Public Administration - M.P.A. Program Requirements Download to print

• Public Management Concentration
• Public Policy Concentration

*Pre-service students or students wishing to gain experience in a new area will also be placed in an agency for at least 300 hours of experience.
**36 credit hours for pre-service students; 39 credit hours for in-service students.

Public Management Concentration

This concentration has 5 required courses (15 credit hours) and 3 elective courses (9 credit hours) that may be customized or taken within a designated area of specialization. The core courses provide students with a broad foundation in public and nonprofit management, including the scope and history of public administration, administrative theory, ethical behavior in public management, public financial management, program evaluation, methods, personnel management and information technology management.

Three elective courses are chosen by the student in consultation with an academic advisor. Designated areas of specialization that may be selected include public and nonprofit financial management, municipal management, nonprofit management, justice management, and nursing management. Other areas of specialization utilizing elective coursework outside of the program may be developed based upon the student’s needs.

Public Policy Concentration

The public policy concentration requires the completion of 5 specified courses (15 credit hours) and three elective courses (9 credit hours).

The core requirements offer theory and skills oriented toward the practice of policy analysis. These include courses in the policy process, ethical issues and policy analysis. Three electives chosen in consultation with an advisor allow students to gain expertise in substantive policy areas (i.e., education policy, information policy, environmental policy). Electives may be chosen from graduate courses available in various university departments, as well as in the Department of Political Science.