Catalog Navigator : Core Curriculum

The MPA curriculum at Rutgers SPAA provides a solid foundation in the field's core knowledge and skills while allowing students a wide range of flexibility to shape the degree to their interests and career goals.

Required Core Courses (7 courses / 21 credits)

MPA students complete seven (7) required core courses (21 credits), with the option to follow either a public management track or a nonprofit management track.

20:834:501 Principles of Public Administration & Democratic Governance (3)

20:834:515 Ethical Challenges in Public Affairs (3)

20:834:523 Human Resources Management (3)

20:834:541 Economics for Public Administration (3)

20:834:561 Data Analysis for Decision-Making (3)

Public Management Track (6 credits/2 courses)

20:834:522 Managing Public Organizations (3)

20:834:542 Government Budgeting Systems (3)

Nonprofit Management Track (6 credits/2 courses)

20:834:570 Principles of Nonprofit Leadership and Management (3)

20:834:571 Nonprofit Budgeting and Financial Management (3)

Electives (18 credits/6 courses) The MPA allows for six (6) elective courses (18 credits) that students can use to pursue their individual interests and career goals. A variety of elective courses, including special topics courses, are available each semester from SPAA. Elective courses can be applied toward one or more Graduate Certificates offered in Budgeting and Financial Management, Healthcare Administration, Leadership of Public Organizations, Nonprofit Management, and other areas of professional specialization. Students can also fashion their own specialization by choosing from elective courses on topics such as labor relations, leadership and diversity, government technology, administrative law, performance measurement and evaluation, the policy process, and more. In addition, students can choose to take specialized courses from other units across Rutgers.

Capstone Project - Application (3 credits/1 course)

20:834:563 Capstone Project (3)

The capstone provides students with an opportunity to integrate their learning from coursework with application to real-world issues and career ambitions. It serves as a culminating experience in the MPA program.