Public Administration: Multi-Level Governance

Introduction and target group

Please note: you can only follow our minor courses if you have an official registration for the minor. It’s not possible to follow the minor courses as electives, if you do not have an official minor registration. Everyone without a registration who enrolls anyways, will be de-registered.

This minor targets third year Bachelor level students who have a broad interest in the functioning and improvement of the public sector in all its facets. This necessitates attention for the interactions between public and private actors at various levels of governance, and requires an understanding of how research is conducted in public administration. At the same time, students should be open to and get acquainted with multiple disciplines in order to be able to benefit from the insights other related academic disciplines offer for a better understanding of the functioning of the public sector. As such, this minor programme consists of courses that enable students to analyse complex governance problems in a national and, especially, international multi-level context.

We would like to point out that if you come from a different discipline, the transition could be hard and may require extra time and energy. Think of mastering a different way of doing research, examination and/or writing papers. If you are not sure whether this minor is for you, please contact the study advisors. This minor is only accessible for university students (so it’s not open to HBO students).

The public sector is increasingly a multi-level system, with interactions between public and private actors on the national, sub-national (provinces, regions) and international (e.g. EU, OECD, UN, WTO) level and various public, semi-public and private organisations that perform public tasks. In this minor students pay attention to decision-making processes in and interactions between and within those levels and organizations. The minor addresses a broad range of topics. We discuss which organisations the public sector actually consists of and what the relationships are between organisations and levels. Contemporary problems and developments are discussed, such as decentralisation to municipalities, ‘good’ governance, privatisation of public tasks, Europeanisation, and the role of international regulation in forging multi-lateral agreements. As an elective, ethical argumentation and normative questions can also be discussed. Moreover, the minor enables students to assess and conduct proper social scientific research to critically investigate public administration and to offer solutions to current and future challenges of governance.

Programme and structure

This minor is taught in two consecutive blocks of 8 weeks each.

In block one, students become acquainted with three key building blocks of the discipline, with an introductory course on Public Administration, a course on 'European Unions and Politics' and on 'Public Values and Ethics'.

In block two, students will become acquainted with one more core course of 'Public Management and Organizations'. They will also be able to choose two out of three additional courses, 'International Administration', 'Research in Public Administration' and 'Governance and Digitalisation'. In the course 'International Administration' students are introduced to the wide range of organisations engaged in international governance. This is an introductory course and is, therefore, not suitable for students whose main program is International Studies. These students are advised to choose a different course. In 'Research in Public Administration' students become acquainted with theory and practice of doing scientific research in a course that mixes online and face-to-face elements. This course is especially useful (and mandatory!) for students who do not have a social science background but wish to continue in a Master’s programme in Public Administration without having to do a pre-Master, in combination with a 30 EC minor (see also next tab Important Information). Alternatively, students can choose to follow the course 'Governance and Digitalisation' where they acquire the tools to navigate and make sense of the key topics and challenges of digital technology and governance. All courses are worth 5 ECTS.

Block 1 (semester 1)

• Introduction to Public Administration (level 200, 5 ECTS).
• European Union Politics and Policy (level 200, 5 ECTS).
• Public Values and Ethics (level 300, 5 ECTS)

Block 2 (Semester 1)

• Public Management and Organisations (level 300, 5 ECTS).

Choose 2 from 3:

• International Administration (level 200, 5 ECTS)
• Governance and Digitalisation (level 200, 5 ECTS).
• Research in Public Administration (SPOC) (level 300, 5 ECTS). NB: this course is essential for students who wish to continue in the Master of Public Administration without having to follow a pre-master's – see next tab Important Information). This course is taught mainly online combined with face-to-face elements.

A selection of 15 ECTS elective courses

Students from Leiden University are supposed to follow the entire minor programme of 30 ECTS. We have a shorter minor programme for students from outside Leiden University. Parts of the minor can be followed as a programme of three elective courses. These courses, once passed, will be shown as electives on your diploma but do make up a coherent program of 15 ECTS of Public Administration. It concerns the following courses:

• Introduction to Public Administration (level 200), block 1, semester 1
• European Union Politics and Policy (level 200), block 1, semester 1
• Public Management and Organisations (level 300), block 2, semester 1

If you cannot follow minor courses in block 2 (November and December) you can also opt to follow courses in block 1 (September and October) only.

Work group attendance

Most, not all, courses offer work groups (similar to tutorials or small scale seminars). There is a special minor work group for minor students. The Educational Service Centre will enroll all minor students for these work group(s). Students only need to enroll themselves for courses (lectures) and (re)exams. For more information, please go to the tab ‘Applying’ and take a look under ‘Registration and enrolment’. The minor has its own schedule and its specific minor working groups.

See next tab 'Important Information' for:

• Level of the minor programme
• Continuing with a Master's in Public Administration without a pre-master's
• Examination Regulations and retake exams in January
• Retake policy