MA/MS in Public Administration

The MPA in public administration at the University of Iceland is a 120-unit distance-learning programme in the School of Social Sciences. It is meant to ease and strengthen the work of students in public institutions at state and municipal level and in non-profit organisations. Participants have varied educational and professional backgrounds and share a wish to build academic and practical knowledge of management in the public sector or related fields. Core courses include microeconomics, market failures and state intervention, public administration, the organisation and management of institutions and the tools of government. Students can choose a specialisation such as international relations, European law, human resource management, municipal administration, environmental management, project management or disability studies. Students without substantial public-sector management experience complete a nine-week, 360-hour work placement at a public institution.