2020-2021 Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Public Administration, MPA


Program Director: Billy Riggs, PhD

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) and the MPA with a concentration in Health Services Administration (MPA/HSA)   programs provide mid-career and aspiring professionals with an opportunity to obtain advanced managerial education applicable to a broad range of public sector, nonprofit, and health care organizations. The MPA program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).

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Mission

We prepare our graduates for public leadership by advancing a challenging curriculum while pursuing complementary research and transforming learning into acts of consequence to serve our communities, especially the most vulnerable among us.

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 CONCENTRATION 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 (38 units)


The On-Campus MPA curriculum is comprised of 38 units. There are nine core courses, four units each, and one elective course at two units.