Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy
Analyse public problems and develop practical, evidence-based policy responses.
About the course
Analyse public problems and develop practical, evidence-based policy responses. The programme connects governance, development, public finance and research with the design, implementation and evaluation of public policy. You will examine Southern African cases and produce a policy brief and implementation plan addressing a defined development challenge.
What you'll learn
- Analyse a public-policy problem using institutional, economic and development perspectives.
- Compare policy options and explain their distributional effects.
- Design inclusive participation and feasible implementation arrangements.
- Develop programme budgets and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
- Produce and defend a research-informed policy brief and applied project.
Requirements
Entry requires a relevant bachelor’s degree or an assessed equivalent. English Language is required. BMIT assesses any professional registration, prior practice or supervised-placement requirement specific to this postgraduate diploma.
African Kalanga is a compulsory graduation subject in every year of this programme. BMIT confirms the approved entry route, any recognition of prior learning and access to required practical facilities before enrolment.
Course Content
Complete all 17 subjects across three learning stages. Stage 1 establishes the foundations of policy, governance, development and public economics. Stage 2 develops implementation, participation, budgeting and evaluation skills. Stage 3 integrates research methods, policy analysis and an applied capstone. Cases draw on South Africa, Zimbabwe and the wider Southern African region.
3 learning levels 17 subjects
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Level 1: Policy and development foundations
Africa Indigenous Language: African Kalanga 101Compulsory graduation subject · Year 1
Develop African Kalanga through foundations for government and political sciences. Practise with authentic tasks, feedback and reflection across the programme year.
Learning outcomes
- Use African Kalanga accurately for Year 1 study and practice.
- Explain language choices to the intended audience.
- Revise your work using speaker and facilitator feedback.
Main topics
- Pronunciation
- Everyday vocabulary
- Listening
- Reading and respectful introductions
Practical task
Record a short introduction and explain its meaning to a peer.
Assessment
Submit the practical work, a brief reflection and evidence of language review. Assessment checks meaning, audience fit and improvement after feedback.
Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation 101Compulsory core module · Level 1
Identify a real need, study the people affected and develop a responsible idea for a product, service or process. Apply critical analysis and relevant research to a specialist setting. Apply this learning to Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy through an authentic brief and feedback from an appropriate audience.
Learning outcomes
- Investigate a defined opportunity and explain the evidence behind it.
- Develop and refine a creative response that fits the people and setting.
- Evaluate feasibility, ethical implications and the quality of the result.
Main topics
- Opportunity recognition
- Creative problem framing
- Community and user research
- Ethics and inclusion
- Idea generation and selection
Practical task
Investigate a need related to Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy. Interview or observe intended users with consent, compare possible responses and present one justified concept.
Assessment
Submit an opportunity brief, research notes, a concept sketch and a reflection on feedback. Support your decisions with current research and a critical account of limitations. Assessment considers the quality of the evidence, the response to feedback, feasibility and your individual explanation.
African History and Pan Africanism 101Compulsory core module · Level 1
Study African history through oral, written and archaeological evidence. Examine the diversity of African societies, knowledge and exchange, then trace the emergence of Pan African ideas about identity, solidarity and self-determination.
Learning outcomes
- Place selected African societies and events within a supported historical timeline.
- Compare historical sources and identify perspective, evidence and uncertainty.
- Explain the foundations of Pan Africanism and the contributions of Africans and the diaspora.
Main topics
- Historical inquiry, chronology, oral traditions and source evaluation
- African civilisations, states, trade, livelihoods and knowledge systems
- Southern African history, including Mapungubgwe and Great Zimbabwe
- Slavery, the African diaspora and changing ideas about identity
- Origins of Pan Africanism, solidarity, self-determination and cultural expression
Practical task
Create an annotated timeline or digital learning poster on a selected African society or historical development. Compare at least two credible sources and explain one connection with your field of study.
Assessment
Submit the timeline or poster, an annotated source list and a short explanation of the evidence. Assessment considers chronology, historical accuracy, source judgement and the clarity of your interpretation.
Learning resources
Public Policy Theory and AnalysisCompulsory
Examine how public problems reach the policy agenda and how institutions shape policy choices. Compare policy instruments and build clear, evidence-based arguments.
Learning outcomes
- Compare major approaches to policy analysis.
- Define a tractable public-policy problem.
- Assess alternative interventions against explicit criteria.
Main topics
- Policy cycles and their limitations
- Problem framing
- Policy instruments
- Stakeholder interests
- Institutional context
Practical task
Prepare a problem tree and an options paper for a local service-delivery challenge.
Assessment
Submit an analytical essay and a referenced policy-options paper.
Governance, Institutions and Public EthicsCompulsory
Analyse relationships between public institutions, elected representatives, administrators and communities. Examine accountability and ethical judgement in public decision-making.
Learning outcomes
- Explain how institutional arrangements influence policy implementation.
- Evaluate an accountability failure using evidence.
- Propose proportionate safeguards for ethical decision-making.
Main topics
- State and society
- Institutional mandates
- Accountability
- Public ethics
- Integrity and conflicts of interest
Practical task
Analyse an anonymised governance case and develop an accountability map.
Assessment
Submit a governance case analysis and an individual ethics reflection.
Development Theory and Southern African ContextsCompulsory
Critically examine competing explanations of development, inequality and social change. Relate these debates to rural and urban priorities in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Learning outcomes
- Compare development perspectives and their assumptions.
- Interpret development indicators in context.
- Assess the distributional implications of a development intervention.
Main topics
- Development theories
- Poverty and inequality
- State and markets
- Rural and urban development
- Regional cooperation
Practical task
Prepare a comparative development profile using published district or national indicators.
Assessment
Submit a comparative report and a critical seminar paper.
Economics for Public PolicyCompulsory
Apply economic reasoning to public choices and development priorities. Examine trade-offs, distributional effects and the limits of market-based and government interventions.
Learning outcomes
- Explain the economic rationale for a public intervention.
- Evaluate efficiency and equity trade-offs.
- Interpret basic economic evidence for a policy audience.
Main topics
- Public goods
- Externalities
- Market and government failure
- Employment and growth
- Distribution and equity
Practical task
Compare the economic case for two public-service interventions using stated assumptions.
Assessment
Submit an economic appraisal and a short evidence interpretation exercise.
Level 2: Policy design and implementation
Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation 201Compulsory core module · Level 2
Turn a promising idea into a testable proposal using evidence, creative methods and basic resource planning. Apply critical analysis and relevant research to a specialist setting. Apply this learning to Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy through an authentic brief and feedback from an appropriate audience.
Learning outcomes
- Investigate a defined opportunity and explain the evidence behind it.
- Develop and refine a creative response that fits the people and setting.
- Evaluate feasibility, ethical implications and the quality of the result.
Main topics
- Co-design and prototyping
- Value proposition
- Feasibility and costs
- Risk and responsible practice
- Testing and iteration
Practical task
Develop a small prototype or service model for a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy problem. Test it with relevant users, record feedback and revise the proposal.
Assessment
Submit a prototype, a feasibility note, user feedback and a record of revisions. Support your decisions with current research and a critical account of limitations. Assessment considers the quality of the evidence, the response to feedback, feasibility and your individual explanation.
African History and Pan Africanism 201Compulsory core module · Level 2
Examine colonial change, resistance and liberation across Africa, with attention to Zimbabwe and South Africa. Compare Pan African movements, organisations and debates, including contributions from women, workers and diaspora communities.
Learning outcomes
- Analyse the effects of colonial rule on land, labour, institutions and social relations.
- Compare liberation movements and Pan African arguments using contextual evidence.
- Explain how different groups shaped independence, solidarity and debates about freedom.
Main topics
- Colonial rule, land, labour, education and forms of resistance
- Nationalism, liberation and the end of colonial rule and apartheid
- Pan African congresses, organisations and contrasting interpretations
- Women, labour movements and diaspora participation
- The Organisation of African Unity and debates about unity, sovereignty and development
Practical task
Develop a comparative case study of a liberation issue or Pan African debate relevant to Southern Africa. Use a historical document alongside a scholarly account and explain differences in purpose and interpretation.
Assessment
Submit the case study, a source comparison and a reflection on your conclusions. Assessment considers context, evidence, recognition of different perspectives and the quality of your argument.
Learning resources
Public Finance and Programme BudgetingCompulsory
Connect policy priorities with credible budgets and resource decisions. Examine expenditure choices, intergovernmental funding and financial accountability.
Learning outcomes
- Prepare a transparent programme budget.
- Explain how funding arrangements affect implementation.
- Assess affordability and accountability risks.
Main topics
- Budget cycles
- Programme costing
- Revenue and transfers
- Expenditure controls
- Fiscal sustainability
Practical task
Cost a small public programme and test alternative funding scenarios.
Assessment
Submit a budget workbook, assumptions note and financial-risk analysis.
Policy Implementation and Strategic Public ManagementCompulsory
Translate policy decisions into coordinated action. Examine organisational capacity, implementation barriers and service-delivery performance.
Learning outcomes
- Develop a feasible implementation plan.
- Analyse organisational and coordination risks.
- Select measures for monitoring service delivery.
Main topics
- Implementation models
- Institutional coordination
- Strategic planning
- Change management
- Service standards
Practical task
Build an implementation plan with responsibilities, milestones and risk responses.
Assessment
Submit the plan and a case-based implementation analysis.
Participatory Planning and Inclusive DevelopmentCompulsory
Design participation processes which support informed and inclusive public decisions. Analyse power, representation and access in community development planning.
Learning outcomes
- Design an accessible consultation process.
- Assess whose interests and evidence are represented.
- Integrate consultation findings into a development proposal.
Main topics
- Stakeholder mapping
- Public participation
- Gender and disability inclusion
- Local development planning
- Conflict and negotiation
Practical task
Prepare and simulate a community consultation on a proposed local development intervention.
Assessment
Submit a participation plan, consultation record and critical reflection.
Monitoring, Evaluation and LearningCompulsory
Design evaluation arrangements suited to public programmes. Distinguish outputs from outcomes and assess the strength of evidence for programme effects.
Learning outcomes
- Construct a testable theory of change.
- Develop credible indicators and data collection arrangements.
- Evaluate findings without overstating causal conclusions.
Main topics
- Theory of change
- Indicators and baselines
- Process and outcome evaluation
- Evaluation design
- Learning and reporting
Practical task
Prepare a monitoring and evaluation framework for a public or development programme.
Assessment
Submit the framework, indicator definitions and an evaluation-design justification.
Level 3: Research and applied policy project
Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation 301Compulsory core module · Level 3
Plan and evaluate the practical introduction of an innovation in a relevant organisation or community. Apply critical analysis and relevant research to a specialist setting. Apply this learning to Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy through an authentic brief and feedback from an appropriate audience.
Learning outcomes
- Investigate a defined opportunity and explain the evidence behind it.
- Develop and refine a creative response that fits the people and setting.
- Evaluate feasibility, ethical implications and the quality of the result.
Main topics
- Implementation planning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Resources and finance
- Monitoring and impact
- Learning from a pilot
Practical task
Prepare and defend a pilot plan for an innovation relevant to Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy. Set measures of success, identify risks and explain how results will guide improvement.
Assessment
Submit a pilot plan, budget assumptions, evaluation measures and an individual rationale. Support your decisions with current research and a critical account of limitations. Assessment considers the quality of the evidence, the response to feedback, feasibility and your individual explanation.
Research Methods for Public PolicyCompulsory
Plan ethical research capable of informing policy decisions. Combine critical reading with appropriate qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods.
Learning outcomes
- Formulate a researchable policy question.
- Select and justify an appropriate research design.
- Identify consent, confidentiality and evidence-quality requirements.
Main topics
- Research questions
- Evidence reviews
- Sampling and interviews
- Survey and administrative data
- Research ethics
Practical task
Develop a feasible research protocol and pilot a small instrument using simulated or authorised data.
Assessment
Submit a protocol, instrument and ethics statement.
Policy Appraisal and Evidence CommunicationCompulsory
Compare policy options and communicate defensible recommendations to decision-makers. Make assumptions, uncertainties and distributional consequences explicit.
Learning outcomes
- Appraise alternatives against transparent criteria.
- Assess evidence quality and uncertainty.
- Write a concise recommendation for a defined policy audience.
Main topics
- Options appraisal
- Cost-effectiveness
- Multi-criteria analysis
- Evidence synthesis
- Policy-brief writing
Practical task
Produce an options matrix and policy brief for the capstone problem.
Assessment
Submit the appraisal, evidence table and a short oral briefing.
Applied Public Policy and Development ProjectCompulsory
Integrate the programme’s methods in a focused policy and development study. Produce a justified recommendation and a feasible implementation and evaluation plan.
Learning outcomes
- Conduct an ethical, bounded policy investigation.
- Integrate evidence into a reasoned recommendation.
- Defend an implementation and evaluation plan.
Main topics
- Problem diagnosis
- Applied investigation
- Stakeholder evidence
- Implementation planning
- Evaluation and reflection
Practical task
Complete a supervised project on an approved Southern African public-policy or development problem.
Assessment
Submit the final report, policy brief, implementation plan and individual oral defence.
Practical Learning
Authentic e-learning at BMIT
BMIT uses Authentic E-Learning to connect your studies with practical problems in your field. You use digital resources to investigate a realistic brief, make decisions and produce work for a defined purpose and audience. Your qualification's activities below put this approach into practice.
How you will learn
The approach draws on nine elements of authentic learning:
- Realistic contexts: Work with situations relevant to your profession or community.
- Purposeful tasks: Investigate a substantial problem with more than one possible solution.
- Expert examples: Examine demonstrations and examples of professional reasoning.
- Different perspectives: Compare sources and consider the needs of different people.
- Collaboration: Share ideas and review work with peers, while showing your own contribution.
- Reflection: Record what worked, what changed and what needs improvement.
- Explanation: Present your reasoning and support your decisions with evidence.
- Guidance: Use tutor feedback and structured support as you develop independence.
- Authentic assessment: Demonstrate learning through the task and its practical outcome.
From a brief to a practical outcome
Start by identifying the problem, intended audience and assessment criteria. Investigate relevant evidence, plan your response and develop an initial solution. Use discussion and feedback to test your ideas, then revise your work and explain your choices.
Digital tools support research, collaboration, simulation and the presentation of evidence. Your output depends on the module. Examples include a business proposal, technical design, tested program, investigation report or community resource. Keep drafts, calculations, test results and reflections to show how your work developed.
The module brief sets the required tasks, individual and group responsibilities, submission format and assessment criteria. The practical activities and supervision requirements for this qualification are set out below.
Research informing this approach
- Herrington, J. Authentic Learning: nine elements of authentic learning.
- Lombardi, M. M. (2007). Authentic learning for the 21st century: An overview. EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative.
- Parker, J., Maor, D. and Herrington, J. (2013). Authentic online learning: Aligning learner needs, pedagogy and technology. Issues in Educational Research, 23(2), 227–241.
Use guided online cases, realistic briefs and feedback to develop practical work. Any workplace or community activity requires suitable supervision and permission.
What you will practise
- Development Theory and Southern African Contexts: Prepare a comparative development profile using published district or national indicators.
- Participatory Planning and Inclusive Development: Prepare and simulate a community consultation on a proposed local development intervention.
- Policy Appraisal and Evidence Communication: Produce an options matrix and policy brief for the capstone problem.
Projects, evidence and safeguards
Assessment includes policy essays, case analyses, a programme budget, consultation planning, an evaluation framework and research tasks. The final applied project combines a policy brief, evidence-based report, implementation plan and individual oral defence. Practical activities use published, simulated or authorised information. Consultation and field research require appropriate consent and supervision.
African History and Pan Africanism practical learning
- African History and Pan Africanism 101: Create an annotated timeline or digital learning poster on a selected African society or historical development. Compare at least two credible sources and explain one connection with your field of study.
- African History and Pan Africanism 201: Develop a comparative case study of a liberation issue or Pan African debate relevant to Southern Africa. Use a historical document alongside a scholarly account and explain differences in purpose and interpretation.
Career Prospects
These examples show work across this qualification pathway, from support roles to specialist and management posts. Your entry point depends on your study, experience and employer requirements. Regulated roles require separate recognition or registration.
Top Career Paths and Job Titles
- Policy research assistant: Collects programme evidence and summarises stakeholder views.
- Development programme officer: Coordinates interventions and monitors delivery.
- Public policy analyst: Assesses policy options and explains likely effects and trade-offs.
- Monitoring and evaluation officer: Tracks programme indicators and tests whether interventions reach intended groups.
- Development policy director: Guides evidence-based policy, budgets and interagency partnerships.
Growth and Leadership Trajectory
- Starting practice: After meeting entry and any registration requirements, begin with the work represented by Policy research assistant. Build supervised experience and keep a record of reliable work.
- Specialist progression: Relevant study and evidence from more complex projects support a move towards Development programme officer or Public policy analyst.
- Leadership: With substantial experience, a role such as Development policy director adds responsibility for people, quality, budgets or service decisions.
Further Education to Boost Prospects
- Next study step: A relevant master’s degree in public policy and development is a possible next step. Research preparation or bridging study may be required.
- Continue at BMIT: Master of Public Policy and Development Admission and any credit transfer are assessed separately.
Professional Certifications and Registrations
- Role-specific requirements: No single statutory credential covers every role in public policy and development. Employers may require a relevant short course, supervised experience or role-specific licence. Check the requirements for the job and country before applying.
Potential Government and Industrial Employers
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management: Start or manage a small venture related to this field. Regulated work still requires the relevant professional registration or licence.
- Private and commercial organisations: Policy consultancies.
- Specialist employers: Development agencies and NGOs.
- Research and community organisations: Research institutes.
- Government departments and public bodies: Government policy, planning and evaluation departments.