If you are a public administration professional, this course will see you extend and build upon your professional experience via a combination of coursework, a relevant choice of electives and a research dissertation. You will undertake advanced study and reflection on theory and practice in the professional field of public administration and public policy, while drawing on, and extending, your professional experience and expertise.

 

As a doctoral student, you will choose a real-world public administration problem to explore as a research project and will be encouraged to do so in the context of your own workplace, organisation or community. You will graduate from the program having made a unique contribution to professional practice in the field of public administration and ready to progress your career to the next level. As a Higher Degree by Research (HDR), this course is covered under the Australian Government's Research Training Program (RTP) funding model, which provides a fee offset for domestic students for the standard duration of the course.

• undertake coursework that develops knowledge and skill in research methodology and research methods

• develop the research, writing and analysis skills which enable you to produce a dissertation which is an original and significant contribution to the relevant literature and/or professional practice

• prepare a substantial dissertation which adds to existing knowledge and forms an in-depth investigation and analysis of a particular professional issue

• initiate closer links between the University and senior professionals in fields associated with public administration and public policy.

A professional doctorate is, by its very nature, the embodiment of Work Integrated Learning (WIL), and is much more focused on professional practice than a traditional PhD. Throughout your coursework and specifically in your dissertation, you will be encouraged to apply your existing professional knowledge and undertake new research to identify and explore a real-world problem in the field of public administration.

• Academic

• Lecturer

• Sessional academic

• Senior research officer

• Senior research fellow

• Administration director

• Administrative services director

• Public servant

• Senior policy officer

• Project officer

• Senior analyst

• Program director

• Strategic adviser

• Consultant

• International diplomat

• Indigenous program director

• Human resources director

• Industrial relations director

Before a candidate is admitted to the Professional Doctorate in Public Administration program, the University must be satisfied that it is able to supervise the candidate's proposed dissertation, and that the candidate satisfies the following admission requirements:

 

a) holds at minimum a bachelor’s degree and a post-bachelor honours year by research, or a master’s or graduate diploma degree of one to two years’ full-time duration in a relevant field, with a Credit or greater average, and evidence of having performed in subjects relevant to the proposed study at Distinction level or above

b) has five years of professional practice in a relevant area

c) provides evidence of superior legal professional performance both intellectually and technically

d) provides evidence of capacity for independent research under the guidance of a supervisory panel at a doctoral level, and relevant professional development

e) provides evidence of superior professional performance, both intellectually and technically.

 

A requirement for proceeding to the research component of the degree is completion of the coursework component of the degree, and the acceptance and approval of a research proposal and plan by the course convener.

 

There are non-standard English language requirements for this course. To be eligible, you must have an academic IELTS or equivalent of 6.5 with no band score below 6.0. Students who have undertaken all their education in an English-speaking country (as defined on the UC website) are deemed to have met our English language proficiency requirements.