Find out about your options for Public Policy qualifications and discover what and how you'll study.

• Master of Public Policy
• Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy
• Postgraduate Certificate in Public Policy

If you are initially accepted for a certificate or diploma, you can apply to transfer to the Master’s degree at a later stage.

If you're working towards a Master of Public Policy but can't complete it for whatever reason, you may still be able to graduate with a certificate or diploma.

Your studies will include:

1. Six core courses that will give you the skills and capability to design, implement and evaluate policy for a range of different outcomes.

Learn about the theory and practice of policy making and examine the role of government and others in policy creation and implementation. Understand the issues at play in different policy areas like local government, health or development. If you're working while you study, you can apply what you learn to your own workplace policy challenges immediately.

GOVT 525—Policy Capstone is one of the six core courses.

2. Five elective courses. Choose from a variety of courses according to your interests and career goals—like public sector, law, economics, policy analysis, or politics and philosophy.

Customise the Master of Public Policy with a specialisation, through electives, in e-Government, Health and Wellbeing, Public Management, or another subject from the Wellington School of Business and Government.

Core courses are delivered both on-campus and online in a modular format. Typically, you'll attend classes three times a trimester for each course, making it feasible to live outside Wellington and commute for study.

Elective courses are delivered in a variety of modes. Courses also vary in their teaching and learning styles, including in-class lectures, discussions, cases, student presentations, guest presentations, and pre-recorded videos. Assessment varies, including take-home tests, short written exercises (such as blog posts), problem sets, applications, and essays.

Throughout your study, you will enjoy ample opportunities to work on issues of interest to yourself or your employer.

Because of the modular format of the courses, you can fit your study commitments around your work and home life. And if you're struggling at any time, just let us know—we want your study to be a success.

If you are studying full time you can expect a workload of 30–40 hours a week for much of the year. Part-time students doing two courses per trimester will need to do around 20–23 hours of work a week. Make sure you take this into account if you are working full-time.

You can estimate your workload by adding up the number of points you'll be doing. One point is roughly equal to 10–12 hours work.

The MPP can be completed in three years part time, or in 16 months of full-time study.

Surrounded by Parliament Buildings, government offices and corporate headquarters, you'll benefit from the strong links the Wellington School of Business and Government maintains with the industry.