiring students to put to use the knowledge and skills learnt in each module.

Through projects that are real public problems in the region, students will acquire skills related to analysis of complex managerial problems, basic research, writing and other presentational modes. The GSP also aims for students to develop higher emotional intelligence, team building and a strong sense of cohort.

With continuous review of the curriculum to ensure relevance to the workforce, the format of GSP has started to evolve since 2020 thus letting us see a different GSP experience.

Learn more about every GSP that has been held over the years.