Public and Social Policy and Human Resources

The objectives of the program are: to master and apply general concepts and approaches in the field of public and social policy and human resources development, as well as other social sciences that allow independent expert reflection and the solution of public and social problems. The resolution of these issues is envisaged to take place within organizations of various types, both in the provision of public and social policy programs and in the development of their own human resources.

“We solve social problems and develop human potential.”

The program generally focuses on the design, implementation and evaluation of public policies, but also reaching beyond social policy to other areas of public policy, social services and social work. It is understood that organizational development within public and social policy or social services institutions and the development of human resources within these organizations are the conditions and tools for shaping public and social policy. We consider the following two aspects as essential in the profiling of PPHR:

1. Focusing on a cross-section of theoretical, methodological and application aspects that are generally implemented in most areas of public and social policy policy or social services.

This means acquiring knowledge and skills related to the creation, designing, implementation (i.e. management and coordination) and, finally, evaluation of the public and social programs, policies and measures / activities of the institutions and organizations that carry them out. That is why, within the context of the teaching of PPHR, it is important to have analytical and methodological tools that help form the capability to perform public program and policy evaluations. This should be the case at both the level of assessment of their wider context and the needs of the programs and measures, as well as at the level of the evaluation of their impact and effect, using a wider register of research methods and techniques.

2. Linking public and social policy to human resources development, their management and organizational development.

This interconnection creates the basic prerequisites for the more effective fulfillment of the role of public policy. In particular, the interconnection of public policy and human resources development is seen in the following directions:

a) In addition to the traditional focus of public and social policy on areas that fulfill their regulatory and redistributive functions, we also focus on the orientation of highlighting the resulting functions of public policy in human resources development (the key positive externalities make it possible to effectively and mutually link various public and social policy, social services and social work areas in their relation to goal functions, such as a high level of social protection, economic performance and a high level of employment, social cohesion, sustainable development and quality of life), and the orientation of reflection and evaluation on the implications of public policy to support its conceptual decision-making;

b) We focus on the development of human resources within the organizations and institutions implementing public and social programs as a prerequisite for their human and organizational capacity to effectively manage the processes of the design, implementation and evaluation of public programs;

(c) We focus on the organizational forms of public and social policy, social services and on the coordination activities of the various actors (organizations) involved in the design and implementation of public and social programs/policies, and on the research and teaching of effective ways to coordinate these activities in order to meet current needs.

Practical training

The compulsory optional part of the PSPHR study program is a supervised work-study practice in the field and to an extent of at least 150 hours (see the subjects VPLb1160 and VPLb1161).

Further information

Further information is available on the website of the Department of Social Policy and Social Work at http://spsp.fss.muni.cz/

Graduates will make best use of their skills in analytical, conceptual and executive (managerial) activities, as well as lower- and middle-management functions in public and social policy, employment policy and human resources development, social services and social work. This will be possible in various functions in public and social policy at local, regional and national levels in state administration, such as social and other departments of city administration, municipalities with extended jurisdiction, regional authorities, labour offices, various types of social services facilities (especially as project managers), research and advisory agencies, job placement agencies, educational agencies, public and private organizations dealing with public and social policy, social services areas, government ministries (e.g. labour and social affairs, regional development, education, health); at the trans-national level – bodies directly or indirectly providing for the agendas of the European Commission, trans-national non-profit organizations, trans-national organizations dealing with solutions for social problems or providing social assistance.

No information available

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Minimum score and numbers of accepted applicants in past years

A graduate of the bachelor's degree program may, after meeting the admission requirements, continue in the subsequent master’s studies in PPHR or in another field if it is an associated study program.