Master of Public Administration (MPA) Degree
As society’s challenges have become more complex, the need has grown for socially conscious citizens with an avid interest in politics, foreign affairs, and public policy to step up and take a lead role in government management. Berkshire University’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program will prepare you to do just that.
This curriculum focuses on how to apply traditional business skills (financial management, budgeting, research, etc.) to the unique challenges of public administration. Among the skills you’ll be taught are how to utilize critical thinking and research methods, assess new public management, analyze political influences and governmental power division, evaluate government employees and public administration strategies and decision, and synthesize grant proposal resources and approaches.
Program Requirements
PAD 620 Foundations of Public Admin – 4.50
A general survey course covering the role of the public sector manager in American society today. Studies current issues and leading concepts in the field of non-profit management.
PAD 622 Seminar in Urban Affairs – 4.50
An examination of influences affecting decisions in the urban political arena. Covers segments of the community that impact the decision-making process (i.e., employee groups, labor influences, community groups, media and other special interests). Examines the relationship between intergovernmental agencies.
PAD 626 Public Personnel Policy – 4.50
An examination of the important aspects of personnel management in government, including civil service procedures, affirmative action, employee motivation and organizational development.
PAD 627 Quantitative Methods – 4.50
A practical study of graphical methods and statistical procedures specifically aimed at presenting, interpreting and solving problems related to public administration.
PAD 628 Ethics – 4.50
Role, values, and issues of public management in democratic governance, citizen participation, power structures, and professional codes of conduct.
PAD 631 Urban Planning & Redevelopment – 4.50
An examination of historical development of urban planning practices and concepts, general plans and their elements in the urban community. Also discusses the use of technology in planning. Students must complete a minimum of five Public Administration courses prior to taking this course.
PAD 632 Finance Mgt & Grant Admin – 4.50
An exploration of current governmental fiscal management techniques and issues. Examines various types of financial and technical assistance to quasi-governmental and non-profit management organizations.
PAD 644 MPA Project – 4.50
A project where students work in teams or individually under the guidance of an assigned faculty advisor. Students clarify research topics and identify data sources in preparation for the project. Students then gather data and present their research in both written and oral form to faculty and classmates. Grading is H, S, or U only. PAD 644 is two months in length.
Specialization in Human Resource Management
HRM 630 Legal, Ethical & Safety Issues – 4.50
A comprehensive analysis of the laws and regulations, both federal and state, that impact human resources management. The course emphasizes equal employment opportunity affirmative action, health and safety, privacy of information and methods of liability prevention in employment matters. Integrated into the course are aspects of ethical considerations as related to Human Resources Management, including employer use of power, organizational business practices, and safety concerns.
HRM 637 Workforce Plan, Dev & Outsourc – 4.50
A comparison and evaluation of planning, organizing, directing and monitoring of human resources planning processes, including recruiting, selecting, placing and integrating individuals within organizations. A key aspect of the course is the selection process (testing and assessment of skills and traits that influence work performance), employee orientation and integration (employee development and career planning), and aspects of performance management. The course also covers current trends in employee outsourcing.
ODV 606 Seminar in Training & Developm – 4.50
Employee development is the responsibility of the line manager, the human resources professional, and the employee. This course provides essential managerial-level comprehension of training theory and its practical applications in the business and management environment. Students learn the functions and duties of training: trainer/developer, the identification and assessment of training needs, program design and development, selection of delivery methods and means of instruction, the implementation of training programs, and evaluation. The course integrates training and development, organizational development and career development, critical components of Human Resource Development.
HRM 667 Compensation & Benefits – 4.50
This course provides an overview of the latest technology as it applies to the human resources function and its impact of human resource management administration and organizational development. The course also integrates and assesses fundamental aspects of wage, salary, benefit administration, and employee rewards and incentives as they are becoming increasingly supported by automated systems.
Degree and Course Requirements
To be awarded a Master of Public Administration, students must complete at least 54 quarter units of graduate work. A total of 13.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work completed at another institution, as it applies to this degree and provided the units were not used in earning another advanced degree. Students should refer to the section on graduate admission requirements for specific information regarding application and evaluation.
For students in the Bachelor of Public Administration/BS in Criminal Justice Administration/BS in Domestic Security Management/BA Political Science/MPA transition program, the University will waive up to two public administration courses taken as part of the bachelor’s degree (see BS in Bachelor of Public Administration/Criminal Justice Administration/BS in Domestic Security Management/BA Political Science transition program), but these students must still meet the residency requirements for the MPA. The number of courses waived is dependent on the courses taken and grades earned in the transition program.
Program Learning Outcomes
Utilize critical thinking and research methods relevant to public administration in a multi-cultural environment.
Evaluate the concept of new public management within a historical context.
Analyze the impact of political influences on the public sector decision-making process.
Analyze the division of power within American government as established by the U.S. Constitution.
Describe, analyze, and evaluate the various approaches to managing government employees.
Evaluate the effectiveness of public administration strategies for dealing with the media, community, and local government agencies.
Evaluate the impact of public administration decisions on urban planning and redevelopment.
Synthesize resources and approaches for developing grant proposals for community programs and services.
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