The master of public administration (M.P.A.) degree requires all students to:
1. satisfactorily complete 42 credits of coursework with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0. No more than 9 credits with a grade of C or C+ are allowed.
2. satisfactorily complete all requirements in a concentration.
The 42 credits of coursework are divided into 18 credits required under the core courses and 24 credits of specialized courses, electives, seminars, internships, specialized courses for concentration, and research requirement. The exact mix, as well as some specific courses a student must take, is determined by the concentration chosen.
Students may enroll in elective courses through the School of Law-Camden, the School of Business–Camden, and other departments on the Camden, New Brunswick, and Newark campuses. Students wishing to take such electives must obtain, in writing, the approval of both the Department of Public Policy and Administration and the school or department in which the proposed elective is to be taken.
Educational Policy and Leadership Concentration
The educational policy and leadership concentration is oriented toward educational administrators who display the potential and motivation necessary to assume responsibilities as school principals. The two-year program includes rigorous coursework, seminars, and a one-year internship under the supervision of a qualified mentor principal and a Rutgers faculty mentor. Upon completion of the program, successful participants will have earned an M.P.A. degree with an educational policy and leadership concentration, and will have fulfilled the requirements for a certificate of eligibility as school principal, including (1) written examination (administered through ETS) and (2) assessment (incorporated into the program requirements through the administration of the PROFILOR and offered directly through Rutgers-Camden).
Students in this program must complete the core courses (18 credits) for the M.P.A. degree, as well as the specialized educational policy seminars and a one-year internship. Degree requirements are as follows:
56:834:501 Foundations of Policy Analysis (3)
56:834:503 Law and Public Policy (3)
56:834:515 Introduction to Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
56:834:525 Public Management (3)
56:834:535 Research Methods (3)
56:834:536 Public Information Systems (3)
In addition to the above core courses, all educational policy and leadership students are required to completefour specialized seminars (12 credits).
56:834:522 Educational Supervision of Instruction (3)
56:834:557 Human Resources Management (3)
56:834:558 Leadership and Communication Skills (3)
56:834:600 Education Law and Finance (3)
Nine additional credits are required in the educational policy and leadership internship from among the following:
56:834:543 Educational Policy and Leadership Internship I (3)
Students will be placed under the mentoring and supervision of a school principal to gain additional administrative and research expertise through individual fieldwork.
56:834:544 Educational Policy and Leadership Internship II (6)
Students will be placed under the mentoring and supervision of a school principal to gain additional administrative and research expertise through individual fieldwork.
56:834:545 Models for Planning and Policy in Education (3)
56:834:546 Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Education (3)
56:834:547 Creating a Culture of Continuous Improvement (3)
56:834:548 Developing Curriculum for Deep Learning (3)
56:834:549 Curriculum Leadership (3)
Capstone Requirement
56:834:612 Education Policy and Leadership (3)
International Public Service and Development Concentration
The international public service and development concentration combines graduate-level studies in public policy and administration with coursework on community service, international development policy and administration, and nonprofit management. Students in this concentration serve a placement in the Peace Corps or other approved international development organizations (one-year minimum). Students who serve a Peace Corps placement will receive a Certificate of Completion from the Peace Corps in addition to the M.P.A. degree.
Students in the international public service and development concentration are required to complete the following core courses during one academic year in residence:
56:834:501 Foundations of Policy Analysis (3)
56:834:503 Law and Public Policy (3)
56:834:515 Introduction to Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
56:834:525 Public Management (3)
56:834:535 Research Methods (3)
56:834:536 Public Information Systems (3)
In addition to the core courses, all international public service and development students are required to take:
56:834:542 Internship (3)
56:834:556 International Community Development (3)
56:834:606 International Economic Development (3)
56:834:607 International Development Administration (3)
Elective Courses (electives include but are not limited to):
56:834:505 Organizational Behavior (3)
56:834:558 Leadership and Communication Skills (3)
56:834:559 Ethics in Government (3)
56:834:650 Special Problems in Public Policy
Choice of any M.P.A. Colloquia (3), such as education track courses, and master of public health (M.P.H.) courses offered by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Culminating Requirements
56:834:676 International Placement and Capstone Projects (9)
Public Management Concentration
The public management concentration is designed to provide public employees or those preparing for service in the public sector with essential knowledge and skills in administration, budgeting and finance, communications, information systems, law, leadership, personnel, and policy analysis that are important for effective management in local, state, and federal agencies or nonprofit organizations.
Students in the public management concentration are required to complete the following core courses during their first two semesters (full-time students) or three semesters (part-time students):
56:834:501 Foundations of Policy Analysis (3)
56:834:503 Law and Public Policy (3)
56:834:515 Introduction to Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
56:834:525 Public Management (3)
56:834:535 Research Methods (3)
56:834:536 Public Information Systems (3)
In addition to the 18 credits of core courses, students in the public management concentration must take:
56:834:541 Internship I (3) (waived with relevant professional experience and approval of department chair)*
56:834:553 Financial Management of Public Programs (3)
56:834:557 Human Resources Management (3)
56:834:558 Leadership and Communication Skills or 56:834:505 Organization Behavior (3)
Elective Courses (9-12 credits - include but not limited to):
56:834:559 Ethics in Government (3)
56:834:650 Special Problems in Public Policy (3)
Choice of Colloquia (3)
*Waiver of the internship reduces the concentration requirement from 12 credits to 9 credits and increases the elective requirements from 9 to 12 credits.
Capstone Requirement (3 credits)
56:834:521 Directed Study (with permission of department chair) (3)
56:834:675 Research Workshop (3)
* A student may, with the approval of the chair of the graduate department, substitute 56:834:650 Special Problems in Public Policy and Administration, 56:834:601-607 Colloquium in Public Policy and Administration, or other electives for the internship requirement. Also, students with no public or nonprofit sector experience or with special educational needs or experience may apply to take an extra 3 credits of internship in lieu of one 3-credit elective or seminar.
Community Development Concentration
The community development concentration is designed to provide students with theoretical and applied exposure to domestic and international aspects of power, policy, advocacy, and resource allocation to address urban public administration.
Students will gain skills to be a professional administrator and policy expert in the subject of community development by using the community region of Camden, South Jersey, and Philadelphia.
Students in the community development concentration are to complete the following core courses:
56:834:501 Foundations of Policy Analysis (3)
56:834:503 Law and Public Policy (3)
56:834:515 Introduction to Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
56:834:525 Principles of Public Management (3)
56:834:535 Research Methods (3)
56:834:536 Public Information Systems (3)
In addition to the 18 credits of core courses, students in the community development concentration must take:
56:834:541 Internship (3)
56:834:556 International Community Development (3)
56:834:603 Community Development Theory (3)
56:834:604 Immigrants and Community Development (or other community development colloquium) (3)
56:834:608 Geographic Information Systems (or other spatial applications course) (3)
Elective Courses (2 courses, 6 credits)
Any two additional graduate courses chosen from law, business, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, or master of public administration degree program international course, community economic development, nonprofits, civic engagement, public and nonprofit community development service learning course.
Capstone Course
56:834:675 Research Workshop (students complete an original project in this course) (3)
Executive M.P.A. Concentration
This
highly selective, 42-credit program targets mid- to upper-level
managers possessing five-plus years of administrative and/or managerial
experience for executive leadership positions. The program uses a
cohort model (enrollment limited to 20 students per cohort) and is
designed to develop and enhance the students' leadership,
organizational, policy, and public management skills. Courses are held
off campus, on weekends, and some courses will be offered online.
Degree requirements can be completed in 18 months with one-week summer
residencies offered over two summers. Additionally, up to 9 credits may
be awarded for professional experience.
Courses:
56:834:501 Foundations of Policy Analysis (3)
56:834:503 Law and Public Policy (3)
56:834:505 Organizational Behavior (3)
56:834:525 Public Management (3)
56:834:535 Research Methods (3)
56:834:536 Public Information Systems (3)
56:834:553 Financial Management of Public Programs (3)
56:834:557 Human Resource Management (3)
56:834:558 Executive Leadership and Communication Skills (3)
