Public Administration (Master of Public Administration)

Program Director: Albert C. Price, PhD
Administrative Specialist: Crystal Pepperdine, MPA
Program Secretary: Suzanne Shivnen

Program Faculty: Christopher Douglas (Economics), Dana Dyson (Political Science), William Laverty (Political Science), Arlesia Mathis (Health Care), Adam Lutzker (Economics), Patrick O’Donnell (MPA), Albert Price (Political Science), Kathryn Schellenberg (Sociology), Suzanne Selig (Health Care), Charles Vergon (MPA)

The Master of Public Administration Program (MPA) is designed to provide advanced education in administration for persons employed in the public or nonprofit sectors, as well as for those seeking entry to careers in administration. This interdisciplinary program addresses the educational needs of those with specialized, technical, or liberal arts degrees, and of those seeking to expand or update their administrative education. The program draws upon faculty and courses in economics, education, health care, political science, psychology and sociology.

The curriculum is designed around a basic core of courses in administration, which should be taken early in the student’s program. The core is supplemented by clusters of more specialized courses in administrative functions and processes and analytical methods. An applied research project and, for those with less than two years administrative experience, an internship, are also part of the curriculum. The program is designed for the part-time student, with courses offered primarily after 5:30 p.m., Monday - Thursday. The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree is available as a general program or with specific concentrations in Administration of Nonprofit Agencies, Criminal Justice Administration, Educational Administration, or Health Care Administration.

Program Mission and Assessment

The mission Master of Public Administration Program is to provide students with conceptual knowledge, analytical skills and practical experience relevant for administrative positions in public and nonprofit organizations. Focused on problem-solving and with central attention to the implementation of policies, the curriculum is intended to focus students’ attention on administrative processes, conditions, and rules and their implications for the implementation of policy and the provision of services. The Program participates in the University-wide effort to assess its academic programs. Information on assessment plans, including goals, methods and outcomes is available at http://www.umflint.edu/assessment/.

Requirements for Admission

See for general admission requirements. Those seeking admission to the MPA program are expected to have a knowledge base involving understanding of the operation of public institutions, microeconomic principles, and basic analytical tools. Students are encouraged to fulfill the economic principles requirement through PUB 571/ECN 571, and the analytical requirement through PUB 580/ECN 580 after being admitted to the MPA program, but undergraduate courses in microeconomic principles and statistics are acceptable.