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Go Further with our Public Sector Administration Concentration within the Master of Public Administration.

With a concentration in public administration, you will graduate prepared to confront complex public problems.  The program develops the twin skills of organizational and policy management. You'll learn how policies are adopted and implemented, the role of public administration in American democracy and how the conflicting goals, complex structures and political processes effect the management of public organizations.

Courses are offered each fall and spring semester and during the summer in four, five, nine, 10, or 14-week sessions. Students who take two courses during the fall, spring and summer can complete their MPA degree in two calendar years.

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What Can You Do With a Public Administration Online Degree?

Earning your Public Administration Master’s degree online at the University of Southern Indiana can help you take the next step towards your chosen path—whether that's as a public administrator or another leadership role.

Our MPA certificate program gives you the right combination of skills and theoretical knowledge to open the door to a broad range of careers in public sector institutions and non-profit organizations, including:

Public Sector Administration Concentration Curriculum - 36 Credit Hours

  • PA 601 - Organizational Behavior 
  • PA 606 - Public and Nonprofit Personnel Administration 
  • PA 609 - Budgeting in Public and Nonprofit Administration 
  • PA 618 - Research Methods in Public Administration 
  • PA 632 - Introduction to Public Administration 
  • PA 644 - Policies and Processes in the Public Sector 
  • PA 645 - Program Evaluation in the Public and Nonprofit Sector

When choosing the Capstone Seminar, you will take the following course, plus 12 hours of electives.

  • PA 697 - Capstone Seminar in Public Administration (3 Credit Hours)

When choosing the Thesis Project, you will take the following course, plus 9 hours of electives.

  • PA 699 - Thesis in Public Administration (6 Credit Hours)

You will choose either 9 or 12 additional hours of electives depending on your choice of Capstone or Thesis from the following list of courses:

  • COMM 613 - Political Communication Credits: 3
  • COMM/PA 614 - Problematic Workplace Communication/ Interpersonal Communications within Organizations Credits: 3
  • PA 527 - Urban Politics and Governance Credits: 3
  • PA 564 - Environmental Politics and Policy Credits: 3
  • PA 565 - Comparative Public Policy Credits: 3
  • PA 611 - Leadership Skills in Public Administration Credits: 3
  • PA 615 - Legal Aspects of Public Administration Credits: 3
  • PA 653 - Ethics in Public Administration Credits: 3
  • PA 663 - Strategic Planning Credits: 3
  • PA 684 - Grant Writing Credits: 3
  • PA 690 - Special Topics in Public Administration Credits: 3
  • PA 695 - Internship in Public Agency Credits: 3
  • PA 689 - Independent Study in Public Administration Credits: 3

All courses above are three (3) credit hours.

Note: Students who decide to complete a thesis project and enroll in PA 699 - Thesis in Public Administration are exempt from taking PA 697 - Capstone Seminar in Public Administration.

All MPA students will be required to complete a capstone seminar (with the exception of students doing a thesis project), which is centered on a specific issue, problem, or topic in the field of public administration. Students in the seminar will be required to complete a capstone project, which is based on assessing a student's ability to relate theoretical knowledge and skills to solving a practical applied problem in the field of public administration. Students will work collaboratively to present a question to a problem, collect and analyze data, present their findings and results, and propose possible solutions. 

Students will have an opportunity to enroll and complete a thesis project (PA 699 - Thesis in Public Administration). The thesis course is designed to allow students an opportunity to conduct original academic research in an area of public administration. PA 699 is a variable credit class that is offered as a three or six credit hour course. PA 699 is repeatable up to six credit hours and will be graded on a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) basis. Students wishing to enroll in three credit hours in a semester will register in PA 699.001 and students wishing to enroll in six credit hours in a semester will enroll in PA 699.002. Students who have not completed the thesis course during the semester in which they are registered will be assigned an "in progress" (IP) grade. An IP grade means a student cannot receive credit for the thesis course without re-registering in the course.  In order to receive credit for the thesis, the student must successfully complete a written paper and defend the thesis project in an oral defense. Students will be required to choose an advisor whose research interests closely align with theirs, who is a full-time member of the MPA faculty, and with whom they have completed at least one course in the MPA program. A student must also select two committee members for their thesis committee for a total of three thesis committee members. These committee members must be full-time tenure-track or tenured faculty members of the graduate faculty. 

In addition to the thesis course, students can enroll in PA 698 - Independent Study in Public Administration, where students can conduct independent research on an issue in the field of public administration under the supervision of a member of the MPA faculty. Students can also enroll in PA 690 - Special Topics in Public Administration, a course that deals with a special topic in the field of public administration offered through the Master of Public Administration program. Some of the potential topics may include Facilitation and Mediation, Government Reorganization, Housing and Community Development, Historic Preservation, Disaster Management, and Arts and Heritage Management courses.

Get Started on Your Online Master of Public Administration.

Take the next step on your journey at the University of Southern Indiana. Start your application or request more information today.

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