Public Administration - Online, MPA

Goals

• Educate students to be compassionate and effective leaders who humanely manage public organizations
• Prepare students to initiate and facilitate interactions between government, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors to provide ethical and workable solutions to societal needs
• Create a collaborative environment of excellence in instruction, research, and service
• Translate research into effective practices and achievable, humane policies
• Prepare students to determine, collect, and analyze the evidence appropriate and essential for implementing public service strategies

Program Learning Outcomes

GOAL 1: EDUCATE STUDENTS TO BE COMPASSIONATE AND EFFECTIVE LEADERS WHO HUMANELY MANAGE PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS.

• Identify and describe differences between the vision, values, and goals of actors in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors; discuss practical and ethical implications of these differences for public leadership
• Identify and discuss the role of public leaders toward recognizing and instituting the principles of democratic governance in public organizations and community-based initiatives

GOAL 2: PREPARE STUDENTS TO INITIATE AND FACILITATE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, FOR‐ PROFIT, AND NONPROFIT SECTORS TO PROVIDE ETHICAL AND WORKABLE SOLUTIONS TO SOCIETAL NEEDS.

• Report findings and interpret research in recognition of, and with respect for, diverse cultural and historical perspectives; correctly identify limitations and constraints; effectively communicate with elected officials, administrators, issue advocates and the population at large
• Determine, collect and articulate the interests of diverse voices of a community, especially the most vulnerable among us

GOAL 3: CREATE A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN INSTRUCTION, RESEARCH, AND SERVICE.

• Demonstrate leadership behavior through application of organizational and managerial theories

GOAL 4: TRANSLATE RESEARCH INTO EFFECTIVE PRACTICES AND ACHIEVABLE, HUMANE POLICIES.

• Determine, collect and articulate the interests of diverse voices of a community, especially the most vulnerable among us
• Accurately interpret and communicate analytic research and policy implications to stakeholders

GOAL 5: PREPARE STUDENTS TO DETERMINE, COLLECT, AND ANALYZE THE EVIDENCE APPROPRIATE AND ESSENTIAL FOR IMPLEMENTING PUBLIC SERVICE STRATEGIES.

• Develop and apply the critical thinking and analytical skills (qualitative and quantitative) necessary for effective, informed, and balanced policy analysis
• Develop and present informed and balanced results

STUDENTS IN THE HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION EMPHASIS OF THE MPA WILL ALSO:

• Identify challenges and issues in the U.S. health care sector in specific areas of policy, its contemporary legal framework, and management; describe/develop operational responses and managerial adaptations

Major Requirements (39 units)

The Online MPA curriculum is comprised of 39 units. There are 13 courses of three units each.

Students must complete all major coursework with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA.