Master of Public Administration - State and Local Government Emphasis (MPA)

Location(s): Online Campus
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Program Admission

See Admissions Requirements for this program.

Program Information

Graduate students must complete their program within six (6) years of matriculation.
All courses must be passed with a “B-” (2.7) or better to be counted in the program.
Students must earn a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 to graduate. Students who do not meet the 3.0 requirement will be subject to the College of Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS) Probation Policy.
Students may substitute up to 12 credit hours completed in other SUU graduate programs or as transfer credits from graduate programs at other accredited institutions, with prior permission of the MPA Director.

Public Administration - State and Local Government Curriculum (36 Credits)

Core Courses (21 Credits)

PADM 6000 - Program Overview and Theory of Public Administration 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6200 - Public Sector Budgeting 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6300 - Administrative Law 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6440 - Research Methods 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6450 - Program Evaluation 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6500 - Public Human Resources Management 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6620 - Critical Thinking and Ethics in the Public Sector 3 Credit(s)

Experiential Learning Courses (3-6 Credits)

All MPA students must complete three (3) or six (6) credit hours of experiential learning courses. Pre-service MPA students must complete six (6) credit hours of experiential learning, consisting of an MPA internship (3 credits) and the MPA Capstone Project (3 credits). The internship may be substituted for an in-field project with prior permission of the MPA Director. Pre-service students are defined as those having less than one (1) year of full-time equivalent work experience in the public sector. Non-resident students must be in-service professionals and exempt from the MPA Internship.

MPA Students that have more than one (1) year of full-time equivalent work experience in the public sector can apply for an Internship Waiver. These In-Service students will have a three (3) credit experiential learning course requirement. The other three (3) credits can be used to take an additional elective of the student’s choosing.

PADM 6890 - MPA Internship 1-6 Credit(s) (must complete 3 credits) 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6990 - Capstone in Public Administration 3 Credit(s)

State and Local Government Emphasis Courses (9-12 Credits)

Complete 9-12 credits from the following (to reach the minimum required 36 credits):

PADM 6600 - Leadership and Management in the Public Sector 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6610 - Public Policy Analysis 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6615 - Comparative Public Policy 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6630 - State and Local Government 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6640 - Constitutional Law 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6650 - Managing America’s Cities 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6670 - Intergovernmental Relations 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6750 - Special Topics in Public Administration 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6830 - Readings and Conferences 1-3 Credit(s) (complete 3 credits) 3 Credit(s)
PADM 6950 - Professional Project 1-6 Credit(s) (complete 3 credits) 3 Credit(s)

Total Credits, MPA Degree: 36

Note

Please note that some students may ultimately earn more credits than listed above for the master’s degree. If the capstone cannot be completed within one (1) semester, students must be enrolled continuously in PADM 6999 - Capstone Continuance until completion.

Program Learning Outcomes

SUU MPA Students will demonstrate the following core abilities:

to lead and manage in the public interest;
to participate in, and contribute to, the policy process;
to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make evidence informed decisions in a complex and dynamic environment;
to articulate, apply, and advance a public service perspective;
to communicate and interact productively and in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large.

Students in the State and Local Government Emphasis will demonstrate the following additional abilities:

Identify and apply relevant legal issues and regulations for state and local governments;
Demonstrate ability to manage state and local government resources and programs in an effective and ethical manner;
Communicate and coordinate between different levels of government, the private sector, and the general public