Master in Public Management

The course examines the actual practice of power, ethics and accountability, specifically in the public sector. It discusses the causes of corruption, and the structures and measures to promote accountability and combat corruption. It trains students to recognize, articulate and navigate through ethical dilemmas in the workplace with the help of a framework and a model for ethical decision-making.

The course provides students with a real-world understanding of the basic economic tools used in the analysis of social issues and problems and the formulation of public policies and decisions. It presents the students with a range of applications of economic theories and tools and their current limitations in the light of conditions prevailing in both the public and the private sectors at national and local levels.

The course integrates concepts from public administration, political science and organization studies towards a deeper understanding of the government, its structure, roles, limitations and failures. It provides students with perspectives on the structure, logic and possibilities of the bureaucracy and the individual as an agent and an arena for change. It introduces new paradigms in public management that are critical in transforming the bureaucracy for better governance.

The course focuses on the whys, results, and challenges in Philippine public finance. It looks at how public finance is different from private finance. It is an economics subject and looks at how the government makes choices on “allocating scarce resources to satisfy the unlimited needs and wants of citizens”. It is also a policy course and examines the rationale and effectiveness of different modes of government financing and the effects of these alternatives on equity and development.

The course introduces the students to the public policy-making process including policy implementation, and the integral role of politics in the process. It aims to develop an understanding of the policy environment and the key stakeholders in the policy-making process so that those who design, give advice on, and implement public policy may know how to navigate policy reform through its risks and opportunities.

The course introduces the depth of self-development and thinking by orienting the students to the mission, values and leadership model of the Ateneo School of Government.  The interactive and reflective approach of the course focuses on personal, group, institutional and social issues in relation to development concerns such as poverty, equity, gender, accountability, politics, governance and competitiveness.

Modern Management in Local Government (3 Units)

The course provides an overview of the concept of decentralization and the attainment of local autonomy. It discusses various tools and systems of modern management, techniques and methods of managing change in a decentralized set-up and organizational culture as the context of developing work processes at the local level.

Local Planning and Development (3 Units)

The course introduces the students to the principles of development planning in the light of socio-economic development trends, issues, and realities. The course explains the different stages and processes of planning at the local level.

Local Investment and Enterprise Development (3 Units)

The course equips the students with knowledge and skills on attracting and mobilizing investments, increasing and expanding business activities, and improving conditions for enterprise development at the local level.

Urbanization and Sustainable Development (3 Units)

The course is aimed at enhancing the students’ understanding of the phenomenon and challenge of urbanization in the domestic and international context. Students will be introduced to theory and practice of urban planning and development and will also be familiarized with policy and management tools that they can use to develop programs and projects aimed at responding to urban challenges.

Health Financing and Equity in Health (3 Units)

The course enhances the students’ understanding of various options for health financing and various options for paying health care providers and how these options directly affect the behaviors of health providers and consumers.

Health Technology Assessment and Regulation (3 Units)

The course introduces the concept of technology assessment as a management and policy decision tool to examine the economic, ethical and social implications of the use of technology in health care.

Health Human Resource Management and Development (3 Units)

The course focuses on global and national issues and concerns related to human resources for health, encompassing all stages of the health workers' career lifespan from entry into the workforce to job recruitment, training and skills development, and through their retirement from the workforce.

Management and Governance Paradigms in Health (3 Units)

The course emphasizes the roles and interactions of the state and market in the delivery of health services and how these interactions influence the attainment of efficiency and equity goals in the health system.

Health Promotion and Social Determinants of Health (3 Units)

The course introduces the concept of health promotion as going beyond the traditional concept of health care within the realm of the health sector. It draws attention to the critical factors that influence health and how an integrated policy approach and unified action of the government and society are essential to attain better health and development outcomes.

Information and Communication Technology in Health (3 Units)

The course highlights the use of ICT to strengthen data-generation and analysis for better policy development and planning, financial management, human resource management, quality assurance, and performance monitoring and evaluation.

Environmental Governance and Climate Change (3 Units)

The course introduces the students to the principles of environmental governance and sustainable development as the overarching framework for addressing climate change and managing natural resources.

Science and Technology Tools for Climate Change Adaptation (3 Units)

The course delves into the science, impact and risks associated with climate change. It gives the students greater understanding of the country’s vulnerability to climate change, particularly in the areas of environment, public and social welfare, security, poverty and development.

Policy and Economics for Climate Change (3 Units)

The course introduces the students to the economics of climate change and provides them with policy tools for building an economy that follows a low-carbon path and is resilient from climate risks.

Mainstreaming Climate Change into Policy and Planning (3 Units)

The course is designed to ensure that the knowledge, skills and tools acquired by the students from the other specialized courses are integrated into the planning and policy formulation processes.

Comparative Policy in Energy Transitions (3 Units)

This introductory course explores the country's experiences in the area of energy policy with respect to the economic, social, political, and technological forces that underpin energy transitions. Utilizing a comparative approach and real-life case studies, this course immerses the students to critically understand and analyze the crosscutting issues and complexities of decision-making processes within this policy area. While cognizant that energy policy is often a centralized and national-level policy domain, the course shall also touch on challenges experienced at subnational levels and other contexts that are underpinned by diverse geographical, socio-economic and political circumstances.

Energy Economics and Regulation (3 Units)

As a consumer and industrial good, energy is a basic and critical resource that demands intensive consideration and public regulation by relevant authorities. Students shall be informed on the intricate workings of energy markets, the interplay between resource production and utilization, and possible externalities stemming from energy use. A special focus on the historical experience and current regulatory issues in the Philippines shall also be undertaken.

Energy Governance and Management (3 Units)

A critical goal in energy policy is maintaining and ensuring a stable, secure and equitable supply of energy. Students shall be instructed on the systematic management and other essential strategies to deal with the various risks and consequences inherent to energy systems. Especially under a context of increasing hazards from climate crises and other disaster scenarios, the management of the energy system is vital to energy specialists.

Principles of Energy Systems (3 Units)

Public managers working on energy policy are expected to be conversant about their field’s scientific, engineering and technical aspects. This course serves as a broad introduction to fundamental concepts in the energy field: science, engineering, products and its applications. Students are not expected to have a technical background to undertake this subject but shall be trained to eventually possess a scientific appreciation of the energy field. At the end of the course, the knowledge gained from this course could serve as a building block for advanced topics.

Energy Innovations and the Environment (3 Units)

The fast-paced evolution of contemporary knowledge has given rise to competing and complementary energy technologies that are largely geared to meet sustainability targets and environmental regulations. This advanced course shall acquaint future public managers with the ongoing development, debate and discussions about the different novel and emerging energy technologies and innovations to address climate change issues.

Business of Energy (3 Units)

For systemic energy transitions to fully deploy, the involvement of the private sector and other non-government organizations would be necessary to complement efforts by the government. The energy transitions should take the Sustainable Development Goals together with the Ambisyon 2040 plans into consideration, and ensure that no one is left behind. Students shall be intimately exposed to the commercial operations of the energy industry particularly within the Philippine setting. The course shall also touch on practical and professional topics such as power contracting, purchase agreements, and retail competition.

Technology Development Policies and Challenges (3 Units)

The course orients the students to the policy environment and the process of policy-making and implementation, including the contexts, challenges and constraints of official decision-making in the Science and Technology (S&T) sector.

Intellectual Property and Investment and Incentives Laws (3 Units)

The course provides a deeper understanding of local and international intellectual property laws that deal with concerns related to copyright, trademark, patent, internet issues, and technology transfer arrangements, among other interests.

Investment and Enterprise Development (3 Units)

The course equips the students with knowledge and skills on how to make, and help Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make a business plan for better productivity, growth, and competitiveness.

Marketing Management (3 Units)

The course explores the basic concepts of marketing analysis and the applications of these concepts toward improving the prospects of SMEs faced with current opportunities and challenges.

Asset Reform and Natural Resource Management (3 Units)

The course introduces the students to the importance of asset reform to sustainably govern and manage natural resources for rural development. It aims for students to have a clear understanding on asset reform, and to hone their core competencies and skills in governing, managing and developing land and water resources.

Agricultural and Rural Development Tools (3 Units)

The course provides students with a toolkit, a resource, of the different approaches that would enhance agricultural productivity towards food security anchored on the principles and philosophy of sustainable agriculture development.

Rural Development Models and Approaches (3 Units)

The course gives a critical view of the different models and approaches in managing ecosystems in the context of rural development in the Philippines and selected Asian neighbors.

Strategic Communications - General Electives

Strategic communication in the public sector has an important place in an increasingly complex VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world. This course introduces students to the underlying concepts and principles, best practices, and practical skills necessary for strategic communication. This will be achieved through class discussions, selected readings and case studies, and group activities that will allow students to learn basic theory and applications of strategic communication. Students are highly encouraged to ask candid questions, share experiences, and analyze and probe concepts and principles in this safe academic space. This course aims to enable students to further their professional careers armed with competencies to utilize strategic communication to advocate for good governance, deal with reputational crises, understand how political considerations and stakeholder motivations affects the likelihood of public sector reforms, and effectively champion important reform programs. 

Leadership Communications - General Electives

This course covers two aspects of communication as it is used or practiced in government, communication by leaders, and communication in governance. The act of leading requires communicating with others in different ways, contexts, and with varying purposes. Leaders interact on a daily basis with different stakeholders and audiences using a variety of media and modes of coordination. Communication can inspire, motivate, and drive people to act or change their opinions, or it can also demoralize, alienate, and create confusion. Internal communication processes in public sector organizations, as well as interactions with the public, improves internal and external efficiency, which in turn leads to effective delivery of an agency’s mandate. In this course we will discuss concepts of communication as they are used by leaders in the public sector and learn about best practices of communication processes in public organizations. 

Operations Management/Project Management - General Electives

The course focuses on operations management principles, strategies, and methods from the lens of the manager who must ensure efficient and effective operations of its organization’s production and/ or services.  It covers product and service design, process planning, process analysis, design of work systems, quality management, supply chain management, resource planning systems and lean operations.

Managing Devolution - Local Governance

 The course delves into the concept of devolution in general: i) the intergovernmental dynamic between national and local governments, and ii) the importance of a continuing, strong collaboration between them.It reviews key provisions of the Local Government Code (RA 7160) and the fundamental elements of local autonomy as embodied in the Philippine Constitution and RA 7160. It briefly traces the history of the Mandanas Ruling and projects its potential impact both on the devolved national programs, the national agencies, and the Local Government Units. The course advances towards a deeper understanding of the constitutional mandate of local government autonomy on one hand and the importance of close local and national government collaboration on the other, and in the process, builds capacities for the effective implementation of devolution in general and the Mandanas Ruling in particular. 

National Security - Security Governance 

The course grounds the students with the basic concepts of national security. It then exposes them to global, regional, and domestic issues and concerns that impacts on the Philippines’ national interests and well-being. The student is guided to look at traditional and non- traditional security challenges from the lens of DIME (diplomacy, informational, military, and economic dimensions of power) and as a state actor. The student is expected to understand the mandate of the state, which is to protect the lives, properties, and ways of life of the Filipino people, within the ambit of the Constitution and other instrumentalities provided to it. 

Download the Security Governance prospectus here

The State Actors and Role in National Security (3 Units)

The State Actors and Role in National Security course provides a comprehensive overview of the Philippine national security system. It delves into the system’s complexities and intricate relationships with the Philippines’ governance systems and processes. The course equips participants with a deep understanding of the Philippine government’s systems, structures, functions, and priorities for developing national security policies and strategies. Furthermore, it examines the critical role of various authorities and branches of government in addressing current and emerging security challenges.

Regional Security (3 Units)

The Regional Security course delves into contemporary security challenges and issues facing Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region, analyzing their impact on the Philippines’ security landscape. It explores the risks and potential solutions from both regional and global perspectives. By examining these issues through a multi-level lens, the course equips students with the analytical, policy, and international engagement skills necessary to address current and evolving security threats.

Domestic Security (3 Units)

The Domestic Security course delves into the Philippines’ internal security challenges. It examines how the country’s intricate governmental structure interacts with these rising contemporary threats. The course will explore the modern landscape ofnational security, including its governance, the role of authorities, and the involvement of other branches of government.

Contemporary Policy Issues in the Security Sector (3 Units)

The course is aimed at enhancing the students’ understanding of the phenomenon and challenge of urbanization in the domestic and international context. Students will be introduced to theory and practice of urban planning and development and will also be familiarized with policy and management tools that they can use to develop programs and projects aimed at responding to urban challenges.

Leadership in the Security Sector (3 Units)

The Leadership in the Security Sector course equips MPM students with the strategic thinking and response skills necessary to lead in complex security environments, organizations, and contexts. Through case studies and learning materials, students will gain a deep understanding of complexity in security settings. The students are expected to develop a framework for applying systems thinking and strategic leadership to formulate effective responses.

Download the prospectus here

The Governance Innovation Seminar focuses on the essentials of social research, the appropriate tools in conducting quantitative and qualitative research, and the effective methods and style of writing the Governance Innovation Report (GIR). The course guides the students in planning their GIR proposals. It provides them with the opportunity to articulate and defend their proposals and the capability to write the GIR effectively.

At the start of the MPM program, students are encouraged to identify a topic on a governance, public management or policy concern or priority that they will develop for their Governance Innovation Report. The writing of the GIR starts with the GIR proposal. The process proceeds with the collection, presentation and analysis of data, the interpretation of results, and the presentation of conclusions and recommendations. The GIR is the final academic requirement in the MPM program.

The Master in Public Management (MPM) is the flagship education program of the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG). It aims to develop leaders and managers who are visionaries, ethical, strategic thinkers, analytical, politically smart, technically proficient, and practical. The MPM program aims to build the capacity of the students to achieve the broader goals of transforming communities and building the nation through ethical leadership and good governance in the public service.

It will take a working student at least 18 months to complete the degree, depending on the number of courses being taken during the program. The MPM is a 39-unit master’s degree program organized into 13 courses with each course run for 32 hours delivered in several sessions. ASoG is conducting the program in a more flexible schedule through a modular approach wherein each 32-hour course is run in 4-hour per week session especially for the Standard Program.

Classes are held on Saturdays to avoid disrupting the work schedule of our students who are professionals in their field.

Starting August 2023, a few of our classes will shift to Hyflex - that means half of the sessions will be onsite and the other half will be conducted online. Some classes will still be purely online.

Each week, students will be given material that they can peruse at their own convenience. These materials include but are not limited to video lectures, narrated Powerpoint presentations, readings, and other online learning content. On most Saturdays, classes will have scheduled, synchronous discussion sessions with their professors, with each session lasting for 2-3 hours.

The ASoG MPM Program has a student-centered and practitioner-oriented curriculum where theory and practice are linked to develop and hone the student’s competencies to lead and excel in the public and private sectors. The courses are taught using adult-learning techniques that build on the student’s experience. These techniques include active discussions in class, the use of problem-based case studies, simulations and lectures. The ASoG MPM seeks to teach not only technical skills but also political and ethical skills that will enhance and make easy one’s engagement within the bureaucracy and the political arena. The ASoG’s Leadership Framework guides the Program’s curriculum. The Framework identifies the competencies essential to be able to lead effectively and ethically in the public sector – commitment to social justice, learning in action and personal mastery.

Members of ASoG’s faculty are considered senior practitioners and experts in their respective fields with a commitment to practical innovation and good governance, combined experience in collaboration involving the public, for profit and non-profit sectors. They include current and former high-ranking government officials, top-level executives from the private sector, and leaders from citizen groups.

Core Courses (18 units):

• Ethics, Power and Accountability
• Public Governance and the Bureaucracy
• Public Policy Development and Analysis
• Applied Economics in the Public Sector
• Public Finance and Budget
• Leadership in Public Service

Elective Courses (15 units): to be taken from the General Electives or Specialized Tracks

• General Electives
• Energy Transitions Track
• Local Governance Track
• Health Governance Track
• Technology-based Enterprise Development Track
• Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development Track
• Public Finance Management Track

Integrative Courses (6 units):

• Governance Innovation Report 101
• Governance Innovation Report 102

As the capstone of the MPM degree, the student is required to submit a Governance Innovation Report (GIR) that provides practical and implementable solutions or recommendations to resolve issues of public concern.

Starting June 2025, students have to pay the basic tuition and fees amounting to Php 16,265.00 for every 3-unit course. Other program fees to be paid towards the end of the program are for the writing of the Governance Innovation Report (GIR). The estimated cost of the program is around Php 250,000.

The School complies with the CHED approved tuition fee increase of 6% every year after a presentation to the students has been conducted.

For any MPM-related questions or concerns, you may email our Academic Program Officers, at info.asog@ateneo.edu.

The diagnostic exam assesses applicants' abilities and skills often deemed necessary in post-graduate pursuits. It covers the following test components: Nonverbal Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Reasoning, Language Usage, and Verbal Analogies. The entire admission test battery takes up approximately 3 hours. 

The ASoG Academic Program has a limited number of scholarships, through the Dean Dina Abad - Emerging Leaders Fellowship, covering up to 50% of tuition and basic fees. You must be accepted first into the MPM program, before applying for a scholarship.

For Non-Filipino Applicants, they must submit copies of their:
1. Valid Passports (bio pages),
2. Current Philippine visas, if available, and
3. ACR I-Cards, if available.

For applicants who indicate dual citizenship, i.e. Filipino and citizenship of another country, who wish to file their applications as Filipino citizens, the University must require the submission of a copy of any one (1) of the following as proof of Filipino citizenship:<br>
o Valid Philippine passport
o Certificate of Recognition as Filipino Citizen
o Certificate of Naturalization
o Certificate of Re-Acquisition of Citizenship
 

Please note that:
• Birth Certificates or Reports of Birth indicating Filipino parentage are not accepted by the Bureau of Immigration as valid proof of Philippine citizenship.
• If dual citizens are unable to submit any of the four documents enumerated above, they must be considered as non-Filipino applicants, and will be required to secure the appropriate visas or permits upon acceptance / admission.