Objectives and competences

The master's degree in Advanced Public Management has been taught at the UB since September 2009 and currently incorporates several new features.

The degree is designed to provide specialist training in public administration and management techniques, and to give students the specific and cross-disciplinary profile they will need to conduct complex tasks as senior civil servants in government offices and the public sector in general, or in organizations associated with the public sector.

Having offered studies in Public Administration and Management since the academic year 1991/1992, the University of Barcelona has extensive experience in this area, which contributes greatly to the success of its postgraduate course offerings. The requirements for the course are covered by highly accomplished teachers with close ties to the professional environment and extensive experience of collaborative work with various areas of public administration.

Basic information

TypeMaster's degree
Faculty or schoolFaculty of Law
Branch of knowledge
  • Law and legal specializations
Mode of delivery
  • Face-to-face
Credits60
Number of places available40
Length of course1 academic year
Language(s) of instructionCatalan, 90%; Spanish, 10%
Approximate price per credit27.67 euros per credit (82 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2023-2024
CoordinationMARIONA TOMAS FORNES
E-mailmaster_gpa@ub.edu
Course detailsIndicators
Open pre-enrolmentYes
Open enrolmentNo
Lead to doctoral studiesYes
Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualificationNo
Bridging coursesYes

Objectives and competences

Objectives

The aim of the course is to help students develop expertise in four areas of management: legal and administrative management, financial management, human resource management and public policy management.

Students must gain in-depth knowledge of each of these areas, the applicable legal frameworks and management tools, and current challenges facing management. This will provide an overall understanding of the different dimensions to government activity and the public sector as a whole, and the ability to tackle their functions and objectives from a management point of view.

Competences

The course also involves the development of basic and cross-disciplinary competences. Students will develop the capacity to understand theories, apply methods and organize data, in order to integrate knowledge for the purpose of carrying out original research, which also implies consideration of related social and ethical responsibilities. They will also learn team leadership and how to publicly communicate conclusions that have been reached and the arguments on which they are based.

Complete list of competences.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

The master's degree is primarily addressed to graduate students with qualifications related to public management; especially holders of a degree in public management and administration or political and administrative sciences. However, the course is also open to holders of other qualifications in the areas of legal, economic and sociological sciences who have a particular interest in public management.

The degree may also suit the training needs of civil servants or public employees who hold qualifications in other areas of knowledge. In these cases, the Coordination Committee will evaluate each application and determine the additional training required for admission.

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

  • Official Spanish university degree.

  • A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.

  • A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Specific requirements
The official qualifications granting direct access to the master's degree are the EHEA bachelor's degrees (and former llicenciatura degrees) in the subjects listed below:

' Business Administration and Management
' Labour Sciences
' Political and Administration Sciences
' Criminology
' Law
' Economics
' Public Management and Administration (EHEA bachelor's degree or diplomatura degree)
' Sociology
' Other degrees in areas related to legal, economic, political and sociological sciences

Applicants in possession of degrees not included in the list above may also be admitted to the course. In this case, they will be required to completed bridging courses with a total value of up to 12 ECTS credits.

In each case the Coordination Committee will determine which subjects of those on the following list from the EHEA bachelor's degree in Public Management and Administration must be taken, based on the applicant's previous training and professional experience.

Subjects and study load:
- Administrative Science (6 ECTS credits)
- Public Accounting (6 ECTS credits)
- Personnel Management (6 ECTS credits)
- Budget Management I (6 ECTS credits)
- Budget Management II (6 ECTS credits)
- Introduction to Financial Management (6 ECTS credits)
- Public Policy (6 ECTS credits)
- Legal Regime of Public Administrations I (6 ECTS credits)
- Legal Regime of Public Administrations II (6 ECTS credits)
- Public Employment Scheme (6 ECTS credits)

The Coordination Committee may exempt from bridging courses candidates who can provide evidence of at least five years of experience in public administration in employment group A, level 22.

Pre-enrolment

Calendar

First period: from 1 February to 30 June 2024.
Second period: from 1 to 30 July 2024.
Third period: from 2 to 6 September (if there are vacancies).

Resolutions
9 April (applications submitted from 1 February to 27 March)
15 July (applications submitted from 28 March to 30 June)
10 September (applications submitted from 1 July to 6 September)

Notes:

  • Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
  • Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

Required documentation

Selection criteria

The Coordination Committee will assess each candidate on the basis of the following criteria:

1. Previous studies (40%). Preference will be given to holders of the pre-EHEA or bachelor's degrees in Public Management and Administration (GAP) and holders of the pre-EHEA degree in Political and Administrative Sciences (CPA), or national equivalent, who have completed the first cycle of GAP or taken the specialization in Administrative Science.

2. CV and statement of interest (40%). Candidates must submit a full curriculum vitae listing their academic and professional experience, together with a statement of interest outlining their reasons for applying to the master's degree. Students with professional experience in the public sector or associated bodies will receive additional credit.

3. Academic record. Preference will be given to those candidates with the highest grade averages for previous studies (20%).

Candidates may be asked to attend a personal interview to complete the consideration of their applications.

Candidates not in possession of one of the qualifications granting direct access to the master's degree may be admitted subject to the prior completion of 30 bridging credits.

Holders of the pre-EHEA degree in GAP will be granted direct access to the master's degree. However, upon completion of the course they will not be considered to hold the 300 ECTS credits required for access to doctoral studies.

Notification

Admission decisions will be announced at the end of each pre-enrolment period.

The Committee will consider all documentation submitted up before 20 March and 19 June respectively.


Successful candidates must pay a fee of '300 to reserve their place on the course.

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

Type ECTS
Compulsory 20
Optional 25
Compulsory placements 0
Compulsory final project 15
TOTAL 60

List of subjects

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: Advanced Public Management
Administració Digital: Estratègies, Marc Jurídic i Reptes de la Implantació Optional 2nd semester 3
Advanced Public Accounting Optional 2nd semester 3
Advanced Studies in Administrative Law Compulsory 1st semester 6
Budgetary Policies and Strategies Optional 1st semester 3
Collective Relations in the Public Sector Optional 2nd semester 3
Competence-Based Management Optional 1st semester 3
Design and Analysis of Public Organizations Optional 2nd semester 3
Direction and Management of Public Institutions Optional 2nd semester 3
Drets dels Governs Locals Optional 1st semester 3
Enfocaments i Estratègies per a l'Anàlisi de la Gestió Pública Compulsory 1st semester 3
Evaluation Techniques and Methods in Public Management Optional 1st semester 3
Final Project Compulsory 1st semester
2nd semester
9
Financial Analysis and Management of Public Projects Optional 2nd semester 3
Financial Management Compulsory 1st semester 3
Governança Urbana i Polítiques Metropolitanes Optional 2nd semester 3
Grups d'Interès i Estratègies de Lobby Optional 1st semester 3
Human Resources Management in the Public Sector Compulsory 1st semester 3
Institutional or Company Placement Optional 1st semester
2nd semester
3
Observatori del Govern Local Optional 2nd semester 3
Política i Direcció en el Sector Públic Optional 2nd semester 3
Public Contracts Optional 2nd semester 3
Public Management and Partnerships Optional 1st semester 3
Public Policy Design and Analysis Compulsory 1st semester 6
Transparency, Access to Public Information and Good Governance Optional 2nd semester 3

Bridging courses

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: BC for admission to the Master's Degree in Advanced Public Management
Introduction to Financial Management Optional 2nd semester 6
Public Policy Optional 1st semester 6

Previous years

Placements

Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.



Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record.  There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 500 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.



Institutional information


Career opportunities

What can you work on ?

Graduates will be prepared for civil service positions in the public administration and for contract positions in the range of organisations and bodies that make up the public sector. Above all, the degree prepares students for management and executive roles, particularly in areas with responsibilities for legal and administrative management, economic and financial management, and human resources management.

The current situation of the public sector is such that far-reaching changes can be envisaged both in terms of size and with regard to its composition. Therefore, the master's degree is of particular interest to those already employed in the public sector, as well as those looking to begin their careers, all of whom will benefit from the knowledge and skills needed to address the evolving nature of the public sector and the changes in employment structures across the public administrations.

Access to the labour market

Dades del sistema universitari català.

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