Understanding Governance PG (9685.1)

The unit provides participants with a critical introduction to a specialist sub-field of Political Science - Governance. It covers contemporary issues and problems in Governance and aims to deepen participants' knowledge of the theory and practice of governing modern organisations in the 21st century. The unit aims to provide students with broad sweep knowledge of a range of approaches to the study of Public Administration and contemporary Governance; an in-depth knowledge of selected theories; and an ability to provide a critical appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of such theories. These theories were selected because of their direct relevance for developing an understanding of public organisational behaviour. This is an important step in enabling participants to develop specialist theoretical and empirical knowledge of the environmental context of public policy making.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate: An understanding of competing theorisations of governance;

2. Knowledge of governance in a federation;
3. An expertise of critical governance issues within public policy and their inter-relationships;
4. A grasp of the domestic and international institutional and organisational contexts which shape the character of contemporary governance; and
5. Skills of critical reflection and communication.

Prerequisites

8556, Public Administration G;
6260 Managing Government Finance G;
6268 Public Policy Analysis G;
6426 Special Topics in Business and Government PG

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None

Equivalent units

None

Assumed knowledge

It is normally expected that students will hold a Bachelor's degree in a cognate subject or possess relevant practical experience in a cognate profession.