Dr Karin A. Bottom PhD; MA; BSc (Dual Hons)

Please contact by email to arrange a meeting.

• Recognised Senior Advisor (UK Advising & Tutoring Association), 2020
• Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy, 2019
• PhD in Government, University of Manchester, 2007
• MA in  Parties and Elections, University of Keele, 2001
• BSc in Politics & Psychology, University of Keele, 2000

Karin holds a BSc (Politics & Psychology) and MA (Political Parties) from the University of Keele, and a PhD (Government) from the University of Manchester. She has worked in the Department of Public Administration and Policy (Institute of Local Government Studies) since 2007. Prior to her academic career, Karin worked as a registered nurse.

Karin primarily teaches and researches public administration and management (PAM), and local governance. She is particularly interested in the PAM curriculum; what we teach public sector professionals and how they develop in practice.

Karin is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and holds Recognised Academic Advisor status (UK Advising & Tutoring Association). She has taught pre and post experience students at postgraduate level for over 15 years and has extensive experience in face to face, digital and blended approaches to teaching and learning. She is also experienced in the co-design and co-delivery of programmes / activities with local authorities. As DPAP’s Director of Education, Karin oversaw the development of the College of Social Science’s first Senior Leaders’ Level 7 Apprenticeship, co-designed with SOLACE. The programme was awarded for educational innovation by the University in 2019. Karin is also experienced in supporting local government elected members and officers in terms of advising, training, executive and role development.

Karin established and chairs the UK Association for Public Administration (UKAPA), formerly the Joint University Council’s Public Administration Committee (JUCPAC; also chaired). She is committed to the promotion and development of  PAM within Higher Education, and its role in contributing to governance, practice and policy. To this end she is involved in a variety of activities that connect PAM academics and facilitate discipline-enhancing activities.

Karin primarily publishes on PAM as a taught discipline. She co-edited the Handbook of Teaching Public Administration and most recently chaired the advisory panel responsible for developing for the first QAA Subject Benchmark Statement  for Public Policy and Public Administration. Karin also co-edits the journal Teaching Public Administration and co-chairs the EGPA Study Group IX Teaching Public Administration.

• MSc in Public Management: Comparative Public Management; Public Policy & Evidence
• PT MSc and L7 Apprenticeship in Public Management & Leadership: Public Policy & Evidence
• MPA: Dissertation module 

Karin welcomes the opportunity to supervise doctoral research in areas relating to:

• Public sector education, learning and skill development
• Public sector management and administration
• Local governance
• Local democracy
• Party politics

Karin currently supervises three doctoral students’ PhDs, has supervised five to completion and she has examined nine PhDs (external and internal)

Research interests

• Public sector education and learning
• Public administration / management teaching and pedagogy
• Local governance and democracy
• Party politics

2019 – Editorial Board Teaching Public Administration
2018 – External Examiner University of Liverpool, Masters in Management
2018 – Joint Universities Council, Executive Committee
2018 – Vice Chair, Public Administration Committee, Joint Universities Council Teaching and Learning; Trustee Joint Universities Council

2016 – Director of Teaching & Learning (INLOGOV)
2009 – 2012 Co-convenor, PSA Specialist Group in Local Politics
2009 – 2010 Book Review Editor Local Government Studies
2001 – 2007 Editorial Assistant Party Politics