Are you ready to confront today’s most urgent policy challenges and develop the strategic thinking and analytical skills needed to shape effective and equitable public solutions?
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The Master of Public Management (MPM) program is designed for mid-level
managers or public leaders with practical experience in the public sector.It aims to
cultivate practical leadership skills needed to strategically manage organizations and
effectively implement policies. Through required courses, students learn about how
public organizations are structured and managed, how people behave and are motivated in
the workplace, and useful tools and methods for managing organizations. Electives
provide further understanding of public administration environments, such as
international politics, private sectors, and civil society.
Required courses include Public Organizations and Management (POM) and Quantitative
Methods (QM). Specializations include Public Administration and Leadership(PA),
Strategic Management (SM), and Global Governance and Political Economy(GP).
All programs require students to complete at least 39 credits, including a 3-credit
research project. KDI School operates on a trimester system, allowing full-time students
to graduate in approximately 1.5 years and part-time students in about 2 years. Each
program is designed, operated, and evaluated based on the five core competencies set by
NASPAA(Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration), as well as
program-specific Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). Curricula are regularly updated by
reflecting the feedback from current students, alumni, and partner institutions to
maintain a demand-oriented structure. Students interested in pursuing doctoral study may
be allowed to take some Ph.D.-level courses under the guidance of their advisor.
Program Specific Concentrations
Public Administration and Leadership
This concentration addresses the growing need for administrative skills in managing public sector organizations, which often operate under complex mandates, limited resources, and political constraints. Through case-based learning, students strengthen their understanding of global and private policy environments and develop practical skills in areas such as conflict resolution and organizational management.
- Comparative Politics: Global Perspectives on Political Institutions and Behavior
- Budgeting and public financial management
- Change Management
- Comparative Politics: Global Perspectives on Political Institutions and Behavior
- Cost-Benefit Analysis for Policy Decision Making
- Digital Government and Governance
- Dispute Resolution and Negotiation
- Government Communication Service
- ICT for SDGs
- Institutional Reform in Developing Countries
- Managing and Implementing Sustainable Development
- Participatory Governance in Public Decision Making
- Participatory Governance in Public Decision Making
- Performance Management and Measurement in the Public Sector
- Policy Process Analysis
- Public Investment Management
- Public Management for International Development
- Public Management Innovation and Reform
- Regulation Reforms and Practices
- Tax Policy and Administration
Strategic Management
Designed for current and future public and private sector leaders, this concentration equips students with strategic thinking and management skills. Courses blend theory with case studies of private corporations, focusing on business development, leadership, and the policy implications of private sector practices. It is ideal for policymakers, managers, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
- Central Banking: Monetary Policy Strategy
- Change Management
- Customer Relationship Management: Adoption of Technology and Customer behavior
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- FDI Marketing & Promotion
- Financial Accounting
- Financial Statement Analysis and Valuation
- Grand Strategy and Statecraft
- Introduction to Financial Analysis
- Managerial Accounting
- Marketing in the Public Sector
- Strategic Management
Global Governance and Political Economy
This concentration explores the interaction between politics and economics in an increasingly globalized world. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, it helps students understand how political and economic forces shape public policy. The program develops analytical skills and global insight for professionals aiming to lead in international policy and governance.
- Comparative Politics: Global Perspectives on Political Institutions and Behavior
- Democracy, Political Mobilization and Economic Development: Korea’s Experience
- Grand Strategy and Statecraft
- International Political Economy
- International Relations and Economic Globalization in 21st Century
- Social Security and Welfare Policy
- State Fragility and Development Policy
- The United Nations and Global Affairs
- The United Nations and Sustainable Development
- Topics in North Korean Economy
- Topics in Political Economy of Development
Course List & Schedule
Graduation Requirements
| Category | MPM |
|---|---|
| Core Courses | Requirement: 6 credits (2 courses) |
|
|
| 1st Concentration | Requirement: at least 9 credits (3 courses) from 1 concentration (Mandatory) |
|
|
| 2nd Concentration | Elective: up to 9 credits (3 courses) from 1 concentration (Optional) |
|
|
| Research Project | Requirement |
|
|
| Language | Requirement |
|
※ Total : Minimum 39 credits
- The MIPD program, as well as certain scholarships such as KOICA, GKS, G20 and K-water, follow their own graduation requirements.
- All courses in the MPPM program are conducted in Korean.
Graduation Date
Spring
End of May
Summer
End of August
Fall
Commencement or
January 31st
※ If you take any courses during the fall semester, you will graduate on January 31st (not in December)
Ceremony
Completion Ceremony
- Requirements: Enrolled students in a Masters degree, meet minimum credits requirements inclusive of the courses being taken currently.
- Date: August, December (Refer to the academic calendar of each year)
- Certificate of Coursework Completion will be awarded at the Completion Ceremony.
* Certificate of Coursework Completion is different from Certificate of Completion (Certificate of Completion is issued to students who have completed the minimum required semesters but have not yet graduated)
- Students will be invited to the completion ceremony only once
Commencement
- Requirements: Enrolled and Completed students in Ph.D. and Masters degree having met all graduation requirements
- Date: December (Refer to the academic calendar of each year)
- Diploma will be awarded only once at the Commencement