HR9801 - Public Policy and Governance

Participants experience dynamic and flexible learning environments, which cater for professionals across private, public, and third sectors. The delivery model blends intensive face-to-face workshops with live virtual sessions and self-paced online components, with pre-session materials providing essential background knowledge and post-session tutorials fostering reflective discussion through the lenses of theoretical frameworks to understand how different political ideologies shaping sustainable policy-making and governance models of public service delivery. How theories are influenced by competing political ideologies (e.g., liberalism, conservatism, social democracy) and how they impact on public choice and more inclusive forms of public service.

Throughout the module, you’ll engage in expert-led and research informed lectures, collaborative group work, and practical case studies that examine real-world challenges—from public policy and governance initiatives. This multifaceted approach develops analytical and practical skills, encourages appreciation of diverse perspectives and harness collective creativity in addressing complex issues.

A robust digital learning platform supports your studies by offering access to recorded sessions, interactive quizzes, and discussion forums for peer-to-peer exchange. Optional office hours and guided independent study sessions provide personalized support from experienced tutors, ensuring that every learning need is met.

Overall, this integrated approach reinforces theoretical insights into public policy and governance while building practical competencies essential for driving sustainable and ethical change across various sectors. It empowers you to become an effective leader capable of advocating for transformative practices in any organizational context.

In this module, you will benefit from a comprehensive and responsive academic support system designed to help you succeed across both private sector and public/third sector contexts. Your learning is guided by experienced module tutors and supported by dedicated programme leaders and academic mentors, ensuring that expert advice is always available. In addition to scheduled lectures, workshops, and group sessions, you will have access to drop-in sessions, virtual office hours, and interactive online forums via our digital learning platform—providing continuous, flexible support beyond the formal classroom setting.

The programme is structured to encourage both collaborative and independent study, with resources such as recorded lectures, curated reading materials, and peer discussion groups that help reinforce key concepts in responsible business. This multi-faceted approach ensures that whether you are tackling complex theoretical frameworks or developing practical strategies for sustainable change, you have a robust network of academic support to guide you every step of the way.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• [MLO 1] Explain the key concepts of public policy and governance, and their application in social and political contexts. [PLO 1, 2, 3, 5, 6]
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

• [MLO 2] Apply frameworks such as state control, neo-liberalism the third way to changes in public policy and governance practice. [PLO 2, 5,6]
• [MLO 3] Enhance professional skills through problem-based learning to design innovative and policy and governance models. [PL0 1,4]
• [MLO 4] Evaluate experiential case studies and research to propose effective policy making and governance solutions [PLO 5, 6].

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• [MLO 5] Reflect on personal values and ethical perspectives to demonstrate global and cultural awareness in leadership [PLO 3, 4, 5, 6].

This module is assessed through a real-world, experiential project undertaken within your own organization. There is a single piece of summative assessment.
This assessment is designed to address multiple Module Learning Outcomes (MLOs) identified.
• Knowledge & Understanding: Demonstrate critical insights into public policy and governance.
• Intellectual / Professional Skills & Abilities: Apply frameworks relating to public policy and governance theories and procedures.
• Personal Values Attributes: Reflect on and integrate personal and ethical perspectives in relation to policy and governance procedure.
Formative feedback will be offered throughout the block teaching sessions and in the virtual sessions convened to support your learning and development.

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Public Policy and Management is a dynamic module that equips you with the essential knowledge and practical skills to develop comprehension of public policy and governance issues. The module aims to provide the conceptual knowledge and skills that will enable public administrators to manage human, financial, physical and political resources more efficiently and effectively. Through critical awareness of current problems and new insights informed by research at the forefront of the discipline of public management and governance the module will enhance the capacity to make informed judgements. Based on a systematic understanding of theories, concepts and principles drawn from the social sciences, including the philosophy of the social sciences, and organisational theory an understanding of the epistemological and ontological foundations of contending research methods and techniques will ensure advanced scholarship in public administration, governance and professional contexts.