Master of Arts in Public Policy and Management
文學碩士(公共政策及管理)

“Academic excellence in public administration, ranked No.1 in Asia, 27th in the world.”

"CityU has the best public sector department in all of East & South East Asia." --Professor Jan-Erik Lane, Former External Academic Advisor

"As a former president of the U.S. Network of Associated Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration a few years ago, I can say with certainty that this master’s degree is highly competitive in its substance and rigor and flexibility for master’s students. “ --Dr. Frances Stokes Berry, Former External Academic Advisor

"The MAPPM is a practical course. The theories learnt can be utilized in my daily work. The topics are highly relevant and have greatly strengthened my thinking and analytical skills” --MAPPM Graduate

UGC Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme

The University Grants Committee (UGC) has a Fellowships Scheme for outstanding local students admitted to the targeted taught postgraduate programmes in 2022/23. MAPPM is being identified as one of the targeted programmes, while local students to be admitted to the Smart Cities Stream of the MAPPM programme in 2022/23 will have the chance to be awarded with the fellowships.

Programme Aims and Objectives

The MAPPM will provide you with opportunities to enhance your theoretical knowledge, practical skills and critical understanding of public policy and management processes in both local and international contexts. Upon successful completion of the programme, you should be able to:

• discover and analyse critically current and emerging knowledge relating to principles, theories and practices in international and local governance, public policy and management;
• contrast and assess the roles, inter-relationships and limitations of various actors and organizations involved in the governance of people, money, and the environment;
• explain, compare and evaluate critically various values, ethical principles and cultural traditions shaping policy-making processes and the delivery of services to the community;
• be creative in problem solving and demonstrate practical and, as appropriate, innovative management, planning, team-working, decision making and research skills; and
• contribute to the development of knowledge about public policy and management by active discovery through undertaking supervised dissertation, capstone project, or other project-related coursework.

Programme Structure for students to be admitted to the programme from 2022 onwards (36 credits):

There are six common core courses (a total of 18 credit units) and four stream core courses (a total of 12 credit units). In addition, this programme composes of a 3-credit research elective course and 3-credit experiential learning elective course:

Programme core courses (18 credit units)

Students are required to take six common core courses (a total of 18 credit units). These common core courses, consisting of public management, public policy evaluation, statistical analysis, and research methods, serve as a solid foundation for public policy and management professions.

• Theories of Government and Public Administration
• Managing Public Institutions and Organizations
• Values and Choice in Public Policy
• Policy Processes and Analysis
• Statistical Analysis for Public Policy and Management
• Research Methods in Public Policy and Management

Stream core courses (12 credit units)

For the needs of professional specialization, the programme will have the streams in public policy, public management, smart cities and governance in China stream. Students are allowed to choose only one stream, with 12 credit units. Four designated stream courses (3 credit each) are specially designed for each of the streams.

Public Policy Stream

• Comparative Public Policy
• Evidence-based Policy and Practice
• Behavioral Insights in Public Policy
• Practice in Public Policy

Public Management Stream

• Public Budgeting and the Management of Financial Resources
• Comparative Public Sector Management
• Public Human Resource Management
• Practice in Public Management

Smart Cities Stream#

• The Asian Metropolis: Issues in Urban Management
• Understanding and Managing Smart Cities
• The Urban Management Workshop: Exploring the Contemporary City
• Practice in Smart City Management
• Data Analytics for Smart Cities
• Environmental Energy and Policy

Governance in China Stream#

• Social Change and Urbanization in Contemporary China
• Key Issues in Chinese Politics
• Public Morality and Accountability in China: A Philosophical Perspective
• State and Market in China
• Environmental Governance in China
• Governance in the Greater China Region

#Note: Depending on the availability of resources, the Department will decide which four courses will be offered for the Smart Cities Stream and the Governance in China Stream respectively at the beginning of each academic year.

Experiential Learning Elective (3 credit units)

• PIA Postgraduate Internship OR
• MAPPM Action Report OR
• MAPPM Overseas Study

Research Electives (3 credit units)

Students are required to group together and work on a capstone project that focuses on issues falling within their chosen study streams. There are also chances for students who want to work on more academic-oriented research topics to do a dissertation.

Programme Structure for students admitted to the programme in 2021 (30 credits):

There are six common core courses (a total of 17 credit units) and three stream core courses (a total of 9 credit units). In addition, this programme composes of a 4-credit research elective course:

Programme core courses (17 credit units)

Students are required to take six common core courses (a total of 17 credit units). These common core courses, consisting of public management, public policy evaluation, and research method and evidence, serve as a solid foundation for public policy and management professions.

• Theories of Government and Public Administration
• Managing Public Institutions and Organizations
• Values and Choice in Public Policy
• Policy Processes and Analysis
• Workshop in Public Affairs
• Research Methods in Public Policy and Management

Stream core courses (9 credit units)

For the needs of professional specialization, the programme will have the streams in public management, public policy, smart cities and governance in China. Students are allowed to choose only one stream, with nine credit units. Three designated stream courses (3 credit each) are specially designed for each of the streams.

Public Policy Stream

• Comparative Public Policy
• Evidence-based Policy and Practice
• Behavioral Insights in Public Policy

Public Management Stream

• Public Budgeting and the Management of Financial Resources
• Comparative Public Sector Management
• Public Human Resource Management

Smart Cities Stream

• Strategic Management for Smart Cities
• Politics of the Smart City
• Data Analytics for Smart Cities

Governance in China Stream

• Key Issues in Chinese Politics OR State and Market in China
• Social Change and Urbanization in Contemporary China OR Environmental Governance in China
• Public Morality and Accountability in China OR Governance in the Greater China Region

Research Electives (4 credit units)

Students are required to group together and work on a capstone project that focuses on issues falling within their chosen study streams. There are also chances for students who want to work on more academic-oriented research topics to do a dissertation.

Interim Award

Students who have completed all the required courses but not the dissertation or capstone project may be considered for an interim award of the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy and Management.

Admission Requirements

MAPPM shall follow the University’s General Entrance Requirements and the University’s latest decision on English Proficiency Requirements. For details and the latest updates, please click HERE.

Applicants should possess a first degree or equivalent qualification. Priority will be given to those with relevant working or public service experience, preferably with at least two years in a managerial position. Selection processes may include participation in a group discussion, writing a short summary and a brief individual interview. Those who have or have not studied public policy and management before are equally welcome.

Applicants whose entrance qualification are obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is NOT English should also fulfill the following minimum English proficiency requirement:

• 59 (revised paper-delivered test) or 79 (internet-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)@#; or
• Overall band 6.5 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS)@; or
• Score 450 in the new College English Test (CET-6) of Chinese mainland; or
• Other equivalent qualifications.

@ TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the commencement of the University’s application period.

# Applicants are required to arrange for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send their TOEFL results directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityU is 3401.

FAQs on Admissions

Our Students

Our students include:

• Administrative, Executive and Disciplined Services Officers;
• Professionals in health- or social welfare-related services;
• University Administrators or School Teachers;
• Journalists, Accountants, Lawyers and various Private Sector Business Managers;
• District Council Members and Assistants to Legislative or District Councilors;
• And many others who want to know more about public policy and governance.

Mode of Study and Teaching Arrangements

Students in “Full-time mode”:

• all non-local students who pursue the programme with student visa are normally under this mode;
• local students may also opt for this study mode if they can commit taking at least 12 credits of courses for a regular semester throughout the study period;
• can normally complete the programme in one year;
• attending five weekday evening classes and/or some Saturday classes every week.

Students in “Part-time mode”:

• should not take more than 11 credits of courses for a regular semester throughout the study period;
• can normally complete the programme in two years;
• attending one to three weekday evening classes per week and/or some classes are on Saturdays.

Students in “Combined mode":

• suitable for students who are uncertain whether they can pursue the programme in the specific “full-time” or “part-time” mode throughout the study period;
• flexibility to switch between the “full time” or the “part time” study load during the study period;
• the maximum study period of “combined mode” students are the same as “part time” students;
• will not be entitled to benefits exclusive for “full-time students”, such as the MTR student travel scheme.

Except students who registered for the “full-time” mode, all other students will be pre-registered for taking “combined mode” study load by default.

Application

Application should be made online via https://cityu.edu.hk/pg/programme/p27

Applicants are reminded to get the following documents prepared in PDF format for uploading to the application system:

• Official academic transcript with an official explanation on the grading scale
• For academic qualifications obtained in the Mainland China, the degree award certificate (學士學位証) and online verification report of China Higher Education Student’s Academic Transcript (中國高等學校學生成績驗証報告)

For details of the supporting documents required, please refer to the Notes to Applicants on SGS’s website.

Information for Current Students

Information for Current Students (sign in required)

Further Information and Contacts

Programme Leader and Public Policy Stream Leader: Dr Nicolai PETROVSKY

Associate Programme Leader and Public Management Stream Leader: Dr Nicole LIU

Governance in China Stream Leader: Dr Bo WEN

Smart Cities Stream Leader: Dr Bart WISSINK

Admissions Tutors: Dr Bo WEN

Dissertation Coordinator: Dr Nicolai PETROVSKY

For further information of the programme, please refer to our pamphlets and Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies’ online prospectus.

Enquiries

Tel: +852 3442 7533

Fax: +852 3442 0413

E-mail: samappm@cityu.edu.hk