Public Administration, 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 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.