Serving both pre-service students and mid-career professionals, the MPA Program prepares students to exercise leadership within local, state, federal, and non-profit agencies. One MPA class, concerning Information Systems, is always offered online. Each of the MPA Program’s other courses is presented on KSU’s campus on weekday evenings.
In addition to taking core and elective courses, each student completes a specialization in Human Resource Management, Non-Profit Management, International Development, or Management Information Systems. Up to twelve hours of appropriate graduate course work from other institutions, or from KSU’s other graduate programs, may be applied to this Program.
DEGREE SCHEMATIC
A 3 semester credit hour background course, PUA 600 (Seminar on American Political Institutions and Public Policies), is required of international students and others with limited academic backgrounds in American public administration.
Core Courses (24 semester credit hours):
PUA 500 Perspectives on Public Administration
PUA 501 Quantitative Methods
PUA 503 Research Methods and Policy Analysis
PUA 504 Organization Theory
PUA 505 Managerial Computer Applications
PUA 506 Human Resource Management in the Public Sector
PUA 605 Public Sector Economics
PUA 607 Budgeting in Government Agencies
Specialty Area Courses (9 semester credit hours):
The student must select and complete three specialty area courses at the 600 level in Public Administration (9 semester credit hours) in consultation with the student's advisor.
Internship (required for pre service students, 3 semester credit hours):
PUA 699 Internship in Public Administration
Thesis Option (6 semester credit hours plus three additional coursework hours):
A thesis is a formal paper reflecting systematic research on a significant problem. It should represent a student's independent research, carried out under the supervision of the Public Administration faculty. A thesis may use primary data collected by the student and/or secondary data collected by governmental and non-governmental organizations. It must, however, provide evidence of originality, appropriate organization, clarity of purpose, critical analysis, and accuracy. Mere descriptions, cataloguing, compilation, and bibliographic reviews are not adequate. Approval of the Dean of the School of Public Administration is required prior to registration for the thesis option.
Coursework Option (9 semester credit hours):
Students who select the coursework option must complete their final 9 semester credit hours from any 600 level courses. Approval of the student's advisor is required prior to registration for the coursework option.