MPA CURRICULUM

Required Courses (18 credits)

MPA 8011 Public Administration Theory: Tension between bureaucracy-democracy; theories about the nature and development of public administration in the United States.

MPA 8021 Leadership Ethics: Examines assumptions implicit in various organizational designs and highlights the importance of fidelity to value- based decision-making.

MPA 8031 Financial Management: The study of financial management of government and non- profit organizations that will provide skills for evaluating alternative courses of action in financial decision making. Topics include the budgetary process, revenue policy, financial controls, debt management, and capital budgeting.

MPA 8041 Human Centered Management: Public versus private personnel management; also topics such as recruitment, selection, training, career management, performance assessment, grievances and appeals.

MPA 8051 Applied Data Analysis: Introduction to applied research methods for the public and nonprofit sectors. Exposure to and utilization of data gathered from a variety of research sources with attention paid to determining the value of such research for public administration. 

MPA 8061 Organization Theory: The study of the similarities and differences in various formal and complex organizations, the structures and dynamics of these organizations, and the theories applicable to such organizations.

Elective Courses (18 credits)

MPA 8100 Decision-Making: The study of the decision making behavior of individuals, work-groups, departments, and complex organizations. The securing of consistency, the coordinating of various planning units, and the economizing of planning efforts in regard to decision making will also be included.

MPA 8200 Strategic Communication: The study of the communication process within and among complex organizations and the listening, writing, and speaking skills needed to promote better relations among individuals and organizations.

MPA 8400 Strategic Planning: The study of strategic planning and strategic management with special emphasis upon planning models as well as planning functions.

MPA 8500 Effective City Management: Relating to community, working with the governing body, creating the organizational climate for excellence, overseeing the delivery of services, promoting the community's future, conducting relations with other governments, and maintaining personal effectiveness.

MPA 8550 Urban Politics and Government: The study of city and suburban governments in metropolitan areas; special emphasis devoted to such topics as governmental form, city-suburb relations, race and ethnic relations, and economic change

MPA 8600 Effective Non-Profit Management: Examination of nonprofit civic and political involvement, ethics and accountability, leadership and board development, human resource practices, financial management and performance measurement, philanthropy and fundraising, volunteer management, and marketing and communications. 

MPA 8700 Fundraising for Non-Profit Organizations: Development plans, institutional mission & readiness factors, development of office operations, analysis of constituencies & effectiveness, communications & marketing, the role of the board of directors & volunteers, ethical considerations of fundraising, benchmarking, & the role of technology on philanthropy.

MPA 8800 Managing Public Networks: Theories of federalism, intergovernmental relations, and intergovernmental and intersectoral networks, collaborative decision-making approaches and negotiating skills.

MPA 8900 Public Policy: Models of the policy making process; also special topics such as privatization, public enterprises, deregulation, and benefit-cost analysis.

MPA 8199 Three-Credit Special Topics (i.e., Cultural Competency)

MPA 8299 One-Credit Special Topics (See below for topics) 

Three one-credit courses may be used to substitute for a three-credit elective. Our one-credit topic courses are offered on three Saturday mornings (or occasionally, on Friday evenings).

Topics include:

• Land-use and zoning
• Economic development strategy
• Labor relations
• Program evaluation
• Performance measurement
• Effective public affairs
• Emergency management
• Arts marketing
• Leading social innovation

MPA 8010 Management Internship: Administrative field experience in an agency or organization. Permission of the MPA Director required.

MPA 8012 Individual Research I: An individual research project under the direction of public administration faculty member. Permission of MPA Director and consent of faculty member required.

MPA 8013 Individual Research II: An individual research project under the direction of public administration faculty member. Permission of MPA Director and consent of faculty member required.

Please note that enrollment in an individual research course requires the successful completion of MPA 8011 and MPA 8051. Students interested in an Independent Study should first consult with the Assistant Director of Student Services and then complete an Independent Study Proposal outlining the proposed research plan. Once the proposal is complete, students must seek out and receive permission from a professor to supervise their Independent Study, as well as the approval from the MPA Director.

Please review the Independent Study form here.