MPA Curriculum

MPA Curriculum (36 Credits)

The MPA curriculum is composed of three parts for a total of 36 credits:

• Core courses (24 credits),
• Professional emphasis courses (9 credits), and
• Thesis or Capstone Seminar or Field Project (3 credits).

All MPA courses are offered on a Fixed Course Schedule.

Core Courses (24 credits)

• The Core Courses include course work in the historical and theoretical foundations of public administration, the legal, ethical and political environments of public administrators, the major managerial functions of leading, planning, organizing, budgeting, controlling, staffing, and coordinating, as well as public policy analysis and applied economics.  With a strong foundation in academic theory and applied research, students will learn the tools of visionary, results-based leadership and effective management. 

Students must complete eight core courses:

• MPA 711 Introduction to Public Administration (3 credits)
• MPA 715 Leadership and Ethics (3 credits)
• MPA 721 Public Policy Analysis (3 credits)
• MPA 723 Organization Theory and Practice (3 credits)
• MPA 732 Analytic Methods in Public Administration (3 credits)
• MPA 734 Applied Economics for Public Administration (3 credits)
• MPA 742 Human Resource Management in the Public Sector (3 credits)
• MPA 752 Public Budgeting and Financial Management (3 credits)

Professional Emphasis Courses (9 credits)

Professional emphasis courses allow students to gain additional expertise by specializng in one of the two areas below. Each emphasis consists of three professional emphasis courses: 

• Public Administration (General)
• Public Administration (Health)

Students must select three elective courses for their respective emphasis.

• MPA 718 Revisiting Bureaucracy (3 credits)
• MPA 726 State and Local Government (3 credits)
• MPA 727 Municipal Management (3 credits)
• MPA 729 Health Care Organization and Management (3 credits)
• MPA 750 Strategic Planning in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)
• MPA 751 Program Evaluation (3 credits)
• MPA 755 Managing Economic Development (3 credits)
• MPA 760 Administrative Law (3 credits)
MPA 762 Health Care Administration Law (3 credits)
MPA 773 Health Care Policy (3 credits)
MPA 796 Independent Study (1, 2, or 3 cr.)
MPA 797 Special Topics (3 credits)

Note:

• See course descriptions and prerequisites, if any, by clicking on the course number.
• For information about the transfer of credits department policy, please contact the PA Department Chair.
• See additional information about the professional emphases below.

Thesis or Capstone Seminar or Field Project (3 credits)

At the end of the program, students will write and publish a capstone project, a field project or thesis, a significant research paper that makes a practical and/or theoretical impact on the field. More information about the similarities and differences of the three projects is provided here.

• MPA 780 Capstone Seminar (3 credits), or
• MPA 792 Thesis (3 credits), or
• MPA 790 Field Project (3 credits) 

Note:

• Prerequisites: Completion of core and professional emphasis courses or consent of instructor.
• Spring 2013 MPA 780-Capstone, will be offered on CYCLE 3.
• Contact your academic advisor for a discussion of your choice.

MPA Emphases

General Public Administration Emphasis (9 credits)

Students who emphasize public administration (general) within their MPA program are recommended to take three of the following courses to fulfill their 9 credits of this professional emphasis:

• MPA 718 Revisiting Bureaucracy (3 credits)
• MPA 726 State and Local Government (3 credits)
• MPA 727 Municipal Management (3 credits)
• MPA 750 Strategic Planning in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)
• MPA 751 Program Evaluation (3 credits)
• MPA 755 Managing Economic Development (3 credits)
• MPA 760 Administrative Law (3 credits)
MPA 797 Special Topics (e.g., Intergovernmental Relations, Public Safety) (3 credits)

Note:

• Transfer Credit Policy (4/2/2002): UWO MPA program will accept up to 6 credits from Criminal Justice Executive Development Institute (EDI), which is offered through the Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC). In order for EDI students to receive graduate credit from UWO MPA program, they must: (1) meet all admission requirements for the MPA program, (2) complete the graduate track in EDI with a minimum grade point average of 3.0, and (3) successfully complete the core curriculum (21 credits) of the MPA program. UWO will not award any graduate credit for EDI courses that do not satisfy the terms of this agreement. In addition, EDI credits must be transfered as a block and will not transfer individually.
• We can accept EDI credits from FVTC only.  While other tech colleges may offer similar programs, we don't have articulated agreements with them.

Health Agency Administration Emphasis (9 credits)

Students who emphasize health agency administration within their MPA program must take the following three courses to fulfill their 9 credits of this professional emphasis:

• MPA 729 Health Care Organization and Management (3 credits)
• MPA 762 Health Care Administration Law (3 credits)
• MPA 773 Health Care Policy (3 credits)

Course Sequence

• Sample tentative planning options, based on the fixed schedule, are available here.
• Students should plan to take the core courses as early as possible.
• It is recommended that MPA 732 Analytic Methods in Public Administration be taken near the end of the program, shortly before MPA 780, MPA 792 and MPA 790, so that students can use knowledge from this course to develop their research projects.
• It is also recommended that MPA 721 Public Policy Analysis is taken at least a semester before MPA 780, MPA 792, and MPA 790.
• In order to complete the program in the least amount of time, students should plan to take core and professional emphasis courses concurrently.
• It is recommended that students meet with their selected advisor or Jenny Davies to develop a personalized course plan.

Admission Requirements

• For admission requirements, please see MPA Program Admission.