Public Administration (Executive) - M.P.A.

Program Coordinator: Craig Kelly

The Executive Master of Public Administration (MPA), housed in the Department of Public and International Affairs in the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts, is an interdisciplinary, terminal professional degree designed for working professionals who seek to develop their professional skills and abilities and want to pursue careers as managers, analysts, supervisors, and program specialists in the public and nonprofit sector. The required coursework emphasizes developing the following learning competencies:

To lead and manage in public governance;
To participate in and contribute to the policy process;
To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions;
To articulate and apply a public values perspective; and
To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.

The program’s coursework emphasizes leading and managing in public governance and students will learn to lead, motivate, and manage a diverse workplace-within and across organizations. Students will also develop their understanding of the impact of changing market and political conditions on organizational practice and resource streams.

It is also important for leaders to learn how to participate and contribute to the policy process by learning how to analyze policy alternatives and understand the wide range of policy instruments and management tools that are available to address social problems. However, to contribute to the policy process, leaders and managers need to communicate and work effectively with other government and nonprofit institutions as well as community stakeholders.

Effective leaders and managers also have the ability to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions. This requires having the ability to define, frame, think critically about and analyze important problems. It also requires the ability to utilize managerial tools and techniques to analyze, present, and interpret data, including appropriate design, statistical, and evaluative techniques for both organizational decision making and policy decisions. It also requires the ability to apply management theories and tools for organizational decision making including but not limited to group decision making, strategic planning, performance measurement, program evaluation, and benefit-cost analysis.

It is also important for managers and leaders to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry. This requires the ability to communicate effectively and professionally to diverse audiences and understanding of how to work effectively in diverse groups. Since the Executive MPA program also focuses on developing future leaders in the public and nonprofit sector, it is important that our students share the values associated with public service, such as the importance of accountability and transparency, professionalism, competence, efficiency, objectivity, equity and fairness, and respecting fellow public servants and the clients we work with. It also requires the ability to identify ethical dilemmas and then pursuing appropriate courses of action that uphold and reinforce these public service values.

The required coursework and our optional concentrations focus on developing these learning competencies in a myriad of ways through your course readings and assignments, video presentations, case analyses, applied learning projects, and self-assessments.

Admission Requirements

The Executive MPA program is designed for working professionals with at least 5 years of professional work experience. Applicants seeking admission to the Executive Master of Public Administration program are required to submit the following to the Graduate School by the published deadline:

An application for graduate admission
Official transcripts of all college work (undergraduate and graduate).A GPA of at least 3.0 at the undergraduate level is required for admission. Students with a GPA below 3.0 may be accepted provisionally when there is a record of professional work experience longer than 3 years or other evidence that suggests the ability to successfully complete graduate coursework (e.g., standardized test scores on the GRE or GMAT, successful completion of other graduate coursework).
Three recommendations from individuals who are in a position to evaluate the applicant’s professional competence as well as potential for graduate study (ideally at least one reference should be an academic instructor).
A personal statement describing your professional experiences, reasons for pursuing graduate study in the Executive MPA program, and your professional career goals
Resume

Admissions decisions are based upon the examination of the entire portfolio of information and when indicators of success warrant, individuals who fall below the established criterion in one area may be considered for admission. Students lacking 5 years of professional experience may be considered for admission provided there is a strong academic record of achievement, strong letters of recommendation, and the resume and statement of interest reflect a strong commitment to public service. In these instances, the student will be required to successfully complete at least 3-credit hours of a professional internship experience.

Academic Regulations

In addition to the policies contained in the Code of Student Life, the university catalog, and other university and MPA program publications, students admitted to the MPA program must comply with the following additional policies.

Non-degree Seeking Students

The Executive MPA program allows non-degree seeking students to take a limited number of courses for credit. Non-degree seeking students are limited to taking no more than 9 credit hours before they are required to apply for admission as a degree-seeking student. Additional hours must be approved in advance by the graduate coordinator. Since non-degree seeking students are subject to different admissions requirements, the graduate coordinator may limit the courses that a particular non-degree seeking student is allowed to take. The courses taken as a non-degree seeking student may be used to satisfy degree requirements when admitted as a degree seeking student provided they are approved by the graduate coordinator.

Retention Policy

Two grades of a C or lower, one grade of F, or one grade of U results in automatic dismissal from the Executive MPA program. Further, if a student falls below 3.0 GPA at any time, he or she goes on academic probation and has three subsequent courses or nine credit hours to raise their GPA above a 3.0 or they are dismissed from the Executive MPA program. If the student raises their GPA above a 3.0 and it falls below a 3.0 for a second time, they are dismissed from the Executive MPA program. Students must have a GPA above 3.0 to enroll in MPA 596 .

Minimum Competency Requirement

The core requirements (18 credit hours) are courses that require a minimum level of competency of a B- or better. Any student receiving a grade of C+ or lower must repeat the course and receive a grade of B- or better. Such courses may only be repeated once and failure to receive a B- or better grade will result in dismissal from the Executive MPA program. Both the initial and repeated grades will count towards determining the GPA but only three credit hours will count toward the degree requirements.

Academic Honor Code

The Executive MPA program is committed to the university’s honor code. No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated (see the university catalogs and Code of Student life for examples of dishonesty). Students are encouraged to report occurrences of academic dishonesty to their course instructors or the graduate coordinator. Students found guilty of academic dishonesty may be dismissed from the program by the coordinator of the Executive MPA program regardless of the penalty imposed by the university’s disciplinary procedures.

Student Conduct

he Executive Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a professional degree program. All MPA students are expected to act and behave with professionalism both on and off campus. Acceptance of admission to the Executive MPA program shall be construed as evidence that an MPA student agrees to comply with all rules and regulations of the university as stated in the Code of Student Life, the university catalog, and other university and MPA program publications. Students accused of conduct that warrants proceedings by the Dean of Students according to these university policies may be suspended by the program director pending the resolution of the administrative proceedings. Students found guilty during these proceedings may also be suspended or dismissed from the Executive MPA program following a disciplinary hearing regardless of the penalty imposed by the Dean of Students.

The Executive MPA Program strives to develop future professionals who work in managerial and leadership positions in the public and nonprofit sectors. Therefore, MPA students are expected to act in accordance with the code of ethics developed by the MPA program as well as other applicable codes developed by professional associations in the field of public administration. Moreover, any student accused or found guilty of a crime involving moral turpitude or a crime with the potential to create a danger to the campus community or would create an adverse learning environment or hostile workplace (broadly defined) may be suspended or dismissed by the program director following a disciplinary hearing. Students accused or found guilty of unacceptable personal conduct as defined by the North Carolina Department of Administration’s Disciplinary Action and Dismissal Policy or personal or professional conduct that violates established codes of ethical conduct adopted by the MPA program or professional associations within the field of public administration may be suspended or dismissed by the program director following a disciplinary hearing. Disciplinary hearings conducted by the Executive MPA program shall be conducted by the MPA director (or their designee) and 2 other members of the MPA program’s faculty and students will have an opportunity to present evidence. Failure of the student to participate in a disciplinary meeting or hearing or the failure of a student to respond to a request for information pertaining to the allegations shall be grounds for suspension or dismissal by the director of the Executive MPA program. If a student is arrested or is accused of behavior subject to this policy, the student is required to notify the program director as soon as practicable. Failure to notify the MPA director shall be grounds for suspension or dismissal from the program.

Degree Requirements (36 total credit hours)

The program requires the satisfactory completion of 36 credit hours of approved graduate level courses. All students are required to complete the 18 credit hours of core classes designed to enhance the skills and abilities needed by leaders, managers, and analysts pursuing careers in the public or nonprofit sector. Students are also required to complete 18 credit hours of approved electives that focus on building managerial and analytical skills.

Core Requirements (18 credit hours)

All students are required to complete the following classes:

MPA 500 - Public Management Credit Hours: 3
MPA 501 - Quantitative Methods Credit Hours: 3
MPA 502 - Public Human Resources Management Credit Hours: 3
MPA 503 - Financial Management and Decision Making Credit Hours: 3
MPA 505 - Policy Analysis Credit Hours: 3
MPA 596 - Capstone Project in Public Administration Credit Hours: 3 (prerequisite is successful completion of 30 credit hours and completion of all of the core courses)

Electives (18 credit hours)

MPA 506 - Program Evaluation Credit Hours: 3
MPA 507 - Applied Management Tools, Skills, and Techniques Credit Hours: 3
MPA 508 - Ethics in Public Life Credit Hours: 3
MPA 509 - Leading Public and Nonprofit Organizations Credit Hours: 3
MPA 510 - Public Administration, Policy and Politics in the American Federal System Credit Hours: 3
MPA 517 - Strategic Planning and Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Credit Hours: 3
MPA 518 - Grant Writing for Public and Nonprofit Organizations Credit Hours:
MPA 531 - Nonprofit Resource Development Credit Hours: 3
MPA 536 - Nonprofit Business Law Credit Hours: 3
MPA 541 - Public Economics and Cost-Benefit Analysis Credit Hours: 3
MPA 542 - Managing Interorganizational Relations Credit Hours: 3
MPA 591 - Directed Independent Study Credit Hours: 1 TO 6
MPA 592 - Special Topics in Public Administration Credit Hours: 3