Leadership & Strategy

This two-year, part-time programme combines the study of subjects central to public management broadly with those especially relevant to leadership and strategy formulation. It combines taught modules with some research into a leadership and strategy topic relevant to a student’s working life in the public service.



Across the public sector there is a need for managers with knowledge of leadership, strategic analysis and decision making, organisational change, and managing people. Leaders and strategic thinkers are found at all levels in organisations and, at a time of significant change and reform in the public service, their abilities are in high demand. Adapting to changing environments and leading change efforts are vital for the programme of public service renewal that is underway. This level nine postgraduate programme attends to the theories and practices of leadership and strategy and places both in the wider economic, management, and financial contexts of Irish public management.



In the first year, students take six common modules in public management, three in each semester. Students of all IPA MA specialisms take this common year.



In the second year, students take three leadership and strategy modules between September and December and then, between January and April, prepare a minor dissertation. This dissertation, conducted under expert guidance, enables them apply what they have learned to an issue they are particularly interested in or are encountering in their working life.



On completion of the first year, students receive the interim award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management.



This programme usually only commences in September of each year.



Delivery



This part-time programme takes two years to complete and can be taken from anywhere in the country. It is designed to be suitable for those with busy professional and personal lives.



Students attend seminars on selected weekends over the academic year. Some of these are in-person sessions at the IPA campus in Dublin 4. Others are delivered online.



Between seminars/webinars, they access a range of resources, including textbooks, bespoke materials, and online supports.



The final semester of the second year is devoted to the preparation, under supervision, of a minor dissertation.



Key Benefits for You and Your Career



Obtain Leadership and Strategy Knowledge in the Context of Irish Public Sector Management: Understand the main theories and principles in the study of leadership and strategy and situate them in the broader field of public management.



Study a Range of Modules: You will study nine modules in total, ranging from strategic management and analysis to human resource management and economics. This means that you will be able to place leadership and strategy ideas and debates into the wider economic, financial, and managerial contexts that are relevant to all sector of the public service.



Career Advancement: Present to your organisation and others as someone with a Masters-level qualification in public management with a focus on leadership and strategy.



Practical Application: Apply what you have learned to a leadership and strategy issue in your organsiation through some minor research work.



Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow public servants interested in public management, strategy and leadership, expanding your professional network.

Year One



Economics

This module focuses on public sector economics. The State plays a very important role in all our economic lives and in the economic health of the nation. Among the topics that are addressed are taxation, the economics of regulation, efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector, monopolies, project appraisal, sources of funds and portfolio theory.



Managing Human Resources

On completing this module, which attends to both human resource management and organisational behaviour, students will be able to evaluate the human resource management system in their organisation. It considers, among other topics, strategic HR planning, performance and rewards management, theories of leadership, group dynamics, communication in organisations, politics and conflict, organisational change, and job design.



Finance

Public sector managers, like their private sector counterparts, should have a solid understanding of the main principles and tools of contemporary financial management. This course explores financial reporting, financial statement analysis, budgeting and working capital, cost and management accounting, and investment. It also attends to the ideas and practices of modern financial governance, auditing and risk.



Organisation and Strategy

This module gives students a solid understanding of the evolving role of the State, of different approaches to policy-making and strategy, and of organisational design. Focusing on the public sector, it will provide them with ideas and arguments that they can use to evaluate their organisation, its working environment, and its success. Among the specific topics addressed are the role and evolution of the State, decision-making in organisations, and public management in the 21st century.



Research Methods

This course explores both research theory and design and quantitative techniques. With regard to the former, it considers how knowledge is best obtained, different research strategies, sampling, interviews, and focus groups. Its treatment of quantitative techniques examines how to present data, the application of probability distributions, the estimation of population parameters, and the forms that relationships between quantitative variables can take. This module also helps students prepare for their dissertation work in the second year of the MA programme.



Managing in Europe

This module explores the history of European integration, how the EU functions and the debates about its direction and future. Students will learn about, among other things, how the EU institutions relate to each other, how the EU makes laws, and some of the most notable areas where the EU decides public policy.



Year Two



Leadership in Context

Leadership does not occur in a vacuum; it is influenced by the dominant ideas and developments of the time. This module places leadership in several contexts: social, organisational, psychological, economic, political, and philosophical. It considers, among other things, transformational leadership, business ethics, and leadership in the public service.



Strategic Management and Analysis

Formulating and implementing a strategy is a central management responsibility. This course explores the core theories, principles and practices that researchers and practitioners have developed to explain managerial behaviour and decisions and organisational performance. Topics addressed include external environment analysis, stakeholders, and the management of innovation.



Leadership & Strategy Implementation

Among the topics explored in this module are leadership and the decision process, public and private sector leadership, implementing strategy in a global context, social responsibility, and the effective management of organisational change.



Dissertation

In the second semester of year two, students write a dissertation on a specific leadership and strategy topic. Students must successfully complete the taught modules before moving to the dissertation phase.

Applicants must have a primary degree or equivalent qualification. Transcripts of undergraduate qualifications are required at the application stage.

Application deadline: 22/09/2026

2 years.



Delivery

Blended Learning



Seminars/webinars take place on three weekends over the academic year. This calendar relates to the first year only.



Seminar 1 September 5-6, 2026

Seminar 2 (Online) October 3-4, 2026

Seminar 3 October 31 – November 1, 2026

Exams Week of December 7, 2026

Seminar 4 January 9-10, 2027

Seminar 5 (Online) February 6-7, 2027

Seminar 6 March 6-7, 2027

Exams Week of April 12, 2027

Commences 05/09/2026

Students can study other IPA Masters programmes, including a Professional Certificate in Governance and Postgraduate Certificate in Climate Action and Sustainability Reporting, bringing their knowledge of leadership and strategy to bear.