Professional Graduate Study Program in Public Administration

The Specialist Professional Graduate Study Program in Public Administration was launched in the 2012/2013 academic year to meet the needs and ambitions of graduates of the Professional Undergraduate Study Program in Administration seeking further specialization. In addition to graduates with a degree in Public Administration, the program is open to graduates of other professional undergraduate programs in the social sciences.

The program lasts two years, and upon completion, graduates earn 120 ECTS credits and acquire the academic title of Master of Public Administration (mag. admin. publ.). Instruction is organized in rotational blocks, meaning that courses are delivered successively, each lasting three weeks. Students are eligible to take exams immediately after completing each course. Exam preparation is supported through continuous assessment methods conducted during classes, which encourage students to maintain consistent engagement. The program is offered exclusively to part-time students, with classes concentrated over two days per week, making it particularly suitable for students who are employed. Furthermore, the program emphasizes an individualized teaching approach, accommodating vulnerable groups such as students with disabilities or other challenges, student parents, and student-athletes.

During lectures, changes in legal regulations and administrative practice are systematically analyzed using modern teaching methods, including drafting of legal acts, simulating legal procedures, discussions, and solving problem-based tasks individually or in teams. Beyond theoretical knowledge, the program focuses on practical skills and competencies, enabling students to perform administrative and professional duties independently. This is further supported by a wide range of elective courses, allowing students to specialize in specific administrative fields.

Graduates of this program acquire the qualifications required for employment in higher-complexity positions within state administration bodies, judicial institutions, professional services of the Croatian Parliament, the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia, the Ombudsman for Children, the Gender Equality Ombudsman, the State Audit Office, municipal, city, and county administrations, as well as agencies, commissions, and committees established for performing public tasks, and in legal entities with public authority.

The Public Administration Study Program is interdisciplinary in orientation, teaching students managerial approaches, public administration financing systems, the application of European Union administrative law, judicial oversight of public administration, measures for modernizing the administrative system, and related topics. These specific knowledge areas, skills, and competencies enable graduates to secure employment quickly, advance in their careers, and continue their studies in university-level specialist programs, in accordance with the requirements established by higher education institutions.

Detailed information about the study program and individual courses is provided in the study program syllabus, while general rules regarding instruction and examinations are contained in the Regulations on Study Programs.

Academic title or degree awarded upon completion of the program:

Master of Public Administration (mag. admin. publ.)

Alignment of the study with the corresponding qualification in the Croatian Qualifications Framework (CQR) Register:

The program is aligned with the qualification registered in the CQR under code 173 at level 7.1.st.

Admission requirements:

1. Completion of a three-year Professional Undergraduate Study Program in Administration, with the professional title of Bachelor of Public Administration;
2. Completion of a three-year professional undergraduate program in the fields of social science, humanities, or technical sciences, or in an interdisciplinary scientific area, with established employment in state administration bodies, local or regional self-government units, legal entities with public authority, associations, or political parties;
3. Completion of a three-year professional undergraduate program in the fields of social science, humanities, or technical sciences, or in an interdisciplinary scientific area, with prior passing of the course “Political and Legal System of the Republic of Croatia.”

Admission requirements for the next semester and academic year:

Unless otherwise stipulated by the Regulations on Study Programs, a full-time student enrolls in 60 ECTS credits each academic year, while a part-time student enrolls in 30 to 60 ECTS credits

Intended learning outcomes acquired upon completion of the study:

1. propose and make strategic decisions in public administration;
2. prepare a financial plan for a public law entity and manage its implementation;
3. analyze the functioning of public administration systems;
4. analyze and critically evaluate social situations and apply legal norms;
5. apply relevant substantive and procedural regulations in decision-making and administrative action;
6. formulate, prepare, and execute administrative decisions;
7. conduct supervision of legality and correctness in administrative procedures;
8. protect the subjective rights of individuals;
9. defend positions in written and oral form, using relevant legal terminology;
10. manage communication with clients and public authorities with an appropriate level of autonomy;
11. develop ethical and social responsibility for performing assigned tasks and critically evaluate and self-assess their execution.

The enrollment quota:

The enrollment quota for the part-time study program is 100.

Structure and mode of instruction:

The study program is implemented as a professional two-year graduate study, awarding a minimum of 120 ECTS credits upon completion. Instruction is delivered through lectures and exercises according to the published schedule over thirty weeks of the academic year. The specific method of instruction for each course is defined in the corresponding part of the study program.

Completion of the study program:

The study program is completed by passing exams in compulsory and elective courses, fulfilling other study obligations, and preparing and defending a thesis. Details regarding the exam administration and fulfillment of other study obligations are stipulated in the Regulations on Study Programs and the course syllabi.

The specific part of the study program contains a list of compulsory and elective courses, indicating ECTS credits, mode of instruction, course content, planned learning outcomes, course instructors, and methods of assessment for each course.

Applications for enrollment in the first year of the program are submitted through the National Information System for Applications to Higher Education Institutions (NISpDS), which can be accessed via the website www.postani-student.hr.

Notifications about enrollment in the first and subsequent years of the program are published on the Faculty’s website during September.

In the Student Affairs Office, students can, upon presenting their identification number, receive answers to inquiries related to class and exam schedules, enrollment in the program and academic year, transfers from other law faculties, as well as inquiries related to regulations of the Faculty’s competent authorities in the area of teaching.

The Study Records are open for student inquiries on weekdays from 11 AM to 1 PM. For part-time students, the office is also open on Thursdays from 3 PM to 5 PM (from October 1st to May 31st).

Inquiries can also be made by phone at 051 359 587 on weekdays from 2 PM to 3 PM, or via email at evidencija@pravri.uniri.hr.