University of Texas at El Paso Academic Catalog

Academic Catalog

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 

  1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
  2. A two-to-three page double-spaced statement of purpose that addresses educational and career goals and reasons for pursuing an MPA degree.
  3. Three academic or professional letters of recommendation. At least one academic letter of recommendation is preferred.
  4. Applicants from countries where English is not the first language are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Please consult the graduate school website for required scores.

Degree Requirements 

Completion of at least 36 semester hours of core coursework consisting of the following:

  1. At least 18 hours of courses including PAD 5302PAD 5310 , PAD 5311PAD 5351PAD 5365, and your choice of one from PAD 5350PAD 5352, or PAD 5353 (detailed in the degree plan). One of the following courses may be repeated for elective credit one time, per program approval: PAD 5350, PAD 5352, or PAD 5353. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

Core for the MPA Degree (All courses require a grade of C or better)
Required Courses:
PAD 5302The Public Adm Profession3
PAD 5310Pub. Policy Process & Institut3
PAD 5311Econ Anal for Public Admin3
PAD 5351Applied Stats for Public Admin3
PAD 5365Pol Anal & Decision Making3
Elective:
Select one from the following - one may be repeated for elective credit with program approval.3
PAD 5350Public and Nonprofit Manage.3
PAD 5352Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt3
PAD 5353Human Resources Management3
Thesis Option:
PAD 5398Thesis3
PAD 5399Thesis3
Capstone Option:
PAD 5367Comprehen Integration/Pub Adm3
Concentration
Select one concentration18
Total Hours36

Concentrations

Homeland Security

Homeland Security (All courses require a grade of C or better)
Concentration Requirement:
PAD 5340Pro-Seminar-Homeland Security3
Thesis Option: Select three courses from the list below
Capstone option: Select four courses from the list below:
Legal Issues/Intel & Nat Sec
Public and Nonprofit Manage.
Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt
Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm
Human Resources Management
Pro-Seminar-Homeland Security
Risk Analysis
Crime and Border Security
Emergency Management
Public Hlth & Hmland Security
Critical Infrastructure Protec
Intergovernmental Relations
Total Hours9-12
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

Leadership (All courses require a grade of C or better)
Thesis Option: Select four courses from the list below12
Capstone Option: Select five courses from the list below15
Contemp Concepts of Leadership
Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm
Public and Nonprofit Manage.
Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt
Human Resources Management
Admin. Ethics & Responsibility
Pub Part & Democratic Process
Sem./Organizational Comm.
Leadership in Complex Org.
Leadership Communications
Total Hours12-15
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

Concentration in Nonprofit Administration and Governance (All courses require a grade of C or better)
Concentration Requirements:
PAD 5356Soc Entrepren & Not/Prof Mgmt3
Electives:
Thesis Option: Select three courses from the list below9
Capstone Option: Select four courses from the list below12
Nonprofit Exec Leadership
Nonprofit Fundraising & Dev
Nonprofit Volunteer Mgmt
Innovation and Problem Solving
Public and Nonprofit Manage.
Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt
Human Resources Management
Admin Law and Regulation
Admin. Ethics & Responsibility
Intergovernmental Relations
Selected Problems in Pub Adm
Pub & Nonprofit Program Eval
Total Hours 12-15
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

Public Policy & Management (All courses require a grade of C or better)
Thesis Option: Select four courses from the list below12
Capstone Option: Select four courses from the list below12
Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm
Government Contracting
Innovation and Problem Solving
Public and Nonprofit Manage.
Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt
Human Resources Management
Admin Law and Regulation
Soc Entrepren & Not/Prof Mgmt
Admin. Ethics & Responsibility
Urban Administration
Intergovernmental Relations
Pub Part & Democratic Process
Selected Problems in Pub Adm
Pub & Nonprofit Program Eval
Regional and Urban Planning
Total Hours12-15
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

Urban & Regional Planning (All courses require a grade of a C or better)
Thesis Option: Select four courses from the list below12
Capstone Option: Select five courses from the list below15
Qual Rsrch Methods for Pub Adm
Government Contracting
Regional and Urban Planning
Urban Administration
Intergovernmental Relations
Pub Part & Democratic Process
Selected Problems in Pub Adm
Public and Nonprofit Manage.
Public Budgeting & Financ Mgmt
Human Resources Management
Total Hours12-15
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.