A new degree to train the policy professionals of the future and prepare them to tackle the complex policy issues facing 21st century societies is being launched by the Institute for Public Policy and Governance (UTS:IPPG) at the University of Technology Sydney.
The UTS Applied Policy postgraduate program will equip students with the skills, deep knowledge and adaptive capabilities to build a career in the diverse policy terrain, with emphasis on the development of practical policy making skills.
The Master of Applied Policy will prepare graduates for policy roles in government and non-government organisations, as well as the private sector, across a wide variety of issue clusters. People working, or wishing to work in policy roles that include policy development, implementation and evaluation will particularly benefit.
The program has been developed by UTS:IPPG in consultation with industry in response to a need for boundary-spanning policy practitioners with up-to-date practical skills.
Students will develop the capacity to engage critically and formulate innovative solutions through the use of case studies drawn UTS:IPPG research, the input of guest speakers and individual research projects to complement a strong theoretical base.
Students can complete a general policy stream or focus on a specialist stream including local government studies, urban and regional policy, or social research areas. The available streams allow students to tailor the course around their own area of specialty or interest.
Director of UTS:IPPG Professor Roberta Ryan said the program was an exciting development for both UTS and the industry. "In developing this course we wanted to address the complex nature of the policy landscape and the need for policy professionals who are able to develop, implement and evaluate policy in practical contexts.
"We know that there is a real need for policy professionals with applied skills who want to work for impact in the broader policy terrain, and who are able to think creatively.
"Our graduates will be equipped with trans-disciplinary policy skills that are highly applicable to a range of settings including federal, state and local government, planning, peak bodies, and community and non-government organisations. Graduates will be able to drive change and to fully understand policy from what the theorists say to its practical application."
Member of UTS:IPPG's Industry Advisory Board, Abigail Goldberg, Executive Chair of GoldbergBlaise and former CEO of Metro Transport said, "The new course was designed with industry to ensure graduates receive training that is relevant, applied and skills-based.
"IPPG's Industry Advisory Board agreed that industry needs graduates who are agile in the way they work, but also have a robust knowledge-base and tangible current skills. The new course addresses this need; graduates will receive a well-rounded education that will enable them to step into a variety of policy roles."
For further information on the UTS Applied Policy courses, visit: appliedpolicy.uts.edu.au
- The new UTS Master of Applied Policy program will equip students with the skills, deep knowledge and adaptive capabilities to build a career in the diverse policy terrain in government and non-government organisations as well as the private sector
- The courses, a master's, graduate diploma and graduate certificate in applied policy, will have their first intake in July