Master of Public Administration (MPA) Core Requirements for Fall 2007 - Spring 2008
- Current Students
- Schedule & Course Plan
- Scholarships & Awards
- Faculty & Staff
- Regional Locations (EUP)
- Newsletter
- Events
- Jobs
- Fellowships
- Internships
- For Alumni
- Photo Gallery
- Links
- Assessment
- Request Information
- Contact Us
Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Core Requirements
For Students admitted Fall 2007 - Spring 2008
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program provides an advanced, practitioner-oriented education for in-career professionals and pre-career students who aspire to positions of administrative leadership in public, nonprofit and health care organizations. The entire MPA program is 39 or 42 credit hours, depending upon admission status. The curriculum consists of an 18 credit hour core, an 18 credit hour concentration, and a 3 credit hour capstone; Project Paper Seminar. Pre-career students also complete a three credit hour internship.
The core program addresses the body of knowledge and skills that is common to the administration of health care, nonprofit, and public entities. A listing of courses that fulfill each component of the core is provided by the table below. Course descriptions can be accessed by selecting the course numbers; this new curriculum will be effective in the Fall 2007 Semester.
The 18 credit hour concentration provides an opportunity for MPA students to tailor this part of their program to their specific needs and interests. MPA students select an area of concentration from six options:
Health Care Administration | Human Resources Administration | Nonprofit Leadership & Admin.
Law | Public Management: Local Government Admin. | Public Management: State Agency Admin.
Each of the concentrations includes a course in each of the following areas: law, budgeting, and human resources administration with the remaining credit hours selected from a list of electives and/or courses that are approved by the student's advisor.
As a culmination to the program students will take the 3 credit hour capstone course, Project Paper Seminar. In this course students will conduct a non-thesis analytical research project designed to apply the knowledge gained in the coursework of the MPA program to a practical problem or issue. For more information on the Project Paper Seminar, please consult the MPA Handbook.
Pre-career students must also enroll in a 3 credit hour (300 contact hour) internship designed to provide these students with meaningful work experience, expose them to the world of professional administration and organizations, and assist in developing a professional network. The internship will typically involve work on a project for the agency (under joint supervision with the SPAA) that can be utilized as subject material for the Project Paper Seminar. Students must complete at least 20 credit hours of MPA coursework before they enroll in an internship. For more information on the internship, please consult the MPA Handbook.
Students are encouraged to plan and track their coursework on a Course Planning Form. This form, and consultations with an MPA advisor, eliminates the possibility of taking courses that do not fulfill program requirements and maximizes the utility of the courses in which students enroll.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| PADM 6000 | Historical and Legal Foundations of American Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 6180 | The Political and Economic Environment of Public Administration | 3 |
| PADM 6060 | Analytical Methods | 3 |
| PADM 6070 | Quantitative Data Analysis | 3 |
| PADM 6080 | Organizational Theory and Behavior | 3 |
| PADM 6390 | Managing Public Performance and Information Technology | 3 |