Curriculum: (30 credits/10 courses)
20:831:501 Principles of Public Administration & Democratic Governance (3)
This course introduces students to what public administration is as a field of study and why it is critical to the practice of democratic governance. This learning process occurs through the identification of intellectual, theoretical, institutional, and constitutional foundations distinctly found in the study and practice of public administration in the United States, as well as in other democratic contexts. It also explores the intersection between public administration theory and practice, examines many of the practical challenges currently affecting civil servants at all levels of government, and emphasizes ways in which the boundaries of the administrative state evolve. At the course's conclusion students are able to: (1) identify seminal public administration scholars and theories as well as many of the political, economic, and social issues affecting public administration in the 21st century, (2) apply theories of democratic governance to the practice of public management, and (3) have developed an understanding for how the rule of law legitimatizes public administration in theory and practice.
20:831:515 Ethical Challenges in Public Affairs (3)
Within this course, students will learn about public sector values and how the role leaders play in working toward an ethical environment. Case studies of scandal, corruption, and run-of-the-mill unethical behavior will be discussed along with frameworks ethical decision making and leadership. The primary goals of this course are to: (a) introduce students to the role that ethics should play in the lives of public sector leaders, and (b) provide tools and strategies for identifying and addressing ethical issues in professional life.
20:831:521 Technology and Public Administration (3)
Explores the implications of information management
technologies for public and nonprofit managers, including: the role of
egovernment, citizen engagement through Web 2.0 and social media,
digital service delivery, cybersecurity awareness, the exploration of
how policy and technology intersect, and how technology can be best
managed through various governance models.
20:831:522 Managing Public Organizations (3)
This course explores theories of organizational behavior and performance as applied to public sector agencies. The course covers such topics as development and fulfillment of organizational mandates, legal and political constraints associated with leading public organizations, organizational authority systems, relationships between public and private sectors, and use of resources within organizations including information and communications technologies.
20:831:523 Human Resources Management (3)
The course addresses public sector human resources management from multiple perspectives, including theoretical, legal, political, policy and practical. It covers the important contemporary issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as other critical issues such as public sector labor relations, performance management, ethics, and privatization.
20:831:524 The Public Policy Process (3)
This course introduces students to the public policy process and to the institutions and actors involved. These include legislative bodies, chief executives, administrative agencies, courts, interest groups, advocacy coalitions, and the media. Students study the stages in public policymaking: identifying and describing public problems, agenda setting, policy decision-making, policy design, implementation, evaluation and policy learning. Activities in the course include policy development research, preparing policy memoranda, and policy analysis. On completing this course students are expected to be able to effectively use evidence to guide their participation in, and contribution to the policy process, with insight into different policy types and tools, while appreciating the relevance of context (social, economic, historical, political, and technological) toward developing effective policies.
20:831:541 Economics for Public Administration (3)
This course introduces students to the basic principles of economic reasoning. Students will utilize the fundamentals of economic analysis to untangle the complex management and policy problems they will confront as policy makers, policy analysts, and public administrators.
20:831:542 Government Budgeting Systems (3)
This course provides an overview of the governmental budgetary process while focusing on the tools and techniques for managing budgets and making financial decisions in government. Looking at all three levels of government; local, state, and federal, this course examines the role of the budget in the economy, the politics of the budgetary process, budget methods and reforms, sources and uses of revenue, and deficits and debt.
20:831:561 Data Analysis for Decision-Making (3)
This course covers the essentials of research design, methods of data collection, and data analysis tools for policy evaluation and management decision-making. The course trains students in data visualization, descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and correlation and regression analysis. The course encourages hands-on work with real data, use of statistical software, and the effective presentation of graphical and numerical results.
20:831:563 Capstone Project (3)
This course encourages students to integrate knowledge and skills from across the MPA curriculum to develop a professional portfolio, or a research paper, that demonstrates core competencies. The course is organized as a project-based seminar in which students work individually under the guidance of the professor while sharing feedback and advice with each other. By completing and presenting their capstone projects, students will demonstrate their abilities in the five core competencies of the MPA program: 1) To lead and manage in the public interest; 2) To participate in, and contribute to, the policy process; 3) To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make evidence-informed decisions in a complex and dynamic environment; 4) To articulate, apply, and advance a public service perspective; and 5) To communicate and interact productively and in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large.
[Prerequisites: 26:834:562 Data Analysis]For more up to date information, check our website at https://spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/empa.
Degree Programs and Courses 
