School of Public Affairs and Administration Master of Public Administration Degree

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1 School of Public Affairs and Administration Master of Public Administration Degree Public administration is an academic field that addresses implementation of public policies at all levels of government (federal, state, local, special districts) and in sectors related by virtue of their quasi-governmental structure, degree of regulation, or financial and contractual relationships to governments, for example, the non-profit sector. The SPAA Master of Public Administration degree combines contexts of public policy making with understanding of urban environments and knowledge and skills needed for operational management of government and non-profit organizations and networks. The multi-disciplinary and inter-institutional curriculum addresses fundamental principles, ethics and leadership, and current issues in the field. The program provides opportunities to gain competencies employers seek: problem identification, quantitative and qualitative evidence and analysis, defining solutions, communicating with varied audiences, preparing convincing reports and presentations. Students gain experience in teamwork and working in diverse environments. Appreciation of cultural differences and understanding of expectations and rights of employees and clients encourage tolerance and mutual respect. Candidates for the M.P.A. degree complete 42 credits including a core curriculum of 27 (comprehensives option) or 30 (capstone option) credits and 15 (comprehensives) or 12 (capstone) credits of electives. Pre-career students are encouraged to complete internships. Project-based internships can be arranged for those working full time but seeking experience in a different setting or career field. Electives can be taken in a variety of specialization areas as described below. Students may also seek specializations and electives in other programs within Rutgers or at partner universities (New Jersey Institute of Technology and University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey) with the permission of the program director. Students may transfer up to 12 credits from another master s degree with permission of the program director. Students with significant amounts of career experience may petition for up to 12 professional credits. The threshold for maximum professional experience is more than six years of career positions with supervisory, program, or budget authority and evidence of increasing levels of responsibility. Transfer and professional credits should be discussed with the program director. A maximum of 12 credits can be awarded in any combination of transfer and/or professional experience. Students complete the program in two to three years depending upon the number of credits taken per semester. Most MPA students are working adults who take six credits per semester (parttime), including summers. Nine credits per semester is considered full-time at the graduate level. The M.P.A. degree is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). MPA Program Description 1 Fall 2009

2 Admission Requirements Admission to the M.P.A. degree is based on evaluation of the following credentials: Completion of Application for Admission and payment of admission fee ( Undergraduate GPA (official transcript required) Previous graduate work (if relevant) Personal statement Letters of recommendation (three required) Current resume GRE results Individuals seeking admission should submit the above materials for evaluation. The M.P.A. degree has rolling admissions except for international students, where sufficient time to process paperwork requires deadlines for specific semesters. Candidates for admission should complete the application as soon as practical and may begin courses in the next available semester following acceptance. Meeting traditional standards (3.0 undergraduate GPA, on GRE, good letters of recommendation and personal statement) enhances a timely admission decision, but every candidate s admission materials are evaluated carefully for evidence of the capacity for graduate academic work. For example, some individuals did poorly as an undergraduate (lower than 3.0 GPA) but perform well in their career and provide excellent letters of recommendation from supervisors and professional colleagues. Others are concerned because they fear standardized tests or do not do well on them. Still others are concerned about performing academically after several years away from studies. There are two options available to these applicants: provisional admission and non-degree status. Provisional admission puts conditions on matriculation, usually a requirement to complete 12 credits with a B or better average (3.0 GPA), or pending receipt of GRE scores. Non-degree status permits applicants to complete up to four courses (12 credits) as a non-degree student before requesting matriculation. In both of these options, actual performance on the academic work is included in the credentials review for a matriculation decision. MPA Program Description 2 Fall 2009

3 Core Curriculum The core curriculum consists of five clusters, each of which addresses important elements of public administration knowledge and skills. The clusters are Foundations of Public Administration, Analytics, Management, Finance, and Applied Concepts. Core Curriculum Cluster One Foundations The Foundations cluster consists of four courses providing the contexts of public administration decision making. This set of courses provides all students with the scope and impacts of public administration both intellectually and practically. Four courses are required. 20:834:501 Introduction to Public Administration (3) 20:834:515 Administrative Morality (3) 20:834:521 Technology and Public Administration (3) 20:834:541 Political Economy and Public Administration (3) Core Curriculum Cluster Two Analytical Thinking The Analytical Thinking Cluster provides students with the tools to be effective consumers of research, including the knowledge to understand and evaluate research presented to them in classes and in their careers. Students take two courses. 20:834:561 Analytical Methods (3) (All students) 20:834:562 Research Design (3) 20:834:590 Internship I (3) (Education Leadership Certificate) Core Curriculum Cluster Three - Management The Management Cluster addresses two fundamental aspects of management: the organizations in which goal-directed actions occur and the human capital by which goals are achieved. All students take public organizations and students select the human resources course relevant to their focus (public, non-profit, or health). Students take two courses. 20:834:522 Public Organizations (3) (all students) 20:834:523 Human Resources Administration (3) (All M.P.A. students except as noted in option below) MPA Program Description 3 Fall 2009

4 20:834:577 Human Resource Management for Nonprofits (3) (Nonprofit Certificate or M.P.A. Nonprofit students) Core Curriculum Cluster Four Finance The Finance Cluster gives all M.P.A. students a foundation in financial management and budgeting as it relates to public and non-profit endeavors. The assumption is that effective management requires understanding of financial management. One course is required. select the course related to their particular focus within the program. One course is required. 20:834:543 Financial Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3) (formerly Public Financial Management) (All students except as specified below.) 20:834:559 Public School Finance (3) (for Urban Education Certificate students) 20:834:584 Health Care Finance and Budgeting (3) (formerly Health Care Financial Management) (for MPH or M.P.A. Health Administration students). Core Curriculum Cluster Five Applied Concepts The Applied Concepts Cluster provides students with the opportunity to apply concepts they have learned in the program. In the Capstone option, students complete a project under the guidance of a faculty member. The project examines a real world issue or problem using knowledge gained in core courses. The 3-credit capstone course involves a project design, data collection and analysis, report preparation, and a presentation. In the Comprehensive option, students study independently and analyze an assigned case or cases in a day-long examination. Students apply specific aspects of core course material directly to the case in an analytical way. Students must complete one. 20:834:563 Capstone (3) 20:834:703 Internship II (3) Urban Education Leadership Certificante Comprehensive Exam (if Comprehensive Exam option is selected, students take one additional specialization course) MPA Program Description 4 Fall 2009

5 Specialization Areas for the M.P.A. Four 3-credit courses (12 credits) in a specialization area complete the 42-credit curriculum. Specialization courses may be taken throughout a student`s program. Specialization areas with their respective courses are listed below. With the approval of the M.P.A. director, students also may take specialization courses in other departments to fit their individual educational and career goals. Courses for Any of the Specializations 20:834:503 Topics in Public Administration (3) 20:834:504 Topics in Public Administration (3) 20:834:590 Internship in Public Administration (3) 20:834:703 Internship in Public Administration (3) (Students may take up to six credits of internship as specialization courses. Administration and Management of Public Organizations (Select 4) 20:834:505 Intergovernmental Management (3) 20:834:507 Leadership (3) 20:834:514 Administrative Transparency 20:834:524 Strategic Planning (3) 20:834:525 Management Techniques (3) 20:834:528 Information Systems and Public Administration (3) 20:834:542 Government Budgeting Systems (3) Budgeting and Financial Management (Select 4) 20:834:514 Administrative Transparency 20:834:542 Government Budgeting Systems (3) 20:834:545 Capital Budgeting (3) 20:834:547 Government Revenue Systems (3) Nonprofit Management 20:834:515 Administrative Transparency 20:834:563 Nonprofit Budgeting 20:834:570 Theory and Practice of Nonprofit Management (3) 20:834:575 Grant Writing and Grants Management (3) 20:834:576 Resource Development for Nonprofit Organizations (3) 20:834:578 Strategic Planning and Management for Nonprofits (3) MPA Program Description 5 Fall 2009

6 Performance Improvement 20:834:515 Administrative Transparency 4:529 Performance Measurement and Value Added (3) 20:834:537 Citizen-Driven Performance Improvement: An Introduction (3) 20:834:539 Open Information and E-Government (3) 20:834:540 Citizen Surveys (3) 20:834:538 Strategic Planning and Citizen Involvement (3) 20:834:526 Public and Nonprofit Productivity (3) Public Health Administration (Consult advisor) 20:834:581 Introduction to Health Care Systems (3) 20:834:582 Health Care Management (3) 20:834:584 Health Care Finance and Budgeting (3) 20:834:585 Health Care Policy (3) 20:834:507 Topics: Law and Public Health 20:834:503 Topics: Health Services Research 20:834:586 Violence in the United States (3) Urban Educational Administration and Leadership (* All required beginning Sept 2008 due to NJ Department of Education regulatory changes.) 20:834:561 Analytical Methods (3)* 20:834:560 Education Law (3)* 20:834:556 Foundations of Urban School Administration and Supervision (3) * 20:834:523 Human Resources Administration (3)* 20:834:559 Public School Finance (3) * 20:834:557 Urban School Communication (3) * 20:834:558 Curriculum, Instructional Leadership and Assessment in Urban Schools (3)* 20:834:553 Urban Educational Policy and School Improvement (3) * 20:834:590 Internship I (3)* 20:834:703 Internship I (3)* FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Judith J. Kirchhoff, Ph.D. Associate Dean and MPA Program Director School of Public Affairs and Administration Center for Urban and Public Service (CPS 226) 111 Washington Street, Newark, NJ V: ; jkirchho@newark.rutgers.edu MPA Program Description 6 Fall 2009