• Graduate Certificate
• Graduate Diploma
• Masters

Acquire a foundation in the core areas of policy analysis and management in the public sector, and develop a framework which emphasises policy formulation, implementation and evaluation within the public sector.

WHY STUDY POLICY SCIENCES IN CURTIN:

• Designed for local public sectors - localised with international perspective
• Ground breaking - the first in Sarawak
• Taught by professionals - staff have extensive experience in policy sciences
• Flexibility - classes are conducted during weekends with minimal interruption to work

KEY COURSE FACTS

At the Graduate Certificate Level, the units are:
• Public Sector Transformation 550
• Public Policy and Strategy 552
• Comparative Policy Sciences 553
• Law & Administrative Policies 554

The Graduate Diploma Level consists of the Graduate Certificate units plus:
• Accounting (Public Sector) 567
• Public Sector Marketing 553
• Case Studies on Public Policy 560
• Human Resource Management (International) 650

The Masters Level consists of the Graduate Diploma units plus:
• Public Sector Economics 565
• Introduction to Research Methods 601
• Policy Sciences Dissertation 691

Entry Requirements
• Appropriate Bachelors degree from a recognised tertiary institution
• Recognition of Prior Learning considered on an individual basis

Duration
Graduate Certificate - two semesters of 50 credit points per semester (part-time)
Graduate Diploma - four semesters of 50 credit points per semester (part-time)
Masters - six semesters of 50 credit points per semester (part-time)

Intakes
January, May and August (This course is an intensively run programme)

Venues
Curtin Sarawak Campus Miri, Sarawak

UNIT DETAILS

Public Sector Transformation 550
This unit will provide the opportunity to study state public policy and management. It will include topics relating to ideal types of state public policy and management, policy analysis and evaluation, policy and management complexity, change management, policy transfer and the future of the state.

Public Policy and Strategy 552
This unit provides the student with the opportunity to explore topics involving policy analysis models, collection and analysis of data, implementation of policy instruments and service provision, allocating resources and assigning responsibilities. Students will also cover topics relating to performance management and monitoring, policy evaluation, strategic planning and policy, policy networks, policy transfer and policy in a globalised world.

Comparative Policy Sciences 553
This unit explores policy trends, global processes, multilateralism in theory and practice, financial globalisation, international public policy, and international and regional policy.

Law and Administrative Policies 554
This unit provides the student with the opportunity to explore issues related to legal systems and sources of law; relationship by and between federal, state and local/municipal governments; administrative law including study on power of administrative power and limitation of administrative agencies’ exercise of powers and legal redress available for those injured in the exercise of powers of administrative agencies such as ultra vires; rights and liberties, covering issues of human rights, the legal and moral dimensions will be explored:
1. Malaysian Legal System
2. Principles of Administrative Law
3. Principles of Land Law
4. Rights and Liberties

Accounting (Public Sector) 567
This unit provides students with a broad knowledge of the structure, operations and reporting of the public sector and also of the area of not-for-profit entities. The subject’s aim is to make students aware of some of the concerns and reporting methods used by organisations other than private sector entities.

Public Sector Marketing 553
This unit is designed to provide students with theoretical and conceptual frameworks to develop a social marketing programme. The unit will assist students to better understand the various means that a public sector organisation employs to bring about satisfaction through the benefits and value of the products and services that it has to offer to stakeholders. The concept of marketing organisation will be the platform to further explain the role that marketing plays in business and society. The marketing challenges (social issues) and constraints faced by public sector leaders and how organisational communications (which includes public relations, public affairs, environmental communications, investor relations and internal communication) can help to foster the customer relationship ,management aspect of CRM.

Case Studies on Public Policy 560
Differing case studies on public policy case studies will be given. It will be on both Australian and Malaysian civil service case studies.

Human Resource Management (International) 650
This unit provides students with the opportunity to explore issues related to the human resource management needs of international and multinational enterprises. It explores aspects of international human resource management activities such as staffing the organisation, employee development, appraisals, compensation and the processes of expatriating and repatriating staff. Necessarily, it also addresses the role of human resources in culturally diverse organisations.

Public Sector Economics 565
This provides students with the opportunity to explore issues related to the public finance needs of government agencies. It explores aspects of types of taxation and tax base, public sector expenditure and revenue, public sector borrowing and debt, cost and benefit analysis, privatisation and taxation issues. Differences between national and state debt and inter-government financials would be considered.

Introduction to Research Methods 601
Introduction to research, alternative research paradigms and philosophies, theoretical concepts relevant to business and social science research, positivist, phenomenological, and mixing methodologies, theory building, quantitative and qualitative approaches, school specific methodologies and research at Curtin.

Policy Sciences Dissertation 691
The dissertation is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to understand and undertake research related to a topic of importance in the area of policy sciences.