Master of Public Administration

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree provides professional education for students interested in public-service careers. Accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), the interdisciplinary program is designed to stress the knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors essential to the successful public servant. Some flexibility in curriculum is permitted to meet the diverse educational needs of pre-service and in-career students, changing-career students, and students in different career specialties in public administration. The curriculum components are designed to produce professionals capable of intelligent and creative analysis, communication, and action in the public sector context.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
- Demonstration of academic achievement and potential as indicated by the results of the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and upper-level undergraduate and graduate coursework.
- A two-to-three page double-spaced statement of purpose that addresses educational and career goals and reasons for pursuing an MPA degree.
- Three academic or professional letters of recommendation. At least one academic letter of recommendation is preferred.
- For international students, a score of 550 on the TOEFL and an in-person or telephone interview.
Degree Requirements
Completion of at least 36 semester hours of core coursework consisting of the following:
- At least 18 hours of courses including PAD 5302, PAD 5310 , PAD 5311, PAD 5351, PAD 5365, and your choice of one from PAD 5350, PAD 5352, or PAD 5353 (detailed in the degree plan). Selected MBA core courses may be substituted for MPA core courses, depending on course offerings by each program. Advance approval by the MPA coordinator is required for substitution.
- Completion of an additional 18 hours of approved courses, which can be in the following areas of concentration: Homeland Security, Leadership, Nonprofit Administration, Public Policy and Management, and Urban and Regional Planning. No more than 6 hours of electives can be at the undergraduate level in courses approved for graduate-level credit.
- The final program requirement is the completion of one of the following: the capstone course, PAD 5367 Comprehen Integration/Pub Adm (3 semester credit hours), or a thesis (six semester credit hours). The final program requirement is not included in either the 18 hours of core requirements, but is included in the 18 hours of courses in the area of concentration.
- Three semester credit hours of PAD 5366 Internship in Public Admin, are required as part of the 15 hours of courses in the area of concentration, for students who do not possess significant administrative experience.
Degree Plan
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core for the MPA Degree (All courses require a grade of C or better) | ||
Required Courses: | ||
PAD 5302 | The Public Adm Profession | 3 |
PAD 5310 | Pub. Policy Process & Institut | 3 |
PAD 5311 | Econ Anal for Public Admin | 3 |
PAD 5351 | Applied Stats for Public Admin | 3 |
PAD 5365 | Pol Anal & Decision Making | 3 |
Elective: | ||
Select one from the following: | 3 | |
PAD 5350 | Public and Nonprofit Manage. | 3 |
PAD 5352 | Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt | 3 |
PAD 5353 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
Thesis Option: | ||
PAD 5398 | Thesis | 3 |
PAD 5399 | Thesis | 3 |
Capstone Option: | ||
PAD 5367 | Comprehen Integration/Pub Adm | 3 |
Concentration | ||
Select one concentration | 9-12 | |
Total Hours | 36 |
Concentrations
Homeland Security
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Homeland Security (All courses require a grade of C or better) | ||
Concentration Requirement: | ||
INSS 5302 | 3 | |
or PAD 5340 | Pro-Seminar-Homeland Security | |
Electives: | ||
Thesis Option: Select two courses from the list below | 6 | |
Capstone Option:Select three courses from the list below | 9 | |
INSS 5303 | Legal Issues/Intel & Nat Sec | 3 |
PAD 5350 | Public and Nonprofit Manage. | 3 |
PAD 5352 | Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt | 3 |
PAD 5301 | Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm | 3 |
PAD 5353 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
PAD 5340 | Pro-Seminar-Homeland Security | 3 |
PAD 5342 | Risk Analysis | 3 |
PAD 5343 | Crime and Border Security | 3 |
PAD 5344 | Emergency Management | 3 |
PAD 5346 | Public Hlth & Hmland Security | 3 |
PAD 5347 | Critical Infrastructure Protec | 3 |
PAD 5363 | Intergovernmental Relations | 3 |
Total Hours | 9-12 |
- 1
PAD 5340 Pro-Seminar-Homeland Security, PAD 5350 Public and Nonprofit Manage., PAD 5352 Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt, PAD 5353 Human Resources Management may be included if not counted in the required core above.
Leadership
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Leadership (All courses require a grade of C or better) | ||
Electives: | ||
Thesis Option: Select three courses from the list below | 9 | |
Capstone Option: Select four courses from the list below | 12 | |
MLS 5300 | Contemp Concepts of Leadership | 3 |
PAD 5301 | Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm | 3 |
PAD 5350 | Public and Nonprofit Manage. | 3 |
PAD 5352 | Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt | 3 |
PAD 5353 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
PAD 5358 | Admin. Ethics & Responsibility | 3 |
PAD 5364 | Pub Part & Democratic Process | 3 |
COMM 5337 | Sem./Organizational Comm. | 3 |
MLS 5321 | Leadership in Complex Org. | 3 |
MLS 5331 | Leadership Communications | 3 |
Total Hours | 9-12 |
- 1
PAD 5350 Public and Nonprofit Manage., PAD 5352 Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt, PAD 5353 Human Resources Management may be included if not counted in the required core above.
Nonprofit Administration and Governance
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Concentration in Nonprofit Administration and Governance (All courses require a grade of C or better) | ||
Concentration Requirements: | ||
PAD 5356 | Soc Entrepren & Not/Prof Mgmt | 3 |
Electives: | ||
Thesis Option: Select two courses from the list below | 6 | |
Capstone Option: Select three courses from the list below | 9 | |
PAD 5348 | Innovation and Problem Solving | 3 |
PAD 5350 | Public and Nonprofit Manage. | 3 |
PAD 5352 | Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt | 3 |
PAD 5353 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
PAD 5354 | Admin Law and Regulation | 3 |
PAD 5358 | Admin. Ethics & Responsibility | 3 |
PAD 5363 | Intergovernmental Relations | 3 |
PAD 5380 | Selected Problems in Pub Adm | 3 |
PAD 5381 | Pub & Nonprofit Program Eval | 3 |
Total Hours | 9-12 |
- 1
PAD 5350 Public and Nonprofit Manage. , PAD 5352 Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt , PAD 5353 Human Resources Management may be included if not counted in the required core above.
Public Policy Management
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Public Policy & Management (All courses require a grade of C or better) | ||
Electives: | ||
Thesis Option: Select three courses from the list below | 9 | |
Capstone Option: Select four courses from the list below | 12 | |
PAD 5301 | Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm | 3 |
PAD 5348 | Innovation and Problem Solving | 3 |
PAD 5350 | Public and Nonprofit Manage. | 3 |
PAD 5352 | Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt | 3 |
PAD 5353 | Human Resources Management | 3 |
PAD 5354 | Admin Law and Regulation | 3 |
PAD 5356 | Soc Entrepren & Not/Prof Mgmt | 3 |
PAD 5358 | Admin. Ethics & Responsibility | 3 |
PAD 5360 | Urban Administration | 3 |
PAD 5363 | Intergovernmental Relations | 3 |
PAD 5364 | Pub Part & Democratic Process | 3 |
PAD 5380 | Selected Problems in Pub Adm | 3 |
PAD 5381 | Pub & Nonprofit Program Eval | 3 |
PAD 5359 | Regional and Urban Planning | 3 |
Total Hours | 9-12 |
- 1
PAD 5350 Public and Nonprofit Manage., PAD 5352 Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt, PAD 5353 Human Resources Management may be included if not counted in the required core above.
Urban & Regional Planning
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Urban & Regional Planning (All courses require a grade of a C or better) | ||
Electives: | ||
Thesis Option: Select three courses from the list below | 9 | |
Capstone Option: Select four courses from the list below | 12 | |
Policy and Administration: | ||
PAD 5301 | Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm | 3 |
PAD 5359 | Regional and Urban Planning | 3 |
PAD 5360 | Urban Administration | 3 |
PAD 5363 | Intergovernmental Relations | 3 |
PAD 5364 | Pub Part & Democratic Process | 3 |
PAD 5380 | Selected Problems in Pub Adm | 3 |
PAD 5350 | Public and Nonprofit Manage. | 3 |
PAD 5352 | Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt | 3 |
PAD 5353 | Human Resources Management | 3 |