The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) provides students with a rigorous intellectual foundation and critical analysis skills in the management and administration of public and non-profit organization, with an emphasis on environmental and urban sustainability. Students are immersed in an interdisciplinary field devoted to advancing scholarship, testing theories, and engaging in public service relevant to design and management of public and non-profit organizations in an era of social and environmental change.

In the M.P.A., students learn about research design and analysis for studying organizations and management; approaches for ethical and effective leadership in turbulent times; and best practices in the management of policy problems like climate change, housing, and water governance. 

The program consists of six quarters (two years) and students are required to complete a 13-course curriculum.

A. Complete:
UPPP 283	Collaborative Governance and Public Management
UPPP 253	Foundations of Public Administration
UPPP 254	Program Management and Evaluations
UPPP 255	Public Budgeting and Financial Management
UPPP 256	Sustainable Public Administration
UPPP 257	Designing and Consuming Research
UPPP 258	Ethics and Leadership
B. Complete six elective courses. Potential elective topics include environmental policy, urban policy, environmental law, program management and evaluation, and nonprofit management.

Capstone Project

In lieu of a thesis, students complete a capstone project, where they are required to synthesize the knowledge they obtained over the course of their studies and conduct research on an area of public administration theory and/or practice. 

Graduates from the program will be well-prepared for careers in a range of fields that benefit from an understanding of public administration, including (but not limited to): policy managers, public affairs specialists, human resources managers, public works managers, budget and financial analysts, executive directors, and chief operating officers; qualified to secure employment in a wide range of settings, including local, state, and federal government agencies, non-profit and community-based organizations, and consulting firms; and, once employed, well-suited to advance in a range of related fields such that they ultimately become leaders in fields related to public administration.