Master of Public Administration, M.P.A.

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The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree program is designed to educate current (in-service) and future (pre-service) public service leaders with ethical behavior and professional competencies that promote public service values extending from UWG’s values of achievement, caring, collaboration, inclusiveness, innovation, integrity, sustainability, and wisdom. The program prepares students with the knowledge and skills to advance the public interest through teaching, research, and service to the community. The M.P.A. program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).

Overall Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Demonstrate effective leadership and management skills.
Assess the political, economic, and legal nature of the policymaking process and its implications on the work of public managers.
Synthesize, analyze, and apply theories and principles of public administration and management to solve problems in public and nonprofit organizations.
Articulate and apply a public service perspective.
Apply qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills for public and community problem solving and decision-making.
Communicate and interact effectively in an environment of changing demographics, evolving technology, and diverse perspectives.

All of the MPA courses are available online.

Regular Admission

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. Students with any undergraduate major may apply. Those students with no prior public administration education or public service experience will be required to take POLS 5200 - Principles of Public Administration . This course does not count toward the 36 hours required for the degree.

Admission will be based on the M.P.A. Committee’s evaluation of four factors: (1) A minimum 2.5 cumulative grade average (GPA) equivalent on a 4.0 scale is required, (2) Two letters of recommendation from former professors or from job supervisors, (3) A personal statement that describes the applicant’s work experience, professional goals, the reasons they have chosen this program, why they want to attend UWG, and how the MPA program will help the applicant achieve the goals, and (4) A current resume

Program of Study

The M.P.A. degree is a professional program requiring the completion of 36 semester hours of graduate credit. While an exit paper is required, the program is a non-thesis program. The curriculum for the M.P.A. degree places major emphasis upon courses in the area of public administration and policy. All pre-service students will be required to substitute an internship for 3 hours of the elective track. The program is built on three tiers of course work:

The Professional Core (21 hours):

All students must complete the professional core. The courses in the core are:

POLS 6200 - Public Budgeting and Financial Management 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6201 - Theory of Public Administration and Ethics 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6202 - Research Methods for Public Administration 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6203 - Public Organizational Theory 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6204 - Public Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6205 - Administrative Law and Procedures 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6206 - Public Human Resource Management 3 Credit Hours

The Elective Track (12 hours):

With the approval of the program advisor, each student must select 12 hours beyond the core courses. The track courses may be taken from any graduate program in the University. Generally, electives should form a coherent whole. Examples of track emphasis include, nonprofit management, public management, disaster/emergency management and particular areas of public policy. Those students with no experience in government or non-profit management are required to take a three hour PA internship (POLS 6286 ) in lieu of one elective course.

Major elective courses are listed below. Electives that are not listed below can be approved by the Program Director

POLS 6286 - Public Administration Internship 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5202 - Interorganizational Behavior 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5204 - Public Finance 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5207 - Technology Policy 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5208 - Public Health Administration and Policy 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5209 - Environmental Policy 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5210 - Public Management 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5211 - State and Local Politics and Administration 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5212 - State and Local Government Finance 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5213 - Comparative Public Administration and Policy 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5214 - Urban Politics 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5215 - Management of Nonprofit Organizations 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5216 - Gun Policy 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5217 - Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5222 - Leadership in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5515 - Terrorism and Counterterrorism 3 Credit Hours
POLS 5985 - Problems in Politics 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6211 - Disaster Management 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6285 - Special Topics in Public Policy/Administration 3 Credit Hours
POLS 6981 - Directed Readings 1.0 - 3.0 Credit Hours
CRIM 5001 - Survey Research Methods 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5004 - Managing Data 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5100 - Problem-Solving Courts 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5200 - Punishment and Society 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5231 - Women in the Criminal Justice System 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5232 - Family Violence 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5280 - Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5334 - Human Trafficking 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6000 - Principles of Criminology 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6003 - Applied Statistics in Criminology 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6010 - Crime and Public Policy 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6013 - Social Research 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6222 - Conflict Resolution 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6233 - Ethics and Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6241 - Legal Theories 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6255 - Delinquency, Family, and the Community 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6266 - Perspectives On Violence 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6275 - Planning and Evaluation 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6279 - White Collar Crime 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6333 - Victimology 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6340 - Advanced Criminological Theory 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6341 - Constitutional and Judicial Principles 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6342 - Crisis Intervention 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6345 - Homeland Security 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6350 - Terrorism 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6360 - Law Enforcement Leadership 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6370 - Correctional Management 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6380 - Criminal Justice Administration 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6623 - Crime and Social Inequality 3 Credit Hours

Criminology and Criminal Justice Track (12 hours)

Students must select 12 hours beyond the core courses. The track courses may be taken from the Criminology and Criminal Justice Track in the University. This track will give students knowledge about the criminal justice system and topics of particular interest within it. Those students with no experience in government or non-profit management are required to take a three-hour PA internship (POLS 6286) in lieu of one elective course.

CRIM 5001 - Survey Research Methods 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5002 - GIS, Planning, and Public Service 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5004 - Managing Data 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5100 - Problem-Solving Courts 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5200 - Punishment and Society 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5231 - Women in the Criminal Justice System 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5232 - Family Violence 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5280 - Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 5334 - Human Trafficking 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6003 - Applied Statistics in Criminology 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6010 - Crime and Public Policy 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6013 - Social Research 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6222 - Conflict Resolution 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6233 - Ethics and Criminal Justice 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6241 - Legal Theories 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6255 - Delinquency, Family, and the Community 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6266 - Perspectives On Violence 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6275 - Planning and Evaluation 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6279 - White Collar Crime 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6333 - Victimology 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6340 - Advanced Criminological Theory 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6341 - Constitutional and Judicial Principles 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6342 - Crisis Intervention 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6345 - Homeland Security 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6350 - Terrorism 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6360 - Law Enforcement Leadership 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6370 - Correctional Management 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6380 - Criminal Justice Administration 3 Credit Hours
CRIM 6623 - Crime and Social Inequality 3 Credit Hours

Comprehensive Research Project (3 hours):

This research project (also called “Exit Paper”) is taken at the completion of the students’ degree program. The exit paper can take several forms, but typically providing an analysis of public administration/policy issues and nonprofit sector issues. Students also may analyze an actual problem which confronts the student’s agency, describe the problem-solving approach taken, and evaluate the supportive evidence for the decision made. Finally, the paper can also evaluate linkages between the internship or work experience, classroom experiences, and public administration literature. Papers may also reflect other research dealing with an issue or problem relating to public administration. An oral defense of the paper before each student’s committee is required.

POLS 6287 - Capstone Project and Assessment in Public Administration 3 Credit Hours