Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Graduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Public Administration (M.P.A.)


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Program:  Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
Department of Criminal Justice and Public Administration
College of Liberal Arts

Neff Hall 260 ~ 260-481-6351


Student Learning Outcomes:

The MPA is an interdisciplinary professional program structured around concepts and skills essential to management, policy and planning activities within governmental, quasi-governmental and not-for-profit organizations. Specifically, students who complete the Master of Public Administration program will be able to:

  1. Lead and manage in public governance;
  2. Participate in and contribute to the policy process;
  3. Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions; 
  4. Articulate and apply a public service perspective; and
  5. Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.

 


The Degree:

The course of study requires completion of 36 credit hours with three components:

  • (1) core requirements; (2) concentration requirements; and (3) the experiential requirement.
  • The MPA core requirements (21 credits) include courses that are designed to provide foundation-level knowledge that is applicable to general public management and therefore function as an appropriate context for all concentrations.
  • The two concentrations cover Public Management as well as Nonprofit Management.  Each concentration requires 12 credit hours.
  • To gain experiential credit in the program, MPA students must complete either an internship (3 credits) or receive an exemption based on documentation of at least one year of full-time management and/or policy experience.

MPA Concentrations: Choose one


Public Management: Credits 12


Quantitative and qualitative skills are developed in the context of this concentration that are necessary for public and not-for-profit management. Particular emphasis is placed on political, organizational, and economic analysis.

Nonprofit Management: Credits 12


Important policies, perspectives and issues germane to the nonprofit sector are examined. Particular emphasis is placed on fund development, grant administration and management.

Experiential Component: Credit 3


Each MPA student must complete the 3 credit hour experiential component. Students with at least one year of full-time management and/or policy experience can apply for an exemption. Students who do not meet this criterion must take PADM 58500 Practicum in Public Administration for 3 credit hours.

Total Credits: 36


Student Responsibility


Student Responsibility

You are responsible for satisfying the graduation requirements specified for your selected program.  Thus, it is essential that you develop a thorough understanding of the required courses, academic policies and procedures governing your academic career.  If you cannot complete all program requirements by your stated graduation date but fail to remove those from your plan of study, the Registrar’s Office in consultation with your academic advisor will remove unmet pursuits from your plan of study.    All requests for exceptions to specific requirements must be made in writing and may be granted only by written approval from the Graduate Director.

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