Master of Science in Research in Public Administration and Organisational Science
Utrecht University
Key Information
Campus location
Utrecht, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,209 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
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* EU/EEA, Surinam or Swiss students; €17,500: International students
Scholarships
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Introduction
This challenging two-year program focuses on key issues of Public Administration and Organisation Theory. The program offers an in-depth investigation of societal problems and critical challenges faced by organizations - government agencies, not for profits, citizen groups, form - involved in public value creation. You will investigate these challenges, analyze how public organizations deal with each challenge, and begin to form theories about what is required to make policies work.
Challenges of Public Governance
Climate change, porous borders, the knowledge economy, infectious diseases, Artificial Intelligence. The world is changing at an unprecedented pace, throwing up tantalizing opportunities as well as wicked problems for the way in which we govern our societies. Public administrators respond to these challenges in a variety of ways: they initiate reforms to make public management less bureaucratic and more accountable, they activate and enable citizens, they help businesses become more competitive while enhancing social responsibility, and they support civil society initiatives to provide voluntary community services. You will analyze how such initiatives help governments cope with these complex challenges.
These complex challenges are no longer the sole responsibility of government institutions. Private, not-for-profit, and hybrid organizations as well as civil society groups are increasingly involved in creating value in the public domain and performing what previously were considered public tasks. Public governance thus not only takes place in national political institutions but also at local, regional, and international levels of government, in multi-actor, multi-sectoral networks, and at the headquarters of large companies. Your study of the public domain and the critical issues in that domain will therefore focus on public organizations in the broadest sense of the word.
Program Offered by Four Universities
This Master's degree is a joint program offered by four Dutch universities: Utrecht University, Tilburg University, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The participating institutes belong to the best Public Administration and Organisation Science research groups in Europe. Their multidisciplinary, international faculty offer state-of-the-art insights about public sector governance, management, and policy. All courses are taught in English. Most of them are delivered at the Utrecht University School of Governance (USG), located in the heart of Utrecht.
Program Outcome
After Graduation
Through this intensive Master’s program, you will gain the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills to analyze organizational and governance processes, such as strategic management, policy design, and delivery, citizen engagement, public accountability, institutional learning. Our program will also help you understand and analyze the classic questions of Public Administration and Organization Science as they are playing out in contemporary contexts. It will provide you with the tools to identify, analyze, and design effective intervention strategies. Your studies will prepare you for a career in research, consultancy, government, and the public sector at large. Your key selling point will be your analytical and methodological skills, your firm grounding in different bodies of theory and research, your writing and presentation skills, and your hands-on experience with designing and conducting projects. Read more about the career prospects.
Why this program in Utrecht
Our two-year Master’s program offers an ideal environment for your studies, including:
- Classic and contemporary theory and research on public governance, policy, and management
- Robust training in the philosophy, methods, ethics, and application of social science research methodology
- Tailor-made, individual tutorials from leading scholars
- Chance to participate in challenging research projects pursued by program staff and colleagues within the participating universities
- Class size not exceeding 25 students, small group work, engaged and engaging teachers and supervisors
- Significant scope to pursue individual knowledge/research interests through electives
Career Opportunities
This Master’s program prepares you for a range of careers in which theoretically informed analysis and critical assessment of research findings are essential requirements. You may continue on to Ph.D. studies and academic careers. But you are also well-positioned for roles at research institutes, think tanks, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Also, a significant number of our graduates go on to careers in consulting firms.
Academic Career
This program provides students with thorough preparation for an academic career by facilitating research within the context of university research programs and facilitating internships and research for external parties.
Professional Career
After finishing this program, you can be a:
- University researcher
- Academic consultant
- Applied researcher