Public Administration, MPA (PUBADM-MPA)

CIP Code: 440401

Program Description

The mission of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program is to prepare students to be successful public service leaders and practitioners in our multicultural and diverse region. To achieve this mission, the program exemplifies public service values through teaching, research, and community engagement; emphasizes critical thinking, professional writing and communication, and analytical and technical skills; balances theory and practice; and, promotes core values, including accountability, democratic participation, ethical behavior, fairness, transparency, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The program is designed to meet the needs of students seeking to begin professional public service careers (pre-service) and current public service practitioners seeking career advancement (in-service). Students may complete the MPA degree through part-time or full-time enrollment.

To best serve our MPA students we offer:

a blend of theory and practice in all MPA courses;
curriculum designed to develop and enhance core competencies;
and accommodating course schedules.

The MPA program offers students a choice of four tracks: general (G), community health (CH), criminal justice (CJ), and social issues (SI). Students will take the same core courses, and their electives, internships, and capstone topics will reflect their focus.

Students pursuing the MPA may also choose to complete a certificate program in Diversity and Social Inequality; Foreign Service; Geographic Information Science; or Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Dual degree options are offered in concert with the Master of Arts in International and Comparative Politics and the Master of Science in Social and Applied Economics programs.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation in the MPA program. Students who earned an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 or a GPA of at least 2.7 with a 3.2 GPA for the second half of their undergraduate course work may be granted Regular admission status. Those with an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.7 or a GPA of at least 2.5 with a GPA of 3.0 for the second half of their undergraduate course work may be granted Conditional admission status. Prospective applicants who do not meet these criteria for admission should review the policies of the WSU Graduate School for additional options.

Students are accepted into the program year-round to start in the Fall, Spring, or Summer terms. If starting other than the fall term, students may enroll in electives only unless given prior approval.

Domestic applications are processed automatically by Graduate Admissions with the College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies, while international applications are procesed automatically through International Admissions with the University Center for International Education (UCIE).

Completed applications for the MPA program include the WSU Application for Admission to Graduate Status and official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended (except WSU).

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in the MPA program will learn to:

Understand the fundamental knowledge, concepts, and principles associated with the discipline and profession of public administration
Develop awareness of the key institutional, political, and cultural factors that shape the field of public administration
Critically assess the range of theoretical perspectives which exist to understand the public and nonprofit management of the world’s problems
Communicate effectively in writing and speech to diverse audiences
Understand how to act ethically and responsibly in the field of public service

Program Learning Outcomes

MPA graduates will be able to:

Participate in, and contribute to, the policy process
Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make evidence-informed decisions in a complex and dynamic environment
Articulate, apply, and advance a public service perspective
Communicate and interact productively and in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large

For More Information

Program Requirements:

Course Requirements

IV. Electives: 9-12 Hours

General Track

GEO 6410 - Cartography Credit Hour(s): 4
GEO 6430 - Geographic Information Science Principles Credit Hour(s): 4
GEO 6440 - Advanced Geographic Information Applications Credit Hour(s): 4
MPA 6230 - Ethics and Leadership in Public Service Credit Hour(s): 3
MPA 6340 - Fundraising and Grant Writing Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6050 - Political Polarization in American Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6180 - Politics and Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6230 - American Public Policy Analysis Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6340 - Political Leadership Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6350 - Seminar - Political Corruption Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5310 - Globalization and Social Change Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5600 - Social Inequality Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5610 - Sociology of Gender Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5620 - Race and Ethnicity Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6310 - Urban Sociology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6320 - Neighborhoods and Communities Credit Hour(s): 3

Community Health

COM 6250 - Health Communication Credit Hour(s): 3
COM 6320 - Race, Class and Gender Communication Credit Hour(s): 3
GEO 6410 - Cartography Credit Hour(s): 4
GEO 6430 - Geographic Information Science Principles Credit Hour(s): 4
GEO 6440 - Advanced Geographic Information Applications Credit Hour(s): 4
MPA 6340 - Fundraising and Grant Writing Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6180 - Politics and Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6380 - Environmental Law & Policy Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6390 - Bioethics and Law Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5220 - Juvenile Delinquency Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5300 - Social Organization Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5600 - Social Inequality Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5620 - Race and Ethnicity Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5740 - Penology and Corrections Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6300 - International Migration & Integration Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6600 - Sociology of Sexuality Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6650 - Global Sexualities & Human Rights Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6670 - Disability: Power, Politics, Privilege Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6710 - Victimology Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 6310 - Environmental Health Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 7050 - Health Systems and Policy Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 7420 - Health Program Planning and Evaluation Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 7430 - Health Awareness and Advocacy Communications Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 7440 - Public Health Project Management Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 7510 - Strategic Leadership in Health Care Organizations Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 7520 - Problems in Population Health Credit Hour(s): 3
PPH 7650 - Public Health Crisis and Consequence Management Credit Hour(s): 3

Criminal Justice Track

ABS 7220 - Seminar on Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 5420 - Civil Liberties I: First Amendment Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 5430 - Civil Liberties II Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 5750 - Human Rights in USA Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6180 - Politics and Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6360 - Criminal Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6370 - Criminal Procedure Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6400 - Constitutional Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6420 - Criminal Justice Systems Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5210 - Sociology of Deviance Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5220 - Juvenile Delinquency Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5610 - Sociology of Gender Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5620 - Race and Ethnicity Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5700 - Criminology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5710 - Comparative Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5720 - Policing in Society Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5730 - Sociology of Courts, Law and Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5740 - Penology and Corrections Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6610 - Gender and Crime Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6620 - Elite Crime Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6700 - Explaining Crime: From Beccarria to Thornberry Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6710 - Victimology Credit Hour(s): 3

Social Issues Track

ABS 7240 - Social Problems Credit Hour(s): 3
ATH 5710 - Ethnographic Methods Credit Hour(s): 3
ATH 5800 - Special Topics in Anthropological Methods Credit Hour(s): 3
ATH 6030 - Urban Anthropology Credit Hour(s): 3
ATH 6100 - Special Topics in Cultural Anthropology Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 5430 - Civil Liberties II Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 5750 - Human Rights in USA Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 6180 - Politics and Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5100 - Marriage and Family Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5210 - Sociology of Deviance Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5300 - Social Organization Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5310 - Globalization and Social Change Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5600 - Social Inequality Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5610 - Sociology of Gender Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 5620 - Race and Ethnicity Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6310 - Urban Sociology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6320 - Neighborhoods and Communities Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6600 - Sociology of Sexuality Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6640 - Gender and Sexuality: Global Issues Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6650 - Global Sexualities & Human Rights Credit Hour(s): 3
SOC 6670 - Disability: Power, Politics, Privilege Credit Hour(s): 3
WGS 6800 - Studies in Selected Subjects Credit Hour(s): 3