The MPA curriculum is designed to prepare students for an important responsibility of becoming public managers and policy decision-makers. The program develops the skills needed to diagnose problems, collect and analyze information, choose among policy alternatives, communicate findings, implement programs, and manage change.

The executive track follows a cohort-model where students begin in the fall semester only. The core courses (listed below) will be designed for the executive cohort. The executive experience courses are designed to meet the pedagogical, intellectual, and professional needs of the fellows without compromising the MPA learning outcomes and course quality.

The program is designed to be completed in two years. All students will have the opportunity to complete the core courses in two years and they may choose to complete the electives during the summer or during the regular semester while taking the core classes, or after they complete them.

Core Courses

PP 5340: Introduction to Public Policy and Management
PP 5365: Human Resource Management
PP 5361: Theory and Management of Public Organizations
PP 5364: Public Finance and Budgeting
PP 5375: Economic Analysis for Public Administration
PP 5370: Applied Research Design
PP 5331: Quantitative Methods for Public Policy
PP 5325: Labor-Management Relations, Negotiation, and Contract Management

Focus Areas

The focus area allows you to develop additional expertise in a specific area. The MPA Fellows program requires 9 credits (three courses) to complete a focus area. You can choose from the list of possible focus areas below, develop your own with the help of your advisor, or choose to remain a generalist and complete the focus area with three generalized courses. Examples of focus areas and possible courses include:

Executive Leadership

PP 5366: Executive Leadership (required)
PP 5345: Project Management in the Public Sector
PP 5359: Crisis Management
Other PP courses as approved

Nonprofit Management

PP 5319: Program Development
PP 5328: Business Functions of Nonprofit Organizations
PP 5324: Grant Writing and Government Contracting
PP 5323: Leading and Governing Nonprofits
PP 5329: Nonprofit Advocacy, Government Relations, and Law
PP 5336: Fund Development and Nonprofit Sustainability
PP 5366: Executive Leadership

Social Policy

PP 5346: Child and Family Policy (required)
PP 5303: Race and Policy
PP 5344: Social Policy
PP 5347: Applied Policy Issues
PP 5342: Policy Analysis
Other courses as approved from POLS, PUBH, SOCI, SSW

State and Local Government Management

PP 5363: Local Government Management and Leadership (required)
PP 5317: Capital Finance and Budgeting
PP 5349: Public Procurement and Contracting
PP 5368: Performance Management and Accountability
PP 5350: Urban and Regional Policy

Survey Research

PP 5379: Principles and Methods I (required)
Other courses as approved

Public Financial Management

PP 5373: Budgeting in Public Service Organizations
PP 5318: Financial Management for Public Organizations
PP 5317: Capital Finance and Budgeting
PP 5326: Public Investment Management
PP 5374: Topics in Financial Management

Public Policy

PP 5347: Applied Policy Issues
PP 5314: Casual Program Evaluation
PP 5342: Policy Analysis

Public Policy, Diversity, and Inclusion

PP 5304: Public Policy, Diversity, and Inclusion (required)
PP 5346: Child and Family Policy or PP 5344 Social Policy
PP 5303: Race and Policy
Other courses as approved from POLS, SOCI, WGSS

Urban Planning

PP 5348: Urban Planning Principles and Methods (required)
PP 5363: Local Government Management and Leadership
PP 5317: Capital Finance and Budgeting
PP 5350: Urban and Regional Policy
Other courses as approved from GEOG and LAW

Law and Public Policy

Two approved School of Law courses are required (recommended: LAW 7600 Administrative Law) along with one PP course:
PP 5304: Public Policy, Diversity, and Inclusion
PP 5363: Local Government Management and Leadership
PP 5329: Nonprofit Advocacy, Government Relations, and Law
Other courses as approved

Capstone Portfolio

PP 5372: Capstone Portfolio. This class provides a synthesis of the skills and competencies important to completing the MPA programs and for professionals in the public service.