MPA Curriculum

The MPA degree requires students to complete 36 credit hours. Each student’s program includes six core courses, four elective courses, and a six credit-hour internship. Students who have full-time managerial employment in a relevant profession may apply for an internship waiver when applying to the MPA program. Students obtaining a waiver for the six credit-hour internship are required to choose a three credit-hour experiential skills course for a total of 33 credit hours.

MPA students should register for PLS501 Organizational Theory and Behavior during their first semester. PLS605 Capstone Seminar: Applied Public Management should be taken during students’ final Spring semester.

Course descriptions are available in the Graduate Catalog.

Required Core Courses

18 Credits

PLS501 Organizational Theory and Behavior
PLS502 Human Resource Management
PLS503 Public Budgeting and Financial Management
PLS601 Research Methods
PLS603 Public Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation
PLS605 Capstone Seminar: Applied Public Management

Electives

12 Credits

PLS504 Ethics for Public Service Managers
PLS511 State Government
PLS512 Intergovernmental Relations
PLS522 Advocacy in Public Administration
PLS523 Communication for the Public Manager
PLS 531 Nonprofit Management and Leadership
PLS561 Administrative Law
PLS491/591 Selected Topics
PLS621 Field Research I
PLS622 Field Research II

Experiential Requirements

6 Credits

PLS611 Internship I
PLS612 Internship II