Public Administration, EMPA

Admissions to the Executive Master of Public Administration are currently suspended

The Executive Master of Public Administration is designed to advance the careers and develop skills of senior public and non-profit sector managers. The focus of the program is on student practitioners with a minimum of ten years professional administrative and managerial experience. The curriculum is offered to students organized as a cohort. A cohort begins only when there are sufficient students in the cohort to justify the use of resources for the degree (typically 20 students). Once the cohort is formed the courses are offered in a specific sequence and on a format which is designed to reflect the ongoing work demands of the students in the cohort. The classes are not offered on the same format as traditional courses, but, rather, rely on weekend, web-based, and web-enhanced courses. The cohort moves through that sequence as a group. A student may not take courses out of sequence nor can students drop in and out of the cohort. If a student drops out of a class the student must wait until a new cohort reaches that same point in the sequence to re-enter the program.

Admission Requirements

For the Executive MPA students must have ten years of professional administrative or managerial experience in government or non-profit sector as shown in their current resume.

Admission is open to students who have completed a bachelor’s degree. No specific field or undergraduate major is required for admission.

The grade point average requirements for consideration for full admission is an overall undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.8 or greater or 3.05 for the last 60 credit hours. Provisional admission may be granted to those with an overall GPA between 2.5 and 2.79; however, applicants with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.79 must also submit two letters of reference that speak to the applicants’ goal and abilities.

Additionally, applicants must submit the following:

  • A copy of their current resume to ascertain professional experience and eligibility for this program.
  • A personal essay explaining why the study and completion of a MPA degree will help with personal and professional goals.

Admission decisions are made by the department committee as explained in the department handbook.

Degree Requirements

Satisfactory completion of 39 credit hours of graduate study.

Required Courses
PAUS:516Personnel Management in the Public Sector3
PAUS:551Introduction to City Management3
PAUS:600Basic Quantitative Research3
PAUS:610Legal Foundations of Public Administration3
PAUS:613Intergovernmental Management3
PAUS:614Ethics & Public Service3
PAUS:615Public Organization Theory3
PAUS:624Emergency Management Policy Implementation & Analysis3
PAUS:640Fiscal Analysis3
PAUS:641Urban Economic Growth & Development3
PAUS:642Public Budgeting3
PAUS:671Program Evaluation in Urban Studies3
PAUS:688Capstone Seminar in Public Administration3
Total Hours39

The cohort will have a distinct capstone project. In addition, there will be an exit questionnaire.