1998-1999 Catalog
Master of Public
Administration Degree

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed to promote achievement of students’ professional objectives with regard to government agencies and health organizations. It is suitable also for non-for-profit organizations. The program offers curriculum options in:

• general government, which is applicable to government agencies of all types and levels.
• health services administration, designed for students who wish to be better-prepared for management in complex health organizations and programs; it is especially suited to students whose health careers move from providing direct services to supervisory and programmatic responsibilities.
• justice administration, which is designed to promote professional achievement in law enforcement, corrections, and related fields.

The program is appropriate for mid-career students with undergraduate degrees in liberal arts or technical/professional areas. To provide access to in-service as well as pre-service students, classes are scheduled for evenings and Saturdays; selected justice administration courses are taught in a week-long format.

Expected Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate knowledge of core and option subjects on the comprehensive examination.
• Graduates will express satisfaction with the contribution of the degree to their professional goals.

Admission

An undergraduate degree from an accredited institution is required. Regular admission requires minimum 2.75 undergraduate grade point average and either a minimum score of 800 on the general test of the Graduate Record Examination (total of verbal and quantitative scores) or a minimum score of 44 on the Miller Analogies Test. Applicants not meeting these criteria may be admitted as provisional students, if the department offering the option finds other indicators of probable success, such as professional achievement or upward trend of undergraduate grades.

Curriculum

In addition to the courses listed below, each option is subject to the following requirements:

• All students must complete the common core listed below.
• A minimum B average in core courses, with no more than two Cs, and a minimum grade of B in option courses is required for degree completion.
• No more than 17 semester credit hours in Abbott Turner College of Business courses, including transferred credit, may be credited toward the MPA degree.
• Satisfactory completion of the Comprehensive Examination (MPAC 7000) is required for graduation. The examination is based on courses taken and normally is completed in the last semester of enrollment. It is the responsibility of the student to register for MPAC 7000 in the appropriate semester. The examination is drawn up and graded by a committee appointed by the program director, which includes core and option faculty. The director is eligible to serve on the examination committee. A candidate who fails the examination will be eligible for re-examination during the next semester. Students in the general government and justice administration options may substitute MPAC 7999 (Thesis) for MPAC 7000.

Course Requirements

MPAC 7106 Public Administration and Policy
MPAC 7116 Public Personnel Administration
MPAC 7126 Public Budgeting and Financial Administration
MPAC 7136 Research Methods for Administration
MPAC 7146 Organization Theory and Behavior
MPAC 7156 Legal Environment of Administration

General Government Option

Select 18 semester hours from the following:
MPAC 7000 MPA Comprehensive Exam
MPAC 7899 Independent Study
MPAG 5555 Selected Topics in Administration
MPAG 7698 Internship
POLS 7167 American Political Process and Policy-making
POLS 7177 National Security Policy
POLS 7187 State and Local Government and Intergovernmental Relations
POLS 7197 Comparative Administration

Note: General government students may choose to substitute MPAC 7137 (Advanced Research Methods) and MPAC 7999 (Thesis) for MPAC 7000 (MPA Comprehensive Examination) and for two of the option courses above.

Health Services Administration Option
MPAC 7000 MPA Comprehensive Exam
MPAH 6105 Strategies in Health Services Administration
MPAH 6115 Planning, Developing, and Marketing Health Services
MPAH 6125 Microsystems in Health Service Delivery
MPAH 6135 Risk Management in Health Service Delivery
MPAH 6145 Cost Analysis Issues in Health Care
MPAH 6195 Seminar in Health Services Administration

Justice Administration Option

Select 18 semester hours from the following:
MPAC 7000 MPA Comprehensive Exam
MPAJ 7105 Comparative Criminal Justice
MPAJ 7106 Community and Government Relations
MPAJ 7125 Crime and Criminal Behaviors
MPAJ 7126 Correctional Practices and Problems
MPAJ 7128 Police Practices and Problems
MPAJ 7135 Services for Children with Behavioral Problems
MPAJ 7158 Labor Law and Civil Rights
MPAJ 7168 Program Planning and Evaluation
MPAJ 7188 Law and Social Control
MPAJ 7555 Selected Topics in Criminal Justice
MPAJ 7899 Directed Research

Note: Justice administration students may choose to substitute MPAC 7137 (Advanced Research Methods) and MPAC 7999 (Thesis) for MPAC 7000 (MPA Comprehensive Examination) and for two of the option courses above.

Total Hours Required 36

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