Program Overview

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Master of Public Administration Program

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of public administration and management. The program is offered in a two-year format, with a minimum of 38-41 credits required for completion.

Program Structure

The MPA program consists of core classes, methods courses, advanced methods courses, specializations, electives, and a capstone course.

Core Classes

The core classes are required for all MPA students and include:

• Introduction to Public Administration (POL7101, 3 credits)
• Public Sector Management (POL7104, 3 credits)
• Public Budgeting and Finance (POL7105, 3 credits)
• Political and Legal Processes (POL7106, 3 credits)

Methods Courses

The methods courses are required for all MPA students and include:

• Quantitative Methods for Public Managers (POL6001, 3 credits)
• Policy Research and Evaluation Methods (POL7001, 4 credits)

Advanced Methods Courses

All students must choose either POL7051 or POL7058:

• Statistics for Political Science 1 (POL7051, 4 credits)
• Methods of Interpretation in the Social Sciences (POL7058, 4 credits)

MPA Specializations

The MPA program offers three specializations: Public Management, Social and Urban Policy, and Cyber Policy.

Public Management

The Public Management specialization requires:

• Public Sector Human Resource Management (POL7102, 3 credits)
• Organizational Theory and Behavior (POL7103, 3 credits)

Social and Urban Policy

The Social and Urban Policy specialization requires:

• Policy Design: From Idea to Implementation (POL7109, 3 credits)
• Social and Urban Policy and Politics (POL7110, 3 credits)

Cyber Policy

The Cyber Policy specialization requires:

• Smart and Sustainable Communities (POL7111, 3 credits)
• Public Sector Technology Policy and Management (POL7112, 3 credits)

Electives and Capstone

The program requires 6 hours of elective courses and a 3-hour capstone course.

Elective Courses for Track 1 and 2

Students on the Public Management or Social and Urban Policy tracks must complete 6 hours of electives, choosing from:

• Grant Writing and Resource Development (HPE7014, 3 credits)
• Pro-Seminar in Public Opinion and Public Policy (POL7015, 4 credits)
• Democracy and Development (POL7069, 4 credits)
• Food for Thought: Sustainability, Power and Resistance in Urban Food Systems (POL7107, 3 credits)
• Behavioral Decision-Making for Public Sector Leaders (POL7108, 3 credits)

Elective Courses for Track 3

Students on the Cyber Policy track must complete 6 hours of elective courses in Information Technology, choosing from:

• Information Security and Assurance (IT6035C, 3 credits)
• Website Management (IT6040C, 3 credits)
• Database Management with SQL Server (IT6060C, 3 credits)

Capstone

The capstone course is:

• MPA Capstone (POL7115, 3 credits)

Credit Hours

The minimum number of credit hours required for the program is 38-41. However, this can vary based on previously earned credits and/or the level of placement into required coursework.