
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is the professional management practitioner degree for students seeking a career in public service, nonprofit management, or international development to serve the Public Interest. Required coursework covers all five substantive areas of public administration: 1) Public Administration Theory, 2) Management, 3) Organization Theory, 4) Public Policy, and 5) Ethics. The program prepares you as a leader and manager in the public, nonprofit, and international sectors.
You will develop knowledge, skills, and abilities used by public and non-profit managers to formulate, implement, and evaluate policies, projects, and programs that effectively address important challenges within your organization or community. You will study a common set of eight core courses and choose four elective courses in your concentration of interest. We offer four concentrations: 1) City and County Leadership and Management, 2) Nonprofit Leadership and Management, 3) International Development Leadership and Management, and 4) a concentration allowing a specialization not covered by the three existing concentrations: Leadership and Management.
The MPA program is designed for both pre-service and in-service students. It will serve your needs whether you are a traditional student coming straight from an undergraduate degree or if you are currently working in the field seeking to advance your career with greater responsibilities as a leader or manager. The mix of foundational and advanced topics taught using research-based pedagogy in the five aforementioned areas maximize your learning opportunities.