Master of Public Affairs

Prerequisites

While there are no specific prerequisites required for any MPA course, students who lack a background in particular areas may be advised or required to take preparatory courses. In particular, students who lack background or experience in American political and policymaking institutions, in mathematics, and micro computing may be required to develop proficiency in these areas before being admitted into certain courses. Students meet with the MPA Director to determine these requirements. Leveling courses will not count toward the MPA degree.

Degree Requirements

Students seeking an MPA degree must complete at least 36 (39 if an internship is required) semester credit hours of work in the program. The program has three components: a 24 semester credit hour core, 9 semester credit hours of directed electives within a chosen professional specialization, and the 3 semester credit hour Capstone in Public Affairs seminar (PA 6399). For pre-service students without evidence of at least 12 months of full-time managerial experience in the public or nonprofit sectors, 3 semester credit hours of internship credit are also mandatory.

Grade Point Requirements

Students must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average in the core courses and an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 to graduate. If a student's GPA does not meet these standards, university policy concerning academic probation and removal from the program is in effect.

Program Coursework

Major Core: 24 semester credit hours

All MPA students should complete the core courses as soon as possible, with the requirement that Introduction to Quantitative Methods (EPPS 6313) be taken during the first two long semesters following admission. A full-time student entering the program will normally take two core courses and one additional course each semester. The Capstone or internship (if required) is usually undertaken during the final semester in the program.

Required core: 24 semester credit hours

• EPPS 6313 Introduction to Quantitative Methods
• PA 6311 Public Management
• PA 6313 Public Policymaking and Institutions
• PA 6320 Organizational Theory
• PA 6321 Government Financial Management and Budgeting3
• PA 6315 Evaluating Program and Organizational Performance
• PA 6345 Human Resources Management
• PA 6382 Nonprofit Management

Professional Specialization Courses: 9 semester credit hours

Students select 9 semester credit hours of specialized courses from one of the following specializations tracks Local Government Management and Nonprofit Management. Students can also customize a track based on their career goals with the MPA Director's approval.

Specialization 1: Local Government Management (9 semester credit hours)

• PA 6300 Quality and Productivity Improvement in Government
• PA 6324 Urban Planning
• PA 6326 Decision Tools for Managers
• PA 6342 Local Economic Development
• PA 6344 Local Government Management
• PA 6349 Case Study: Policy Management in Seoul
• PA 6370 Project and Contract Management
• PA 6386 Diversity Management
• or other appropriate courses approved by the MPA Director
  • or other appropriate courses approved by the MPA Director

Specialization 2: Nonprofit Management (9 semester credit hours)

• PA 6369 Grant Writing and Management
• PA 6374 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations
• PA 6386 Diversity Management
• PA 6387 Strategic Planning for Nonprofit
• PA 6389 Volunteer Management
• PA 6391 Nonprofit Marketing and Communication
• or other appropriate courses approved by the MPA Director
  • or other appropriate courses approved by the MPA Director

Capstone Course: 3 semester credit hours

The Capstone in Public Affairs (PA 6399) is the culminating experience for graduating MPA students. Students integrate knowledge from across the MPA curriculum in a faculty-directed semester-long applied research project. This required 3 semester credit hour seminar should be taken during the semester in which the student intends to graduate.

Internship: 3 semester credit hours (if needed)

Students with less than 6 months of full-time public or nonprofit sector work experience must complete three (3) semester credit hours of internship credit (PA 6V97) for the MPA. The internship involves work in a professional capacity in an organization, under the joint supervision of an experienced professional mentor at the internship site and the MPA Internship Coordinator. Students can request an alternative course be substituted for an internship with the approval of the Program Head or Director of MPA.

The standard three semester credit hour internship requires approximately 20-hours per week time commitment to the work experience for a total of 120 internship contact hours during the semester. The objective of the internship is to provide an introduction to professional life and to establish sound approaches to the practice of public affairs. Students shall not take more than 6 semester credit hours of approved internship toward the MPA. Students who wish to seek the internship waiver must submit a formal written request to the MPA Director that includes a letter documenting the duration of their experience and its relevance to public or nonprofit management. This request must be approved no later than the student's penultimate semester in the program.

Graduates of the program seek positions such as city manager, government and nonprofit executive, human resource director, policy analyst, local government and nonprofit manager, police officer, firefighter, management analyst, and public sector consultant.