Graduate Certificate in Policy and Data

The Graduate Certificate in Policy and Data aims to enhance the policy and data analytic skills of public servants to help meet present and future governance and policy challenges. The course responds to a present skills deficit in the APS, and other Australian public services, all of which are eagerly seeking to enhance their policy analytic capability. This course aims to enhance the students' understanding of current societal and governance challenges, to provide a fundamental understanding of Australian governance and policy theory and practice, to teach skills of policy and data analysis, and to encourage students to develop critical thinking and judgement skills that will help them on their path to becoming future public service leaders. Students are given a firm grounding in the context of Australian governance, and the thinking behind it, the skills of policy analysis, challenges presented by the budget process, the ideas underpinning Australia's economic approach, the technical skills of data analysis, and the skills of communicating complex data driven analysis to non-specialists.

Admission is restricted to staff of the Australian Public Service, through contract arrangements with particular agencies.

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent as approved by the Academic Quality and Standards Committee OR hold two or more years of relevant work experience, and be currently employed in an Australian Commonwealth, State, or Territory Government Department.

An IELTS Academic score of 6.5 overall, with no band score below 6.0 (or equivalent).