MASTER'S IN PUBLIC POLICY (MPP)
MEDIA, INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY STREAM
AT THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY (CEU )
FALL 2005 / SPRING 2006
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
1. INTRODUCTION OF THE MPP
As part of the Center for Public Policy at CEU, this Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) is designed to
train a new generation of policy-makers and advisors in several fields, including the important area
of telecommunications and media development. The program draws from its students from Central
and Eastern Europe, South-East Europe, Central Asia and the former Soviet Union but also
includes participants from the United States and elsewhere in the world. Throughout, the effort
aims to increase understanding of the way in which public policy and management has taken on
regional and global dimensions.
The MPP courses take a cross-disciplinary approach, with the disciplines represented including
political science, economics, legal studies, and sociology. A large number of elective courses will
also be offered, allowing for specialization according to the students' interests and career goals.
2. INTRODUCTION OF THE 'MEDIA, INFORMATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY' STREAM
(MITP)
The MPP will be introducing a new stream in 'Media, Information and Telecommunications
Policy' (MITP) in 2005-2006 based on a new curriculum and taught by new faculty.
The central objective of this program is to provide practical training and scholarly education for
future academic and policy leaders in the public, private and non-profit sectors. The curriculum
provides a detailed and systematic understanding of how political institutions, processes and public
policies operate and interact from the global political economy through to local levels of
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governance. The program will provide students with a solid scholarly grounding in policy analysis
as well as practical, issue-oriented knowledge.
Website: http://www.ceu.hu/mpp
2.1. Program Structure
The program begins in September with a taught element comprising five core courses and a range
of elective courses. The curriculum combines an analysis of the economic, ethical, legal and
political dimensions of policy-making with case studies that give students opportunities to pursue
specific interests in more depth. Teaching is via lectures and seminars while assessment is through
assessed essays and/or written examinations for each course.
The second part is devoted to practical research and experience. All students are expected to
complete a policy focused dissertation worth 6 credits. This will be assessed according to the
thoroughness of the research, the clarity and logic of presentation, and the quality and originality of
the analysis. For the majority of applicants, the final stage of the course will be as an intern at an
international organization, government department or similarly relevant body. The aim is to provide
students with the chance to experience the policy process at first hand. As part of the MITP
Master’s program, students will have the opportunity to complete their internships with media and
telecommunication organizations, governmental agencies or companies (for example MATAV, the
Hungarian Telecommunications Company)
Length of study: 12 months (from mid-September to early August), excluding a 2-month
internship.
2.2. MITP Foundation Course
The Foundation Course for Fall 2005 is a 4 unit offering: “The Shaping of Telecommunications
and Media Law and Policy: A Survey of Fundamentals” This course is designed to provide an
understanding of the institutional framework in which telecommunications, information policy and
media decisions are made. The course begins with a study of the architecture of decision-making at
the European level, and then turns to decision-making at the level of the nation–state. Attention will
be paid to comparative issues in policy formulation and at the improvement of the regulatory
process, especially in emerging democracies. There will be sections that examine the role of
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industry, NGOS and others in this process. The course will have case studies in particular areas of
decision-making (such as transitions to digital, regulating intellectual property, considering issues
of concentration.) The course faculty will be supplemented by international experts in the field.
The specialised foundation seminar will be offered in the fall semester. Students will be in an
environment where there are two other specialisations. The degree specialisation in ‘International
Public Policy’ involves courses that address: 'International Policy Practice', 'Global Governance
and Public Policy' and 'Policy Making in the European Union'. The pathway on 'Decentralised
Governance' enjoys support from the Fiscal Decentralisation Initiative for Central and Eastern
Europe (FDI). Students opting for this pathway take additional courses in Public Finance, Macroeconomic Issues and Policies in Open Economies and Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
1.
Entry requirements for all the MPP streams
1.1. General CEU requirements
Information on how to apply is available on the website of the Admissions Office at
http://www.ceu.hu/admissions_apply.html.
1.2. Specific MPP requirements
The MPP is designed for those embarking on a career in policy work or those already embedded in
a policy-making community.
In addition to meeting the general CEU admissions requirements, applicants to the Master's
Program in Public Policy should submit two samples of written work as well as a one or two
page statement of purpose. The essays should outline the candidate's experience with the public
sector and how the MPP can advance their understanding and practice of public policy, and
demonstrate the candidate's analytical and argumentation skills in English. The statement of
purpose should highlight any relevant academic and work experience and explain the candidate's
reasons for applying and their career plans upon completion. The essays will be considered
carefully by the MPP faculty admissions committee.
More information about the MPP streams is available at: http://www.ceu.hu/mpp/teaching/ma.htm
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