AIPM701 Graduate Diploma in Executive Leadership
Subject Overviews & Learning Outcomes
- S1 Contemporary Leadership
- S2 Power, Politics & Policy Development
- S3 Executive Leadership Development
- S4 Strategic Policy Review
S1 Contemporary Leadership
Subject Overview
This subject is completed through distance study designed to explore a number of leadership-related topics that broaden students’ understanding of the range of issues confronting police and other public safety and emergency services leaders now and in the future. The subject stimulates students to think about leadership, and the power and the role of senior executives. The subject asks students to analyse the characteristics and performance traits of successful executives (including the political, military, corporate, emergency service and public sectors) in the context of global, national and community trends and influences. Using a sound theoretical basis, students are asked to critically reflect on the application of this theory to be able to recommend leadership characteristics to transform their own organisation.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- Research and present findings on the key historical shifts in leadership practice and theory and achievements of key leaders;
- Critically analyse and predict the current and future range of leadership issues confronting public safety and emergency services leaders;
- Critically reflect on the application of leadership theory within their own organisation;
- Formulate an opinion on what effective leadership is, and how it can transform an organisation;
- Recommend positive and ethical leadership characteristics and performance traits; and
- Discriminate between the relationship and variations of public and private sector organisations, and analyse these relationships in context of global, national and community trends and influences.
S2 Power, Politics & Policy Development
Subject Overview
The study of policing is very different from traditional areas of academic endeavour, for example, English Literature. This field does not (yet) have a defined academic discipline but draws heavily from legal studies, sociology, psychology, criminology and management studies. This particular subject draws on the body of knowledge from the discipline of political science.
The first two modules have a logical progression, looking at general political theory and then focusing in on issues about policy. The final module of this subject looks at the application of these theories to particular elements of government, policing, correctional services and fire services. What these three elements have in common is that they:
- each exist to protect and assist the community;
- in doing so, they must exercise powers over citizens that most other public sector organisations do not do;
- are headed by leaders who have some degree of statutory independence;
- their responsibilities can place members of the organisations in physical danger; and
- they develop their own particular organisational culture.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the different concepts of power and how they shape the environment of your agency;
- Demonstrate an understanding of the essential features and dynamics of the public policy making process, current developments and its interaction with the political system;
- Apply your understanding of power and the political system to more effectively participate in the policy making process and work with the stakeholders that impact on your agency; and
- Evaluate emerging trends in the relationship between police, other emergency services and government and in the exercise of power in the making of law enforcement and related policy.
S3 Executive Leadership Development
Subject Overview
The subject develops students’ abilities in communication, case study analysis, self-awareness, influence and conviction and public speaking. There is a focus on future challenges, with students framing their leadership analysis by anticipating and discussing significant issues affecting their industry over the next 10 years. The subject explores how the outcomes achieved through traditional command and control leadership style, on which public safety and emergency services organisations had been based, compares with those achieved with more contemporary leadership and management styles. This subject encourages students to explore the links between successful strategic leadership capabilities and policy formulation to achieve organisational change through sound planning. It considers issues such as workplace culture, ethics, government demands on senior executives in the public sector, and leadership of change.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- Synthesise appropriate leadership behaviours and skills required to engage in personal, interpersonal, organisational or political levels of interaction;
- Reflect and evaluate their leadership style and identify areas for development;
- Integrate decision-making skills and formulate proposals which argue for executive level decisions;
- Relate strategic leadership capabilities to policy formulation;
- Advise how strategic policy contributes to achieving organisational objectives; and
- Create a personal presence with senior leaders to probe, explore, analyse, and synthesise different approaches to executive leadership.
S4 Strategic Policy Review (SPR)
Subject Overview
The Strategic Policy Review requires students to demonstrate their capacity to provide leadership in addressing a major issue confronting contemporary public safety and emergency service organisations through conducting an organisational policy review. It requires students to research and demonstrate original thinking, and vision for the future. Completion of this subject provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the practical development and execution of policy within their own organisations. In particular, it enables students to link their understanding of effective strategic leadership with the policy process and how leaders use policy to achieve lasting impacts.
SPR projects are frequently implemented or incorporated as components of significant initiatives within the host organisations. This is an opportunity for students to gain recognition and add value to their organisation as a return on their investment in their participation in the Graduate Diploma.
Students are advised that this paper and grade from this paper will be included in the Final Report to their Commissioner at the completion of all four subjects.
In this capstone subject students are required to identify a critical policy area, to research literature and to substantiate the formulation of an executive level policy decision.
Students are led to evaluate the policy to ensure it will achieve organisational objectives. Practically the students must identify the budget impacts of the policy and the resulting service delivery and plan for the implementation of the policy. The application of this project has the effect of extending the influence of the student’s academic study to the workplace as a campus for learning.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- Research literature on a critical policy area to facilitate executive level policy decision making;
- Demonstrate an understanding of the methods for evaluating policy effectiveness;
- Design strategic policy to successfully achieve organisational objectives;
- Determine the links between policy legislation and budgets;
- Explain the impact of policy implementation on service delivery; and
- Formulate a policy implementation plan.