Core Courses
Required Coursework
The current courses for the Master of Public Administration program are listed below.
MPA 5100 – Theories of Public Administration and Democratic Governance (3 units)
Socio-economic and political contexts of public administration; role of public administration in the political process; social values, ethics, and public interest; characteristics of public bureaucracy; theories and practices; role and responsibility in democratic accountability and governance.
Three hours seminar.
MPA 5010 – Public Policy Formulation and Implementation (3 units)
Public policymaking politics, processes, and execution in public, public/private, and public/nonprofit contexts. Emphasis on policy development, planning, implementation strategies, organizational adaptation, and assessing consequences for diverse community interests.
Three hours seminar.
MPA 5020 – Public Fiscal Administration (3 units)
Examines public agency discretionary decision-making, administrative controls, agency coordination, rivalry; intergovernmental relations and the budgetary process. Emphasis on budgetary reform, planning, process, capital and operating budgets, fiscal management, public accounting procedures, and integrated financial management systems.
Three hours seminar.
MPA 5030 – Public Human Resources Issues and Management (3 units)
Public service concepts and institutions; relationship to executive and legislative functions and issues; adult learning theories and group dynamics. Addresses human resource issues including workforce diversity, collaboration, and conflict; use of volunteers; assessment methods and instruments.
Three hours seminar.
MPA 5040 – Quantitative Methods for Public Sector Issues (3 units)
Quantitative methodologies to define, execute, monitor, and manage policy, programs, and projects. Emphasis on problem-solving, real-world applications to organizational issues, and the ethical use of information and analysis in serving diverse community interests.
Three hours lecture/problem-solving/seminar.
MPA 5080 – Ethics and Law in Public Administration (3 units)
Examination of administrative ethics and administrative law as related subfields of public administration in the United States. Focus on practical considerations of individual choice, agency structure, public accountability, and the processes of agency action and decision-making.
Three hours lecture/discussion.
MPA 6000 – Seminar on the Integration of Theories, Methods, and Practices (3 units)
Integration of major theoretical, methodological, and practical subject matter. Includes use of case studies, examination of reports, practitioner assessment, preparation and administration of field interviews, and selection and presentation of a project topic or master’s thesis proposal.
Three hours seminar. Prerequisites: All core courses should be completed. Unconditional standing required.
MPA 6950 – Project (3 units)
Project integrating theories and methodologies with a focus on practical concerns and issues of public and nonpublic agencies. Emphasizes diverse perspectives within a task-oriented framework. Requires a contract with a participating agency and faculty/practitioner supervision.
Specialized activity. Prerequisites: MPA 6000 and unconditional standing.
MPA 6960 – Thesis (3 units)
Compilation, evaluation, interpretation, and presentation in thesis form of individual research supervised by a faculty advisor.
Specialized activity. Prerequisites: Completion of all core courses, MPA 6000, and unconditional standing.
MPA 6070 – Exam (3 units)
Preparation for and completion of the written comprehensive examination. This exam or any subpart may be taken no more than two times. Failure to complete the examination or any subpart satisfactorily on the second attempt will result in termination from the program.
Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy, MPA 6000, and unconditional standing.