The Exeter MPA

university of

exeter The Exeter MPA Master of Public Administration

Contents The Exeter MPA

1

Meeting the challenge

2

Programme aims

3

MPA content and structure

4

Teaching and learning

6

Core module descriptions

7

Optional module descriptions

8

Application information

10

International students

12

Your career

15

The University of Exeter

17

The MPA team

18

Academic staff

19

Contact us

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The Exeter MPA The Master of Public Administration at Exeter is designed to help you meet the challenge of shaping and delivering effective public services.

The Exeter MPA takes an international perspective to equip

reputation for research and whose ideas are published around

you with the skills and understanding you need to operate

the world. We have a long history of working with ministries and

effectively in an increasingly global and constantly changing

national governments, and members of our team have advised

environment.

organisations such as the United Nations, World Bank, European Commission, the Department of Work and Pensions, the OECD

You will have the opportunity to benefit from the latest ideas

and the Treasury.

on public policy, administration and regulation while learning alongside practitioners working in a variety of roles and

Our modular programme, block teaching and excellent online

organisations from the UK and overseas.

resources are designed to meet the needs of both those studying full-time and professionals aiming to manage part-time study with

The MPA is relevant whether you are working in local, regional,

full-time employment. While equipping you with core skills, the

or central government, or for a charity or public-private

MPA will provide you with the opportunity to research and seek

partnership. It addresses some of the key issues facing the

solutions to issues and challenges you face in the workplace.

public sector such as effective leadership, financial crisis

The involvement of leading practitioners from the public sector,

management, anticipating and responding to change,

together with real world case studies, will make sure learning is

performance management, governance and ethical practice,

relevant and informed by best practice.

risk and decision-making and sustainability.

The University of Exeter is a supplier of MPA qualifications The MPA is run by the Department of Politics with expertise

through the Crown Commercial Service, the national

from senior civil servants and leading financial consultants.

procurement partner for UK public services and has been

It draws on the work of academics who have an impressive

rigorously assessed for quality and value for money.

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Meeting the challenge In many respects a nation’s public administration is its conscience; it reflects the values and practices of a nation and the public sector is an essential element in maintaining a society’s cohesion and prosperity.

For a generation radical change has been endemic at all levels

The Exeter MPA is an interdisciplinary degree, rooted in public

within the public sector. In different countries and at different

policy and administration, which aims to help you address these

times this change has variously been labelled as re-engineering,

challenges. You will explore the social, historical and financial

new public management, and modernisation and has been

context of public policy, public administration and public sector

driven by forces such as technological innovation, political

organisations, and the way in which policies are made,

fashion, Europeanisation or globalisation.

implemented and evaluated in the public sector. For those working at a local or regional level, the course places their

Public sector practitioners and those in the private sector

public service role within its broader professional and political

delivering services contracted by national and local governments,

context. You will learn to address the challenges of change by

need to understand the context and dynamics of these changes

building your skills, competencies and confidence so you may

and how to develop their own professional skills to deliver

progress in any area of the public service.

services effectively for the benefit of the wider society.

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Programme aims The MPA provides professional development for people working in or with public services. It will help you:

• develop knowledge and skills relevant to management

• develop critical thinking about the relationship between the

competencies such as strategic thinking, effective

theory of public policy and administration and how it is

communication, leadership, negotiation and influencing,

practised in real life situations

working with others, planning and organising • become highly competent in subject-specific, core • develop skills that underpin the requirements of

academic, personal and key skills

modernising public sector organisations, including policy analysis, evaluation, use of evidence, problem solving,

• learn to think and act systemically and develop a critical

cut-back management, communication and the

approach and commitment to continuous learning and

management of change

self-development.

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MPA content and structure The Exeter MPA consists of a mixture of core modules which

Optional modules (20 credits each)

provide the theoretical foundation for the degree; optional

A choice of three modules from a list which may include

modules enabling you to specialise in areas of interest; and

the following:

either a dissertation or work-based research project involving

• Global Governance and Administration

a piece of original research on a subject of your choice.

• New Public Management: Principles, Practice and Prospects Please note it is possible for modules to change to reflect new ideas or to meet student demand, so check our website for

• Policy Analysis and Evaluation

the latest details.

• Project Management Core modules (20 credits each) • Management and Governance: Comparing Public

• Regulation and Reform

Administration around the World • Risk, Responsibility and Regulation: Whose Policy • Policy and Politics: the Theory and Strategy of

is it Anyway?

Delivering Public Services • The Politics, Policy and Practice of Sustainable Development • Public Sector Finance for Managers

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Dissertation (60 credits)

Two work-based research projects (30 credits each)

Working with an academic supervisor, you will produce an

Instead of a dissertation you can choose to complete two

original piece of academic research relating to a subject of your

work-based projects. Each project can address a particular

choice. This will be presented in the form of a 15,000-word

issue or problem you or your organisation has identified in

dissertation.

your place of work. In effect, you will be able to research and write about any new or difficult public sector management issue related to your work environment and deliver the project in the form of a report of practical use to your employer.

Teaching and learning The way in which the Exeter MPA is taught has been designed to meet both the needs of working professionals and full-time students.

Based on an ethos of active learning through interactive teaching and learning methods, it aims to encourage the link between theory and real life practice.

• Presentations from visiting speakers such as senior civil servants, chief executives, leading consultants and public figures • Field trips to local, regional and national public bodies such as the National School of Government and Welsh Assembly.

Depending on your choice of options, either the majority or your entire course will be delivered in intensive teaching blocks.

You will benefit from excellent online learning resources including

Intensive modules will consist of:

lecture notes, articles, and presentations. Some work can also be

• Preparation period of one week (guided readings

submitted and marked online.

and preparatory research) • 3-4 days of intensive seminars, lectures/talks, exercises and workshops • Post-teaching period (reflection, task completion, preparation of assessed work) • Fast marking turn-around with individual feedback.

The content and delivery of the MPA will include not only traditional teaching methods, such as lectures, seminars and workshops, but depending on your choice of modules may involve: • Task-oriented work including case-study work

The programme includes an induction to introduce you to the Exeter MPA and help you adjust to postgraduate study. We will provide practical help and advice on subjects such as study and research skills and time management and be available to answer any of your questions. You will have the chance get to know the academic team and your fellow students in a relaxed and informal environment.

You will also have the opportunity to practise reflective learning and consider your professional development at key stages throughout the MPA.

• The use of reflective journals and the negotiation of learning contracts

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Core module descriptions Management and Governance: Comparing Public

Using real life examples, we will see how complex structures

Administration around the World

and institutions can be explained in ways which are meaningful

This module compares administrative theories, practice and

and easy to understand. You will begin to explore the way in

processes and the importance of the contexts in which they

which policy makers and their advisors structure decision making

operate. You will gain a critical awareness of the approaches

in the public sector and then explain these decisions in terms

of different political regimes to public administration and public

which appeal to customers, stakeholders and others with a

sector management. You will also develop a good practical

vested interest.

and theoretical understanding of the impact of globalisation and de-territorialisation on national and international

Public Sector Finance for Managers

governance. The module explores some of the main issues

Led by a former public sector finance director now working in

and problems confronting public sector managers such as

private consultancy, this module provides you with the skills to

modernisation and the barrier to reform; cut backs in public

use your finance teams strategically to get the best outcomes

funding; accountability, ethics and delivery; regulation, oversight

for your organisation. You will gain a sound introduction,

and audit; and markets and de-regulation.

understanding and working knowledge of the key concepts, theories and calculations of basic financial accounting,

Policy and Politics: the Theory and Strategy

management accounting and finance. The module takes a

of Delivering Public Services

practical perspective and is suitable for students with varying

This module explores the different traditions and theories

degrees of management expertise or experience. The aim

of policy analysis and the importance of using theoretical

is to provide you with the skills you need to plan, control,

frameworks for the analysis and understanding of human

report on and analyse services from a budgetary perspective.

endeavour, governance and progress. We will also investigate what is meant by the term ‘the public sector’. By the end of this module you should be aware of the importance of theory as a means of analysing institutions and issues in public administration.

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Optional module descriptions Global Governance and Administration

initiatives, organisational aspects, leadership and performance

This module examines the emerging structure of global

management. We also look at the future for New Public

governance and administration which many see as an aspect

Management and cover areas such as the potential for citizenship

of globalisation. This includes both informal aspects, such as

empowerment, e-government and the regulatory state. Specialist

the pressure from Western states and international agencies

visiting speakers will present case studies and explore the record

for all states to adopt good governance norms, and formal

of the New Public Management in action. You will also prepare

aspects such as the international regimes in areas like trade,

case studies in the areas which most interest you.

intellectual property and the environment. You will develop an understanding of key developments and concepts such as

Policy Analysis and Evaluation

the World Trade Organisation, the role of the United Nations,

A key theme of contemporary public policy and public

good governance and global civil society. You will also learn

management is the use of evidence to discover ‘what works’,

about policy making and administration at the global level and

with the aim of improving theory and practice. Measurement,

the way national, regional and international institutions and

analysis and evaluation of public service performance, especially

policy makers both co-operate and compete with each other.

as part of performance management, are increasingly practised.

Knowledge of the analytical and evaluative techniques used in

New Public Management: Principles, Practice

this activity is increasingly important for decision making at senior

and Prospects

levels across many parts of the public sector. This module

The ‘New Public Management’ is a shorthand term for what has

addresses a set of potentially powerful and widely used analysis

become the orthodox model for the modern management of

and evaluation tools and critically assesses current practice. We

public services. This course examines the origins of the model and

look at policy interventions in socio-economic policy, local public

the principles involved including privatisation, the use of market

management and public service performance.

principles, emulation of the private sector and partnership working. Its operation in practice is analysed covering policy

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Project Management

Risk, Responsibility and Regulation:

This module mixes practical work and analysis and is designed

Whose Policy is it Anyway?

for managers who work with projects as part of their role. It is

This module introduces the key debates in the contemporary

aimed at those who wish to go beyond a standardised ‘how to’

governance of risks in policy fields such as biotechnology, food,

methodology and examines the selection of tools, techniques and

environment and rail policy. You will develop an understanding

approaches available in project management. By the end of the

of the emerging trends in risk regulation in OECD countries and

module you should be able to set the scope of a project, identify

in particular the UK, EU and USA. The module explores some of

the nature and particular demands of different projects, plan

the main theoretical approaches used to explain risk governance

effectively for success and manage both risk and stakeholders.

and encourages you to think critically about the relationship between theory and practice, both in terms of the contribution

Regulation and Reform

of theory to understanding current risk policies and how well

This module blends theories and academic analysis, with

different theories perform when confronted by practice.

know-how and practical application of the new better regulation toolkit. You will learn about the tools of better regulation, such

The Politics, Policy and Practice

as problem definition, consultation, risk regulation, regulatory

of Sustainable Development

impact assessment, economic techniques including cost-benefit

This module covers the key scientific background to the climate

analysis and multi-criteria analysis, simplification, reduction of

change issue. It examines key policy drivers and legislative

administrative burdens, evaluation and quality assurance. By the

provision and explores how climate change targets are

end of the module you will be able to understand the concept

incorporated into public policy processes. We will look at a

of regulatory reform, work with simple versions of better

range of case studies to explore policy initiatives including

regulation instruments, and critically appraise better regulation.

renewables policy, carbon-zero building and sustainable

Teaching and assessment tools may include learning journals,

agro-food systems.

role play, case studies, guest speakers and video sources.

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Application information Qualification: The Master of Public Administration will be

Student support: Our academic teaching staff will be available

awarded to successful students after completion of 180 credits.

to discuss any aspects of the modules on an informal basis during

Students who would prefer not to undertake the full masters

their designated office hours. Student services staff within the

programme may obtain a Postgraduate Certificate after

College of Social Sciences and International Studies provide a

completing 60 credits or a Postgraduate Diploma after 120

friendly and helpful point of contact while the University offers

credits. All qualifications are dependent on satisfactory progress

a wide range of support services and specialist advice on topics

which is measured through assessment.

such as accessibility, accommodation, childcare, career development, learning, and counselling. Full details can be

Duration: 12 months full-time or 36 months modular.

found at www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate

Entry requirements: You should have a good honours

Fees: Information about our latest tuition fees can be found on

degree (2:1 or above) and experience of working in a public

the MPA website www.exeter.ac.uk/mpa. Full-time students are

sector environment. Exceptions may be made for candidates

required to pay a non-refundable deposit which is required in

with exceptional experience or relevant professional

advance, on firm acceptance of your place on the MPA. Fees

qualifications. Individuals who do not meet the criteria may be

are pro-rata and credit-based for modular students.

required to submit examples of work or to participate in an interview. International students who do not meet the entry

Funding: The University of Exeter and College of Social Sciences

requirements may be interested in the INTO Graduate

and International Studies offer a range of funding awards. Visit

Diploma in Public Administration (see details on page 13).

the University website www.exeter.ac.uk/scholarships for information.

Assessment: A variety of methods of assessment may be used depending on the modules you take including essays, presentations, blogs, journals, group projects and work-based projects. All students have to complete a 15,000 word dissertation or at least one work-based research project.

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How to apply: You can apply for the Exeter MPA online at

UK public sector clients: Following a rigorous evaluation and

www.exeter.ac.uk/mpa/apply

selection process, the University of Exeter was awarded a place on the Crown Commercial Service framework agreement –

Sponsors: We believe that organisations benefit most from

Learning and Development and eLearning Solutions – to

our programme when several people attend as a group and

provide the MPA qualification to the public sector.

we may be able to offer a discount when several members of the same organisation are sponsored on the programme.

Please contact Dr Stephen Greasley tel: +44 (0)1392 723166; email: s.greasley@exeter.ac.uk for more details.

International students The Exeter MPA is multi-national programme and welcomes students from around the world.

The University campus provides a safe and friendly environment

applications for accommodation and deposit are received

for study with access to the city of Exeter and some of the most

by our deadline. Visit the accommodation section of our

beautiful countryside and coastline in the UK within easy reach.

postgraduate study website www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate

The College of Social Sciences and International Studies has

for details.

around 740 international students while students on the MPA have come from countries such as China, Korea, Japan, Nigeria,

English language requirements: At time of going to print

Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Sudan, and Israel as well as the UK.

we require IELTS 6.5 (no less than 6 in the writing section) or TOEFL 230 and above for entry into the MPA programme. The

International Office: Staff in the University’s International

latest information about our English language requirements can

Office will be happy to advise you about any aspect of

be found on our website www.exeter.ac.uk/mpa

living and studying at the University of Exeter, including the suitability of your existing academic qualification and English

English language support: The INTO University of Exeter

language proficiency. For more information, including

Centre offers Academic English and intensive pre-sessional

details of the University’s local representatives, please visit

English summer courses, designed for students who need to

www.exeter.ac.uk/international or contact the International

improve their ability in English and study skills before they

Office. tel: +44 (0)1392 7263405, email: intoff@exeter.ac.uk

start their degree programme. The Centre also offers non-credit bearing in-sessional support courses including

Accommodation: We can guarantee a place in University

writing tutorials, grammar workshops and oral communication

accommodation to all new unaccompanied international

classes throughout the year. These are available, free of

postgraduates from outside the EU in their first year of study

charge, to students who meet the minimum English language

and attending for the full academic year, provided that their

entry requirements but wish to continue to improve their

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academic English skills. Further information is available at www.exeter.ac.uk/into INTO Graduate Diploma in Public Administration

Dong Hee Lim Ministry of Employment and Labour, Korea

International students who do not meet the entry requirements for the MPA may be eligible for the INTO Graduate Diploma in Public Administration. The Diploma provides good preparation and may assist you reach the required entry level for the masters programme. Visit www.exeter.ac.uk/into for more details.

I work for the Ministry of Employment and Labour for the Korean Government. MPA courses are very well known for their practical and theoretical elements and many employees from the Korean Government come to the University of Exeter and study the MPA. I enjoy that the professors have a passion for what they are teaching. Most of the students have experiences and careers in the public sector so we can share our experiences. It is very useful because we can investigate the economic and political policies among different countries. Public organisations deal differently with situations and it is useful to share ideas.

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Anne Harrison-Bailey Consultation and Planning Officer Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Since leaving university I have worked in local government and always wanted to complete a Masters degree. The MPA seemed ideal as it linked my work experience with a Masters course and would allow me to build on the skills and knowledge I had already gained through work.

The MPA at Exeter offered a wide choice of topics and a flexible modular programme which looked like it would make fitting a degree in with a full-time job much easier. The most valuable aspect is that the topics are relevant to the job I’m currently doing.

After completing each module I have returned to work with a fresh perspective on the work I do and a greater understanding of the sector I work in.

Due to the international nature of the MPA I have gained a wider perspective of the topics we have been studying, which has allowed me to appreciate the administration systems we already have in place in the UK and learn from other countries how these can be improved.

The MPA has given me a wider perspective of public administration on a national and global level. It has helped me to identify some of the key themes that run through public administration and how they affect the organisation I work for and the work I do.

The online learning provides access to all the essential information I have needed for the course and has enabled me to keep up to date with what’s going on. The course has helped me to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to progress in the public sector.

Your career The need to develop management and leadership skills is being recognised as increasingly important within the public sector and this has been reflected by the introduction of management competencies and a growing demand for formal qualifications for senior management positions.

The MPA is a qualification which is recognised around the

• Developing strategic decision making and leadership skills

world and is taken seriously not only by prospective employers but also by organisations who want to retain and progress

• Improving your confidence and credibility in the workplace

skilled managers.

• Gaining more knowledge about other people and There are many reasons to study for the Exeter MPA including: • Enhancing your opportunities for career progression

other organisations • Networking and sharing experiences with public sector colleagues.

• Making you stand out in a competitive job market We have a long history of teaching public administration and • Obtaining a wider perspective of the environment in which you work

public policy to postgraduates at Exeter. Students have gone on to careers in regional governments, ministries, embassies and other organisations around the world.

• Obtaining a personal sense of achievement

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Azmin Ahmad Civil Servant, Brunei Darussalam The MPA is closely related to my profession as a civil servant in my country of Brunei Darussalam. The MPA covers in depth what I need to learn and apply to my profession such as theories relating to modernising public services and policy reform.

What motivates me the most is the course content which offers dynamism in terms of module selection, compared to some universities that only offer a traditional or limited module choice. I also chose the MPA because of the relationship that the University has with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and civil service agencies. The expertise and background of the lecturers and tutors, who are very experienced and have published a wide selection of public administration and public policy books, also encouraged me to apply. As people say, to be the best you have to learn from the best.

The facilities offered by the University are overwhelming, especially the information technology such as e-learning and the online library, personal records and timetable which are just very convenient for students. And the forum website is very useful for an open discussion with course mates as well as lecturers and tutors.

Having a mixture of international course mates has also made it enjoyable, as we are able to learn about each other’s public administration as well as culture and countries. And most importantly the international relationships have built an atmosphere of unity.

The welcoming environment of the University has made studying here an enjoyable experience. Besides the University, the city of Exeter is a very beautiful and peaceful place to study and live. The people of Exeter are very friendly and always talking with a friendly smile.

The University of Exeter The University of Exeter is rated firmly in the premier league of UK universities and combines world-leading research with high levels of student satisfaction.

A member of the prestigious Russell Group, Exeter is ranked

Exeter is consistently rated as one of the best places to live in

8th in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014

the UK for the quality of facilities and low crime rate. London

and amongst the top 1% of universities in the world.

is just over two hours away by train and sandy beaches, moorland and some of the most stunning countryside in Britain

Significant investment has been made in student and research

are all just a short journey away. The city has excellent road

facilities. The University has implemented an ambitious ÂŁ450

and rail links and has its own regional airport which has flights

million investment programme in new buildings and facilities

to many parts of the UK and Europe.

including a state-of-the-art student services centre. The University’s Streatham Campus is one of the most beautiful in the country and the safe, student-friendly city centre is within walking distance.

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The MPA team The MPA is led by the Department of Politics with expertise from leading figures from the public and private sectors.

Department of Politics The University of Exeter has one of the best all round Politics departments in the UK. We excel in research and teaching across all the main areas of political science including public

Tracey Rear Drug Outreach Manager Guernsey

policy analysis, comparative politics, public opinion and electoral behaviour, international relations, political theory, and the politics of European integration. We were ranked 6th in the UK for our world-leading research in the last Research Assessment Exercise (2008) and 4th for Politics in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014. Our research active staff, including the University’s Vice-Chancellor Steve Smith, contribute to several research centres including the Centre for European Governance, Centre for Elections, Media and Parties, and the Centre for Rural Policy Research. Our work is

The professors we have here have immense knowledge which they are very good at passing on to you so that you can understand. That’s the main thing for me. The lecturers are excellent. I would definitely recommend the programme because of the teaching methods, it’s really good, it’s engaging. I would never have thought I could have sat in a classroom for a whole day and listen, but you can!

published in international journals and by presses around the world.

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Academic staff Dr Stephen Greasley

Dr Claire Dunlop

Programme Director

With research interests in public

Dr Greasley’s research and

policy, administration and

teaching interests are in public

regulation, Dr Dunlop has been

policy and administration. He has a

funded by the British Academy for

particular interest in various types

research into the relationship

of arm’s length governance and the

between scientific knowledge and

way that these are, or are not, influenced by the political system.

political decision making in relation to bovine TB. Previously she

His research has primarily focused on the UK at national and

has led research for the Scottish Consumer Council into the

local levels.

development of risk governance, worked on evidence-based policy making in the Scottish Executive and led a high profile

Professor Andrew Massey

project on the regulation of teachers’ wellbeing services.

Professor Massey has written widely on government and civil

Professor Oliver James

service modernisation, public

Professor James regularly works

sector management and EU

with public sector organisations in

reform. Elected to the Academy of

the UK and elsewhere, and has

Social Sciences in recognition of his

acted as a consultant to bodies

contribution to social sciences in the UK and overseas, he has

including the World Bank, OECD,

acted as a consultant for several international organisations and

UK Treasury, UK National Audit

spoken at the United Nations. He has a long standing interest in

Office and UK Audit Commission. His research interests

energy policy, professionalism, ethics and accountability.

include public sector organisation and reform, public service provision, executive politics and regulation of the public sector.

Recent projects involve exploring the relationship between performance, public expectations and satisfaction.

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Professor Claudio Radaelli

Dr Duncan Russel

Professor Radaelli holds the

Duncan Russel is a senior lecturer

Anniversary Chair in Politics and

in the politics of climate change and

Jean Monnet Chair in Public Policy.

sustainable futures. His research

As the Director of the Centre for

and teaching interests include: UK

European Governance, he has

and European environmental

contributed innovative theories to

policy; climate policy; public policy;

the fields of Europeanisation, policy transfer, the role of

policy appraisal; policy coordination; evidence and policy

knowledge in the policy process, and the use of economics in

interactions; budgetary politics. He has provided extensive

government. His ground-breaking research is funded by

policy input within the UK, including: providing evidence to

organisations including the European Research Council.

parliamentary select committees, the parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee, and the Environmental Agency.

Contact us MPA Programme Director Dr Stephen Greasley telephone: +44 (0)1392 723166 email: s.greasley@exeter.ac.uk College of Social Sciences and International Studies Postgraduate taught enquiries telephone: +44 (0)1392 723192 email: ssis-admissions@exeter.ac.uk International Office telephone: +44 (0)1392 723405 email: intoff@exeter.ac.uk Postgraduate admissions www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate

Exeter MPA www.exeter.ac.uk/mpa The University of Exeter is a supplier of MPA qualifications through the Crown Commercial Service, the national procurement partner for UK public services.

This document forms part of the University’s Postgraduate Prospectus.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in the Prospectus is correct at the time of going to press. However, the University cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information contained within the Prospectus and reserves the right to make variations to the services offered where such action is considered to be necessary by the University. For further information, please refer to the Postgraduate Prospectus (available at www.exeter.ac.uk/pgp/disclaimer).

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