Bachelor of Professional Arts: Governance, Law and Management Major

For more information about this degree-completion program, please visit the Centre for State and Legal Studies.

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, students will demonstrate competencies in three areas:

Analytical Thinking

• compare theoretical perspectives, use theory to explain phenomena, and apply theory to practice
• break down complex problems into component parts, categorize data and ideas, show relationships among them
• identify critical issues, develop and execute appropriate solutions to problems
• anticipate obstacles and appraise options based on explicit criteria
• recognize the need for further investigation and learning
• communicate ideas in a clear, logical, and consistent manner

Professional Skills

• critically assess legal frameworks, institutions, processes, and context of governance
• recognize structural and institutional strengths, limitations and resulting issues
• mobilize resources to fulfill organizational and professional goals
• demonstrate advanced understand of policy process and identify issues with selected policy
• make constructive suggestions for assessment criteria and recognize situations needing assessment
• demonstrate insight and be adaptive in using experiences to improve practice

Leadership

• understand professional role of public manager in promote ideals of democratic governance
• show good judgment, take responsibility for actions, and incorporating an ethical decision-making framework into practice
• act on own initiative in handling new and routine situations while regularly consulting with others
• build effective teams through collaboration and conflict resolution, soliciting input, and encouraging others
• demonstrate innovative think in intervention and/or advocacy for individuals or groups, being particularly sensitive to issues of diversity and justice
• incorporate self-development into work and learn; attain self-development goals

Possible Career Options

• Government or Not-for-Profit Manager
• Policy Development
• Customs Officer
• Policy Researcher
• Advocate
• Lobbyist
• Fundraiser
• Recruitment Officer
• Foreign Service Officer
• Correctional Services Worker
• Immigration Officer

Possible Further Education Options

At Athabasca University

• Graduate Diploma in Management (GDM)
• Graduate Diploma in Heritage Resources Management
• Graduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting
• Post-Graduate Certificate in Counselling
• Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design  (GCID)
  
• Graduate Diploma in Instructional Design  (GDID)
  
• Graduate Diploma in Distance Education Technology (GDDET)
  
• Master of Arts – Integrated Studies (MAIS)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Counselling (MC)
• Master of Distance Education (MDE)

At Other Educational Institutions*

• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• law
• journalism
• police studies
• education
• library science

* Entrance requirements vary among educational institutions. It is the students’ responsibility to research the entrance requirements of other educational institutions.

Updated March 25, 2009