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.

To be eligible for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements and hold a degree, or equivalent.

Short-listed applicants may be asked to undergo a selection process.

Priority will be given to those applying with relevant work experience.

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

• a score of 79 (Internet-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)@#; or

• an overall band score of 6.5 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS)@; or

• a 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 with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send their TOEFL results directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityUHK is 3401.

This programme has been selected by the University Grants Committee (UGC) for the scholarship award under the main priority area of ‘Sustainable city’. Scholarships are available to local students admitted to the programme. Nominated students will be invited to submit applications for the scholarship. For details, please visit the scholarship website. 

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 includes a 3-credit research elective course and 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 consist of public management, public policy evaluation, research methods and statistical analysis.  They serve as a firm 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
• Research Methods in Public Policy and Management
• Statistical Analysis for Public Policy and Management

Stream core courses (12 credit units)

To facilitate professional specialization, the programme has four streams: Public Management, Public Policy, Smart Cities, and Governance in China. Students are allowed to choose one stream, with twelve 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 Strategic Planning and Management
• Public Human Resource Management
• Practice in Public Management

Smart Cities Stream#

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

Governance in China Stream

• Key Issues in Chinese Politics
• 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 Public Management 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)

Most students work in groups on a capstone project, thoroughly analyzing a public management or policy problem using the concepts and skills they have learned. Students who performed particularly well (both in terms of their cumulative grade point average and their grade in research methods) and want to work on more academically oriented research topics or pursue further study may choose to work on a dissertation instead.

The programme has met the precondition for seeking accreditation from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).  This globally recognized accreditation is expected to be beneficial to the career of our graduates in future.

The programme offers you:

• A highly varied and dynamic peer group of public managers, disciplined services officers, and professionals from all sectors involved in the delivery of public services and governance at large.

• Comparative perspectives

• Integration of theories and practices   

• International and local guest speakers and lectures

• Special induction and study skills workshops

Students who have completed all the programme core courses (18 credits) and stream core courses (12 credits) can apply for graduation with the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy and Management.

Department of Public and International Affairs
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences