Master studies programme “Public Governance and Administration”

State code – 621N70004

Study area – Social Sciences

Study field – Public Administration

Degree and (or) professional qualifications awarded – Master of Public Administration

This programme aims to prepare experts in public administration, governance and management, implementers and analysts of public policy programmes. Programme is primarily intended for those aspiring to work in various public sector organizations.

Target groups of the programme are:

  • Civil servants of national and regional level
  • CSOs representatives
  • Businessmen and those who closely cooperate with public administration officials
  • Graduates of Political Science and International Relations BA programs
  • Journalists
  • Specialists of international governmental and nongovernmental organizations
  • Broader public interested in issues of public administration and public policy

Graduates of this programme, will be able:

-to analyse and evaluate public governance process and programmes,

-to understand comparative specifics of public governance and administration,

-independently plan, organize and execute various activities in public sector organizations,

-to implement and assist in designing organizational reforms, implement innovations

-conduct independent applied research on the issues of public governance and administration

After completion of this programme graduates receive Master of Arts in Public Administration degree. They can continue into PhD studies in political science or management, aspire for employment into public sector organizations. Graduates of the programme can also work in international and nongovernmental organizations as well as in private sector.

Master programme consists of 120 ECTS (42 ECTS of them – Master Thesis and Research paper no. 1. and no. 2.).

The programme lasts four (4) semesters.

Language of instruction: Russian and/or English. Russian is used as language of instructions during face-to-face sessions and online classes. English is the language of academic literature and other sources for the courses. Upon students request the courses of the programme might be taught in English.

Location: face-to-face sessions of the programme are conducted in VDU campus in Vilnius.

Required courses in the programme are: Strategic Management and Performance Evaluation in the Public Sector, Theoretical and Comparative Analysis in Public Administration, Europeanization of Public Management, Public Economics, Administrative Law, Organization and Delivery of Municipal Public Services, Human Resource Policy and Management in the Public Sector, Ethics Management in the Public Sector, Public Policy and Analysis, Research Methods in Public Policy and Administration.

Students also choose to study 3 elective courses from those: Non-governmental Organizations and Public Interest, Economical Politics of Small and Medium Countries, Social Policy, Health Protection Policy, Educational and Cultural Policy, Comparative Migration Policy.

Learning format

The learning format of the master’s programme is a combination of face-to-face sessions and online activities in the Moodle system of distance learning. Students must study 5 courses within semester. These courses are not delivered at the same time, but they are divided into parts: the first three courses are included in the first half of the semester, and the other two are delivered in the second half. Usually, a 6-credit course implies 8 weeks of online learning.

During face-to-face sessions students attends lectures, participate in the seminars and practical trainings and pass exams. During the first session in the semester they have introductory lections and during the second/ third sessions they participate in the seminars and practical trainings, and pass exams. During face-to-face sessions held in the middle of the semester students participate in the final classes of the courses of the first half of semester and listen to introductory lections of the courses of the second half. Similarly, sessions are held at the end of semester and at the beginning of the next one. Thus, in total, 5 sessions are held in an academic year.

In the periods between the sessions the study process continues in the Moodle where students could find all necessary information on the required and additional literature, receive instructions on assignments, participate in online classes and get online consultations from the lecturers.

Cost of the programme: 2 952 Eur/ academic year

Deadline for application:  21 June, 2020