MPA Degree Requirements
The MPA program requires 52 credit hours of approved course work. Requirements for the MPA degree include:
- 36 credit hours of core courses;
- 4 credit hours of a culminating project, or 8 credit hours of thesis;
- 4 to 8 credit hours of internship (may be waived for in-service); and
- approved elective courses for the remainder of the required credit hours.
MPA core courses develop an understanding of the dynamic metropolitan and global context in which public and nonprofit professionals operate. The broad range of knowledge and skills required for successful and ethical public/nonprofit management are reflected in the topical areas addressed in the core MPA courses: understanding the context and significance of public and nonprofit management and administration; effectively managing organizational behavior; developing and implementing capital and operating budgets; planning for growth and sustainability; evaluating human resource problems and potential solutions; developing and applying sound methods for conducting research and collecting information; analyzing, interpreting, and managing data and other information to inform decisions; and analyzing and prescribing meaningful solutions to social and organizational problems.
Elective courses supplement the broad range of knowledge and skills developed in the MPA core and strengthen students' knowledge and skills in their particular areas of professional interest. For these reasons, all MPA students are required to meet with their faculty advisor to discuss planning and selecting elective courses.
When completing the MPA culminating project, students have the option of completing a Capstone Project or an Applied Research Project that focuses on an approved topic relevant to public service administration. The Capstone Project utilizes small student teams while the Applied Research Project is performed individually. In both options, students apply sound research methodologies to study and analyze "real world" problems experienced by communities, public agencies, or nonprofit organizations and make recommendations to improve or solve the problems. In lieu of these culminating project options, students may choose to complete a Master's Thesis. Advisors are available to help students choose the most appropriate option to satisfy their academic and/or professional needs.
The MPA curriculum combines theory and practice to enhance understanding of relevant public policies and their effects on administrative processes. In most MPA courses, "real world" problems are examined to illuminate relevant legal and/or theoretical concepts and analyze potential solutions. In addition, service-learning is offered in some MPA courses. In service-learning course, students apply learned concepts to analyze and potentially solve actual problems facing public/nonprofit organizations and/or communities in the local region. This blend of theory and practice enhances students' understanding of and capacity for success in the environment in which public service professionals practice their craft.