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UMSL | Public Policy Administration Program

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:

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

Required
POL SCI 6402 Intermediate Techniques in Policy Research 3
or
ECON 4100
Introduction to Econometrics
Electives
Select four of the following: 12
Managerial Economic Analysis
Advanced Techniques in Policy Research
Applied Econometrics
Topics in Applied Econometrics
Geospatial Analysis in the Social Sciences
Fundamentals of Cost-Benefit Analysis
Natural Resource Economics
Multi-Method Research Design
Law, Courts and Public Policy
Seminar in Public Policy and Aging
Public Policy of Conservation and Sustainable Development
Health Care Policy
Health Care Policy
Internship (in assignment relevant to the emphasis area)
Policy Analysis of Higher Education
Total Hours 15

Local Government Management

Required 1
P P ADM 6340 Seminar in City Administration 3
or
P P ADM 6350 Issues in Urban Management
P P ADM 6470 Proseminar in Urban Politics 3
or
 P P ADM 6471 Seminar In Urban Politics
Electives
Select three of the following: 9
Managing People in Organizations
Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations
Seminar in City Administration
Issues in Urban Management
Proseminar in Urban Politics
Seminar In Urban Politics
Urban and Regional Planning and Public Policy
Management Information Systems
Internship (in assignment relevant to emphasis area)
Geospatial Analysis in the Social Sciences
Total Hours 15

Nonprofit Organization Management and Leadership

Required
P P ADM 6300 Leadership and Management in Nonprofit Organizations 3
P P ADM 6310 American Philanthropy and Nonprofit Resources Development 3
P P ADM 6311 Staff Management Issues in Nonprofit Organizations 1
P P ADM 6312 Legal Issues in Managing Nonprofit Organizations 1
P P ADM 6313 Financial Issues in Managing Nonprofit Organizations 1
Electives
Select two of the following: 6
Accounting for Governmental and Not-For-Profit Entities
Managerial Communication
Law, Ethics and Business
Contemporary Marketing Concepts
Selected Topics in Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Strategic and Program Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
Managing People in Organizations
Management Information Systems
Internship (in assignment relevant to the emphasis area)
Social Psychology
Total Hours 15

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