Program Description
The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is intended to build upon the knowledge and interest students have in American government and public policy at the local, state, or federal level or in the nonprofit sector. Whether you wish to enter public service or already work in the field, the CSUF MPA program provides a high-quality education designed to provide the analytical, management, and policy-making skills needed to succeed in the field of public management. The program allows students to specialize in one of the following fields: public finance, human resource management, urban management, and criminal justice.
To earn the MPA degree, students must complete 39 semester units of adviser-approved course work. Three units of internship course (POSC 497) may be included in the 39-units total if students are required to complete an internship. Normally students complete their internship in conjunction with the internship course.
Core Courses (18-24 units)
Students in the MPA program are required to take the following courses:
- Political Science 497 Internship in Public Administration, 3 units (Required of those with no previous public sector managerial working experience)
- Political Science 509 Administrative Organization and Process, 3 units (Required of those with no previous introductory course in public administration taken within the past three years)
- Political Science 521 Seminar in Public Administration Theory, 3 units
- Political Science 523 Administrative Research and Analysis, 3 units
- Political Science 526 Administration and Systems Management, 3 units
- Political Science 571 Seminar in Public Finance, 3 units
- Political Science 572 Seminar in Public Sector Human Resources Management, 3 units
- One of the following:
Political Science 519 State and Local Government, 3 units
Political Science 525 Seminar in Metropolitan Area Government, 3 units
Political Science 528 Seminar in Public Administration and Policy, 3 units
Concentration Courses (6-12 units)
Students can choose from one of the following specialized fields in accordance with their career objectives: criminal justice, human resource management, public finance, or urban management. The four concentrations together with the courses currently offered to satisfy the concentration requirement are listed below. The list may change slightly over time. Please consult with the MPA advisor before taking any courses to satisfy the concentration requirement.
In addition to the required core courses, take:
- Political Science 560 Seminar in Administration of Justice, 3 units
- Criminal Justice 405 Criminal Justice Policy, 3 units
- One of the following:
Political Science 519 State and Local Government, 3 units
Political Science 525 Seminar in Metropolitan Area Government, 3 units
Political Science 580 Emergency Management in Public Administration, 3 units
Criminal Justice 404 Capital Punishment, 3 units
In addition to the required core courses, take two of the following courses:
- Management 441 Labor Management Relations, 3 units or
Management 542 Seminar in Labor Management Relations, 3 units - Political Science 475 Administrative Law, 3 units
- Political Science 522 Seminar in Public Personnel Administration, 3 units
- Political Science 582 Organizational Development and Change, 3 units
- Management 434 Compensation
In addition to the required core courses, take two of the following:
- Political Science 421 Government and the Economy, 3 units
- Political Science 529 Seminar in Public Management Analysis, 3 units
- Economics 516 Economics and Benefit Cost Analysis, 3 units or
Economics 416 Cost Benefit and Policy Analysis, 3 units
- If not taken as a core course, students must complete POSC 525 Seminar in Metropolitan Area Government, 3 units
- Take at least one of the following:
Geography 478 Urban Dynamics and Planning, 3 units
Geography 484 Urban Planning Methods, 3 units
- Take two of the following (only one need be taken by those taking both Geography 478 and 484):
Environmental Studies 595T Selected Topics in Environmental Problems, 3 units
Political Science 427 Policymaking: Urban and Metropolitan Issues, 3 units
Political Science 519 State and Local Government, 3 units
Political Science 529 Seminar in Public Management Analysis, 3 units
Political Science 580 Emergency Management in Public Administration, 3 units
Geography 485 Geographic Information Systems, 3 units
Geography 488 Land Use Analysis, 3 units
Elective Courses (6-15 units)
Aside from the core and concentration courses, students have to take several electives to complete the total 39 units required by the MPA program. They may select electives from the courses identified in the concentrations or may take other courses approved by the MPA advisor.
Students must complete a minimum of half the total units at the 500-level. No more than nine units of postgraduate course work taken prior to classified standing may be applied to the MPA program. Students must demonstrate competence in computer literacy. See the MPA coordinator for details.
Comprehensive Examination, Project, or Thesis
Candidates for the MPA degree must successfully pass a written comprehensive examination or a candidate may, with the approval of both their concentration and the MPA advisors, choose either the project (Political Science 597) or the thesis (Political Science 598) in lieu of the comprehensive examination. The project and thesis each earn three units of course work and include a final oral defense.
