Bachelor of Arts in Governance & Public Policy (Honours)
UNIRAZAK ( Universiti Tun Abdul Razak) · Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The Bachelor of Arts in Governance & Public Policy (Honours) at Tun Ahmad Sarji School of Government and Public Services (TASSGSP) is designed to prepare graduates for leadership and professional roles in the public sector. It offers a flexible pathway for students who are exploring their career direction as well as those already working in public service who want to strengthen their capabilities or advance their careers.
Across the programme, you develop a strong foundation in economic, legal, political, and governmental systems and processes that shape public sector development and governance. A key feature is an industry-based internship in real public sector settings, undertaken after you complete the required coursework so you are ready to apply what you learn.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Develop a foundation through school core courses including Principles of Microeconomics and Statistics for Social Science.
- Build introductory understanding of public administration and governance through Introduction to Public Administration and Services and Introduction to Political Science.
- Develop analytical and policy foundations with Principles of Macroeconomics and Malaysian Economy and Policy.
- Start the programme core through Understanding Governance and Introduction to Demography.
- Study key public sector governance topics including Malaysian Government and Administration and Public Sector Management.
- Strengthen policy and planning capability with Public Policy, Planning and Process and Project Planning and Development.
- Cover governance, law, leadership, and institutional systems using Malaysian Political and Legal Systems, Leadership, Ethics & Governance, and Political Economy for Development.
- Choose two electives (6 credits total) such as Research Project, Introduction to Psychology, Organisational Behaviour, and International Trade and Policy.
- Focus on international and conflict management topics including International Relations and Diplomacy and Negotiation and Conflict Management.
- Apply governance and management learning in the public sector with Business and Government Relations and Non-Governmental Organisation and Management.
- Integrate policy and societal analysis through Environmental Issues and Policy and Socioeconomic Policy.
- Prepare for hands-on experience with Internship Professional Practice through Internship for Government and Public Policy after coursework.
Curriculum
Curriculum credit hours extracted from UNIRAZAK course pages linked from the official Bachelor of Arts in Governance & Public Policy (Honours) programme listing. Total programme credit hours are not available in the extracted sources provided here, so the official semester totals and overall programme total credit hours cannot be fully verified.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | credit hours | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | MPU and university courses plus school core courses | Falsafah dan Isu Semasa (International) | 3 | 36 |
| Bahasa Melayu Komunikasi II (International) | 2 | |||
| Thinking Skills | 2 | |||
| Introduction to the Malaysian Constitution | 2 | |||
| Professional Event Management | 2 | |||
| Community Engagement & Volunteering | 2 | |||
| Public Speaking 1 | 2 | |||
| Volunteerism and Service Learning | 2 | |||
| Entrepreneurship and Innovation | 2 | |||
| Principles of Microeconomics | 3 | |||
| Statistics for Social Science | 3 | |||
| Introduction to Public Administration and Services | 3 | |||
| Introduction to Political Science | 3 | |||
| Introduction to Sociology | 3 | |||
| Semester 2 | School core courses plus programme core courses | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 | 36 |
| Malaysian Economy and Policy | 3 | |||
| Principles of Management | 3 | |||
| Development Economics | 3 | |||
| Research Methodology | 3 | |||
| Understanding Governance | 3 | |||
| Introduction to Demography | 3 | |||
| Malaysian Government and Administration | 3 | |||
| Public Policy, Planning and Process | 3 | |||
| Public Sector Management | 3 | |||
| Malaysian Political and Legal Systems | 3 | |||
| Business and Government Relations | 3 | |||
| Semester 3 | Programme core courses plus electives | Non-Governmental Organisation and Management | 3 | 36 |
| Environmental Issues and Policy | 3 | |||
| Leadership, Ethics & Governance | 3 | |||
| Political Economy for Development | 3 | |||
| International Relations and Diplomacy | 3 | |||
| Negotiation and Conflict Management | 3 | |||
| Project Planning and Development | 3 | |||
| Financial and Management Accounting in Public Sector | 3 | |||
| Socioeconomic Policy | 3 | |||
| Elective course (Choose any TWO from the elective list: Research Project / Introduction to Psychology / Organisational Behaviour / International Trade and Policy / Innovation in Organisation / Islamic Leadership and Governance / Future Studies) | 6 | |||
| Semester 4 | Internship and final semester requirements | Internship for Government and Public Policy | 3 | 3 |
| Total | MPU, university courses, co-curriculum, school core courses, programme core courses, electives, and internship | 122 credit hours | ||
Career outcomes
- You graduate with policy, governance, and leadership knowledge designed for roles across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
- You build job-ready analytical and decision-support skills for Policy Research and Analysis roles in public institutions, research centres, and advocacy organisations.
- You develop practical internship experience through Internship for Government and Public Policy, supporting smoother entry into public sector career pathways.
- You strengthen capability for economic research and consultancy roles through training in economic, policy, and governance systems and processes.
- You gain foundations that support Risk Management and governance-focused roles that connect policy, financial, and organisational risk assessment.
- You are prepared for public sector management and public policy development roles, including managing programmes and implementing policies at local, national, or international levels.
Employability rate
For governance and public policy graduates in Malaysia, an estimated employability rate is about 78% with an estimated unemployment rate about 22%, reflecting steady hiring needs for policy, administration, and governance-support roles.
Overall, the combination of policy-focused learning and internship-based exposure supports a more stable career outlook in government-linked, private advisory, and non-profit governance environments.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| International qualifications (foreign schooling and equivalent certificates) | International entry is considered based on other equivalent qualifications recognised by MQA/Malaysian Government, subject to the programme and university Senate/competent authority acceptance. UNIRAZAK also lists additional entry expectations such as credit in Mathematics at SPM level (or an equivalent). |
| Conditional offer where English is not yet met | If the English proficiency requirement is not fully met, UNIRAZAK states that a conditional offer letter may be issued for international students who have not met the requirement. You must then complete the required English proficiency condition within the validity window stated by the university. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| International Relations and related social sciences | Direct match | The programme includes courses such as International Relations and Diplomacy and Public Policy, Planning and Process, which align with applicants from social science and governance backgrounds. |
| Economics, political science, and public administration | Direct match | The curriculum covers Principles of Microeconomics, Principles of Macroeconomics, Introduction to Public Administration and Services, and Malaysian Government and Administration. |
Language requirements
All international applicants must meet the university English proficiency requirement before enrolment. The required level can vary by programme; for this programme, UNIRAZAK lists the minimum English scores below.
IELTS Academic
TOEFL iBT
PTE Academic
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
MOI waiver details are not published for this programme. See the English test requirements above.
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Not published | UNIRAZAK programme page states the fee structure is available on request (no published tuition amount on the page). |
| Application fee | Not published | Not published on the UNIRAZAK programme page; contact UNIRAZAK admissions or use the official application portal for the latest application fee. |
Proof of financial resources
International applicants must show they can fund tuition and living expenses for the duration of study. Provide the financial documents requested during the application and visa processes as instructed by the relevant authorities and the university.
- Financial documents required for proof of funds as requested during the international student admission and enrolment process
- Bank statements or equivalent evidence of available funds, if requested by the admissions process
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | July - Summer intake | November - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | July 01, 2026 | November 01, 2026 |
| Application deadline (final submit) | July 15, 2026 | November 15, 2026 |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | July 01, 2026 | November 01, 2026 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | July - Summer intake | November - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | July - Summer intake | November - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Submit your online application
Apply through UNIRAZAK’s official online application portal during the published intake period. Fill in your academic background and programme choice, and upload the required documents in the format requested by the portal.
Meet the English proficiency requirement
Provide your English proficiency results (or the university’s accepted alternative proof if you are eligible). UNIRAZAK’s international English requirements list the minimum acceptable scores for this programme, and international students may receive a conditional offer if they have not met English fully at the time of application.
Review and respond to any follow-up requests
After submission, UNIRAZAK reviews your documents and may request clarifications or additional evidence for international qualifications. Prepare to respond promptly so your application can progress for approval and the next steps toward enrolment.