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The Master of Public Administration program is designed to meet the graduate educational needs of working professionals who wish to advance their careers and pre-service students who want careers in the governmental and nonprofit sectors. The M.P.A. enables students to develop the broad set of knowledge and skills required in a progressively responsible administrative career. Students may concentrate in one of several areas within public administration or tailor a concentration in combination with courses elsewhere in the university. A concentration is not required, but possibilities include:
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environmental policy
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executive leadership
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human resource management
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local government management
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nonprofit management
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public financial management
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public policy analysis and evaluation
After admission to the program, the Program Coordinator will advise students in planning the specific sequence of courses and program of study. The M.P.A. requires a total of 36 credits of graduate study (plus a three-credit internship for students with less than one year of professional-level administrative experience). The core curriculum consists of 24 credits, and 12 credits may be devoted to a concentration or serve as general electives.
Curriculum
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PADM 601 Principles of Public Administration
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PADM 602 Public Administration Theory
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PADM 607 Public Human Resource Management
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PADM 609 Financial Management in Government
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PADM 623 Research Methods for Public Administration
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PADM 624 Quantitative Methods for Public Administration
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PADM 625 Public Policy Analysis
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PADM 689 Seminar in Public Administration or PADM 690 Reading Seminar and
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Four electives
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Practicum (if required)
Dual Degree (MPA/JD)
Qualified students may pursue the dual-degree option earning a Master of Public Administration from VCU and a law degree (J.D.) from the University of Richmond School of Law, simultaneously. Students interested in pursuing this option must be admitted separately by the University of Richmond School of Law, and the VCU public administration program.
In the dual degree program, the University of Richmond School of Law will accept 12 credit hours earned in the VCU public administration program; and the VCU public administration program will accept 12 law school credits toward the MPA. This shared credit agreement makes it possible to earn both degrees in four years of full-time study. For information about the law degree, contact the University of Richmond School of Law, directly http://law.richmond.edu/. Financial assistance may be available for public administration students pursuing the dual degree. For more information, contact the public administration director cfameringer@vcu.edu.
MPA Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites other than an earned bachelor's degree, for admission to the public administration program. We welcome applicants with any undergraduate major. Entering and top level employees in the public sector have a wide range of backgrounds, including the sciences, social sciences, technology, and the humanities. Graduate study in in public administration provides an excellent opportunity for you to turn a liberal arts undergraduate degree into a professional career. Currently employed professionals from any specialty area who are seeking to advance their public administration careers are encouraged to consider application to the program. The MPA travels well!
Course Schedule
Courses are scheduled in the evening and on weekends with working professionals in mind. Special activities and program office hours are scheduled to accommodate those who are employed full-time.
Deadlines:
Fall: July 15* (March 1 for financial aid consideration)
Spring: Nov 30*
*These deadlines are designed to allow sufficient time for application review and admission proceessing. Applications may be submitted after the deadline; however, we cannot guarantee sufficient time for processing. Any application submitted too late for current semester processing will be considered for the following semester. Please contact the program coordinator with specific application questions.
For further information, contact the program office for the Public Administration program:
Carl Ameringer, Coordinator
Younger House, Room 205
919 West Franklin Street
P.O. Box 843061
Richmond, VA 23284-3061
(804) 827-4566 |
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