[PDF] Search : Index : Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Arts

 Bachelor of Public Policy and Management (BPPM)


Table of Contents

1. BPPM course objectives
2. Entry requirements
3. BPPM course structure
    3.1. Third year
    3.2. Fourth year (pass degree)
    3.3. Skills subjects
    3.4. Elective subjects
4. Other BPPM course requirements
    4.1. Credit towards the BPPM degree
        4.1.1. Credit for previous tertiary studies
        4.1.2. Community Access Program subjects for credit
5. BPPM Honours
    5.1. Honours entry
    5.2. Honours requirements
    5.3. Honours grade requirement
    5.4. Workload
    5.5. Leave of absence
    5.6. Extensions of time
6. Further study
7. Career opportunities
8. Further information

Subject Lists
    Core subjects
        Third year core subjects
        Third/fourth year core subject
        Fourth year core subjects
    Skills subjects
        Third/fourth year skills subjects
        Fourth year skills subjects
    Recommended elective subjects
        Third/fourth year subjects
    BPPM honours thesis


The Bachelor of Public Policy and Management (BPPM) is a professional degree for those aspiring to successful managerial careers in Commonwealth, State and local Government or community sectors. The Centre for Public Policy is unique in Australia as a centre of concentrated academic and practical expertise in the field of public policy and management. It is staffed by a combination of prominent scholars and former and current practitioners in public policy and management fields, including a former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. Students benefit directly from such expert knowledge and the strong theoretical focus of the program in combination with high-level skills-oriented learning. The Centre maintains student exchange agreements and an active dialogue with universities throughout Asia and North America.

The program is specifically designed to provide professional training for future generations of leaders in public policy and management. A variety of career pathways are available that draw on the analytical, research and practical knowledge gained in this degree. Students interested in expanding their interests and knowledge in this area of expertise are provided with an articulated structure of higher degree study options at the University of Melbourne.

Public Policy and Management addresses policy design and evaluation, public sector management and public sector economics. The program has an emphasis on practical skills in management of personnel and resources, communication and media liaison and policy research. Students are able to choose additional subjects in political science, sociology, economics, social work and other related areas of study.

Students entering the course will have completed at least two years of a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent. You will then complete your third and fourth years in the public policy and management course for a Bachelor of Public Policy and Management, or undertake combined study for the completion of both degrees.

 1. BPPM course objectives

The Bachelor of Public Policy and Management has as its objectives that graduates will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for successful managerial careers in the Public Service or the Community Sector. In particular, graduates should be able to:

 2. Entry requirements

You may apply to enrol in the Bachelor of Public Policy and Management after the completion of at least two years of a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent. Selection will be based on academic merit, although professional work experience and work-based education and training may also be taken into account.

Please note that BPPM subjects are not available to students in the Bachelor of Arts, combined degree courses or the Bachelor of Letters.

 3. BPPM course structure

In each of the third and fourth years, students complete core subjects in policy design and evaluation, public sector management and public sector economics. There are additional skills subjects which focus on managing personnel and resources, managing communications and media, and policy research. Most students choose to undertake an executive internship in the public sector as part of the skills component of their degree. See 166-101 Executive Internship- BPPM. Further elective subjects are available in political science, economics, sociology and social work.

Whilst subjects are designated as third or fourth year, students may, with the agreement of the BPPM coordinator, elect to undertake fourth year subjects in third year.

 3.1. Third year

Students complete eight subjects (totalling 100 points) which must include:

 3.2. Fourth year (pass degree)

Students must complete eight subjects (totalling 100 points) which must include:

 3.3. Skills subjects

 3.4. Elective subjects

 4. Other BPPM course requirements

Please see the entries in the BA sections Taking more than 50 points in a semester (overloading) to Resumption of course for information about other requirements of the degree (for example leave of absence, workload, study progress etc.). Unless stated otherwise above, all course requirements are the same for the BA and the BPPM.

 4.1. Credit towards the BPPM degree

Applicants for the Bachelor of Public Policy and Management degree will be awarded such credit as the Faculty considers appropriate at the time of their first enrolment in the degree. Credit will not normally be granted for any complete or incomplete undergraduate studies undertaken 10 or more years prior to admission to the degree.

No student is obliged to accept the credit that is awarded, but must notify the Faculty in writing of their intention to decline such credit within the year (full or part-time) of credit being granted.

 4.1.1. Credit for previous tertiary studies

Students entering the degree (or transferring from other faculties or tertiary institutions) who have completed additional subjects which are considered to be equivalent to those available to students in the Bachelor of Public Policy and Management may be granted specified credit for those subjects. It may also be necessary for the relevant department to recommend such credit. The maximum amount of credit granted to a transferring student will be 100 points (i.e. you must complete at least 100 points as an enrolled student in the BPPM degree). No subject may be credited to more than one qualification.

For more information on credit, you should refer to the Credit Guidelines available from the Faculty of Art office.

 4.1.2. Community Access Program subjects for credit

Students who have completed subjects through the Community Access Program (CAP) to gain admission to the Bachelor of Public Policy and Management degree may be eligible for credit.

Where the subjects are used because academic performance in subsequent tertiary study was insufficient, or to demonstrate academic rehabilitation after suspension or termination, credit will only be given for BPPM subjects or approved optional subjects where a grade of H2B or higher is achieved.

 5. BPPM Honours

The Bachelor of Public Policy and Management (Honours) degree requires a higher standard of performance in the final year of the BPPM program, and the completion of a thesis of 12 000 words. Entry into the honours degree must be approved by the Centre for Public Policy and the Faculty of Arts honours course adviser.

 5.1. Honours entry

The prerequisites for entry to Fourth Year Honours in Public Policy and Management are:

Students who believe that they meet the requirements may apply to enrol in the BPPM (Honours) degree by the beginning of December each year by enrolling in 166-513 Public Policy & Management Thesis.

 5.2. Honours requirements

Students undertaking BPPM Honours must complete:

 5.3. Honours grade requirement

A student's final examination grade will be calculated over the weighted average mark of the thesis and the final-year subjects. As in the Bachelor of Arts (Honours), students will be required to obtain an honours grade in each component of assessment, and an overall grade of at least H3, to be eligible for an Honours degree.

 5.4. Workload

The honours degree is usually taken full time. In some circumstances (such as work commitments), and with the Centre's and faculty approval, you may be permitted to take honours part-time over two years.

If you commence fourth year as a full-time student, you will usually be required to continue full-time. You need permission from the Faculty to withdraw from fourth year subjects after the first two weeks of each semester.

In all cases, your thesis must be completed over two consecutive semesters within a 12 month period of enrolment. Withdrawal from the thesis will only be permitted in very exceptional circumstances.

 5.5. Leave of absence

It is possible for students accepted into honours to take leave of absence for twelve months before starting their fourth year.

Once you have commenced honours, leave of absence will only be approved with the support of the Centre in exceptional circumstances. The maximum leave that will be granted is two semesters (12 months).

 5.6. Extensions of time

Extensions of time for outstanding work during fourth year studies (i.e. as a result of illness) may be granted up to 31 December (or 30 June for work due at the end of Semester 1) by the honours coordinator. For all other extensions, you will require the prior written approval of the Associate Dean (Academic Programs) as well as the written support of the Centre.

 6. Further study

Masters and PhD options exist for BPPM graduates; both require an H2A average or higher in fourth year honours.

 7. Career opportunities

The Centre for Public Policy has extensive contacts in the Commonwealth, State and Local Governments and the community sector. It offers career guidance and planning for its students and graduates.

 8. Further information

Contact the Faculty of Art office on +61 3 8344 5235, or:

Centre for Public Policy
234 Queensberry Street
Carlton Victoria 3053
Tel: +61 3 8344 9480
Fax: +61 3 9349 4442
Email: pubpol@arts.unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.public-policy.unimelb.edu.au

Core subjects

Third year core subjects

166-040 Constitutional Design and Change
166-041 Designing Public Policy for Australia
166-075 Public Sector Management
316-801 Public Sector Economics - Micro

Third/fourth year core subject

166-070 Managing Corporate Resources

Fourth year core subjects

166-074 Policy Analysis in Theory and Practice
316-802 Public Sector Economics - Macro

Skills subjects

Third/fourth year skills subjects

166-071 Policy Research Skills
166-072 Managing Communications & the Media

Fourth year skills subjects

166-101 Executive Internship- BPPM

Recommended elective subjects

Third/fourth year subjects

166-100 Ethics, Politics and Public Policy
166-108 Computer-aided Policymaking

BPPM honours thesis

166-513 Public Policy & Management Thesis
166-514 Public Policy & Management Thesis (MYE)



Search : Index : Faculty of Arts
Status:                   Official 2001
Last Modified:            Wednesday May 23 22:24
SGML to HTML Conversion:  Information Technology Services
Authorised by:            Academic Registrar
Email Enquiries:          Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au