Public Administration, Master of Public Administration

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Minimum Units for Completion	39
Additional Admission Requirements	Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
Fieldwork Experience/Internship	Required
Additional Fees/Program Fees	Required
Some online/blended coursework	Required
Progression Plan Link	View Program of Study

Purpose Statement

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) at Northern Arizona University prepares pre-service and mid-career professionals for leadership and management roles in public and not-for-profit sectors. As the preeminent public MPA program in Northern Arizona, we play a unique role in serving the people and public institutions of this region at the county, municipal, state, tribal and federal levels. In addition to this regional focus, the program serves students from throughout the state, the nation and even internationally. The curriculum of the NAU Master of Public Administration builds a strong foundation in the theoretical and practical dimensions of public management and educates students within a program of study that facilitates intellectual development, promotes scholarship, and integrates the theory and practice of public administration with the promotion of public service values.
 
Student Learning Outcomes

Core Outcomes 

Graduates of the MPA program should demonstrate the following abilities.

• Lead and manage in public governance, including being able to:
  • Apply theories of management, leadership and organization to deliver effective governance in public and non-profit organizations.
  • Assess the major theories of human resource management to select approaches that will best support the professional development and management of human resources in various areas.
  • Apply current legal requirements guiding human resource management in public and non-profit settings.
  • Demonstrate a working understanding of the budgeting process in public and non-profit settings, including the ability to create, read and analyze a budget.
  • Apply ethical reasoning to administrative design and decision-making in the context of public management and leadership.
• Participate in and contribute to the policy process, including being able to:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of policy analytic techniques and presentation.
  • Produce a professional quality policy analysis of a real policy problem.
  • Plan an evaluation of an existing policy or program.
• Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions, including being able to:
  • Compare and contrast different theories of management, leadership and organization in terms of each theory’s assumptions, applications, insights and limitations.
  • Formulate, develop and support arguments and recommendations in written essays and research papers.
  • Design quantitative and qualitative research projects, analyze data and draw conclusions.
  • Use ethical and practical reasoning in class assignments and discussions.
  • Explain and apply different models of decision making.
• Articulate and apply a public service perspective, including being able to:
  • Describe the importance of democratic and constitutional values in public management.
  • Analyze and explain how different theories of public management and organizations define and attempt to realize democratic and constitutional values.
  • Define and discuss the importance of equity, transparency, participation, accountability and diversity in public management and organizations.
  • Define and discuss efficiency and effectiveness from a public service perspective.
• Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and community, including being able to:
  • Critically reflect upon the nature and consequences of diversity (e.g. race, gender, class, ethnicity, religion, culture, nation), and develop an understanding of how this diversity both alters and is altered in a world characterized by global interaction.
  • Demonstrate professional behavior in terms of demeanor, personal presentation, ethics, and civic participation in experiential learning and classroom settings.
  • Write effectively and persuasively about the key principles, theories and issues of public administration.
  • Speak and/or interact in diverse public and professional settings.

Additional Admission Requirements

• Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

• The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
  
  Admission requirements include the following:

  • Transcripts.
  • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.

  
  Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
  
  Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

  International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

• • A bachelor’s degree in a closely related discipline
  • Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above or  6 units of subsequent coursework at the graduate level with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better

• • Three letters of recommendation
  • A writing sample
  • A personal statement or essay

• • Resume or Curriculum Vitae

Master's Requirements

• This Master’s degree requires 39 units distributed as follows:

  • Public Administration Core Coursework: 21 units
  • Seminar: 6 units
  • Selected Electives: 12 units

  
  Take the following 39 units:
  
  Core Coursework in Public Administration (21 units):

  • POS 501, POS 527, POS 541, POS 543, POS 571, POS 642, POS 644 (21 units)
  • MPA Capstone after you have completed the Public Administration coursework (6 units):
  • POS 591, with a grade of "B" or better 
  
  Electives
  • Select 12 units of electives which may include the POS courses listed below or other NAU courses chosen in consultation with your advisor*. Note that POS 428 or POS 581 can be taken twice with different topics. 
    • POS 428, POS 552, POS 581, POS 585, POS 600, POS 610, POS 612, POS 671
  
  Concentration Area
  • *Electives can include a concentration from a particular field or take several interdisciplinary courses that comprise a coherent area of study.
  • Areas from which you may select a concentration or area of study include, but aren't restricted to, Criminal Justice Administration, Educational Administration, Environmental Management, Applied Sociology, and Tribal Government. 
  • Choose all courses in consultation with your academic advisor. You may count up to two 400-level courses toward this degree if they haven't previously been counted toward a bachelor's degree.

• Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.

• PROGRAM FEE INFORMATION

• Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee of $750 per semester has been approved for this program.

---