Master of Public Administration, MPA
Program Overview
Master of Public Administration, MPA
The Tulane SoPA John Lewis Public Administration program prepares forward-thinking, responsive, and ethical public service professionals to effectively lead within a diverse and ever-changing civic sector.
Mission and Vision
The program's mission is guided by the values embodied in Congressman John Lewis's life and career, advancing social justice and embodying the principles of community responsiveness, results-driven approaches, and impact-focused strategies. The program offers applied, dynamic, interdisciplinary coursework that integrates up-to-date practice strategies to meet the demands of diverse sectors working for the public interest.
Program Structure
The MPA degree is awarded following the successful completion of 12 graduate courses (36 credit hours), including six core courses, five electives (which may be earned through a graduate certificate or in an area of concentration), and one capstone course. All courses in the MPA program are delivered online, with a required 3-day residency in New Orleans for experiential learning, collaboration, and networking.
Core Requirements
- MPAD 6000: Public Policy Foundations (3 credits)
- MPAD 6100: Technology and Civic Sector Leadership (3 credits)
- MPAD 6110: Data-Informed Leadership, Management, and Decision-Making (3 credits)
- MPAD 6120: Public Organizational Leadership, Cross-Sector Partnerships, and Stakeholder Engagement (3 credits)
- MPAD 6130: Budgeting and Financial Management (3 credits)
- MPAD 6140: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Public Service (3 credits)
- MPAD 7900: MPA Capstone (3 credits)
Electives
Students may choose from various graduate certificates or areas of concentration for their electives, including:
- General Elective: MPAD 7800 - Law & Public Administration (3 credits)
- Option One: Equity-Centered Education Leadership Graduate Certificate
- EDUC 6100: Educational Leadership (3 credits)
- EDUC 6120: Leading Learning (3 credits)
- EDUC 6150: Educational Finance, Management, and Operations (3 credits)
- Choose one from:
- EDUC 6110: Educational Leadership & Policy for Changemakers (3 credits)
- EDUC 6140: Managing Effective Equity-Centered Educational Organizations (3 credits)
- EDUC 6160: Engaging Family and Community Stakeholders (3 credits)
- EDUC 6180: Data Driven School Improvement and Transformation (3 credits)
- Option Two: Nonprofit and Strategic Philanthropy Management Graduate Certificate
- MPAD 7200: Nonprofits, Philanthropy, and the Civic Sector (3 credits)
- MPAD 7210: Evaluation and Outcomes Management (3 credits)
- MPAD 7220: Organizational Sustainability, Leadership, and Governance (3 credits)
- MPAD 7230: Financial Management, Resource Development, and Capacity Building (3 credits)
- MPAD 7240: Foundations of Strategic Philanthropy (3 credits)
- Option Three: Economic Development Graduate Certificate
- MPAD 7300: Elements of Economic Development (3 credits)
- MPAD 7310: Economic Development Challenges and Civic Resilience (3 credits)
- MPAD 7320: Economic Development and Urban Transformation (3 credits)
- MPAD 7330: Social Equity and Economic Development (3 credits)
- Option Four: Environmental Management and Resilience Graduate Certificate
- MPAD 7400: Environmental Policy (3 credits)
- MPAD 7410: Environmental Challenges and Civic Resilience (3 credits)
- MPAD 7420: The Role of Data in Environmental Decisions (3 credits)
- MPAD 7430: Social Equity and Environmental Management (3 credits)
- Option Five: Emergency Management Concentration
- ESSC 6001: Introduction to Emergency Management (3 credits)
- ESSC 6009: Emergency Planning (3 credits)
- ESSC 6016: Leadership in Emergency and Security Management (3 credits)
- Choose one:
- ESSC 6007: Health and Medical Issues in Emergency Management (3 credits)
- ESSC 6008: Risk Management and Threat Assessment (3 credits)
- ESSC 6010: Disaster Communications (3 credits)
- ESSC 6011: Emergency Management Administration (3 credits)
- ESSC 6013: Business Continuity (3 credits)