Core Curriculum and Emphasis Areas

Core Curriculum

Emphasis Areas 

Degree Requirements

The MPPA degree consists of 40 credit hours, 25 of which are taken as part of the core curriculum and 15 that are electives.  Students who complete the degree must demonstrate the ability to:

• Design, research, write, and defend analyses of substantive public policy problems and/or potential solutions
• Use data and sophisticated analytic tools (qualitative and quantitative) to conduct research in public policy and administration
• Understand the policy and internal/external environments of public and nonprofit organizations
• Develop expertise in a substantive area of public policy administration

Core Curriculum

All candidates for the MPPA degree must complete 25 hours in the core curriculum sequence composed of the following public policy administration courses:

Policy Analysis and Economics
P P ADM 6000, Introduction to Policy Analysis
ECON     5550, Economics for Public Policy Analysis
P P ADM 6900, Cases in Public Policy Administration

Public Administration and Budgeting
P P ADM 6400, Public Administration: Theory & Practice
P P ADM 6490, Human Resources in the Public Sector
P P ADM 6180, Governmental Budgeting and Financial Control

Statistics, Research Methods, and Information Technology
P P ADM 6010, Introduction to Policy Research
P P ADM 6750, Applied Research Design
P P ADM 6850, E-Governance in the Public Sector

Internship

An internship is required. After completing the core coursework, students work with the internship coordinator to identify a placement that provides an individualized practical experience. If the student has significant public or nonprofit sector experience, the student may request that the internship requirement be waived, in which case another 3-hour elective course would be selected. See internship guidelines for more information.

P P ADM 6000 should be taken at the beginning of the program. It is strongly recommended that P P ADM 6010 and ECON 5550 be taken early in a student’s course plan. P P ADM 6900 is a capstone course and must be taken toward the end of the program.

A thesis is not required to complete the program. However, writing is an important component of the degree, and students will complete written analyses as part of their coursework and/or internship.

Emphasis Areas

Students may select one of three emphasis areas in which to concentrate their advanced studies:

• Policy research and analysis
• Local government management
• Nonprofit organization management and leadership

Students may also select an individualized emphasis area in consultation with their advisor and with approval of the Director.

Prior to the completion of 15 hours in the MPPA program, students should identify an emphasis area. In each of the emphasis areas students may be able to substitute another course for a specified elective, with the MPPA Director’s approval. Specific requirements for each emphasis area are as follows:

Policy Research and Analysis

Local Government Management

Nonprofit Organization Management and Leadership

Individualized Emphasis Area

Prior to the completion of 15 hours in the MPPA program, the student must present a proposal for 15 hours of specific coursework for approval by the MPPA faculty. The 15 hours must include P P ADM 6950, Internship (in an assignment relevant to the emphasis area) unless the student has significant public or nonprofit sector experience, in which case the internship may be waived and another 3-hour course is selected. See internship guidelines for more information.

Course Descriptions