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General Information

The Master of Public Affairs program is an interdisciplinary, professional program that prepares students for positions in local, state, or federal government, quasi-governmental service, or the nonprofit (including philanthropic) arena. It broadens students' comprehension of the economic, environmental, political, and social context in which the public servant works. The course of study requires completion of (1) the M.P.A. core, (2) the concentration requirement, (3) the experiential requirement, and (4) sufficient electives and/or mid-career option credit to total 48 credit hours.

The curriculum of this program as contained in the core requirements encompasses preparation in a broad range of skills relevant to the operation of public agencies. It is based on the academic disciplines but not limited to any one. It is also problem-oriented, bringing the disciplines to bear on critical social, environmental, economic, and administrative issues.

Although the environment of public service is diverse and changing, effectiveness in that environment requires the development of special skills attained through detailed study in a chosen field of concentration. The fields of concentration span the variety of professional specialties found in public service. Thus, the program provides expertise in the core requirements and a specific concentration area, as well as a general working knowledge of public affairs.

The M.P.A. program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

Degree Requirements

(48 credit hours)

The core requirements of the M.P.A. degree consist of 18 credit hours of work in six courses. Each student must also complete the requirements of (at least) one concentration.

The experiential requirement ensures that each graduate of the M.P.A. program has gained insight into the world of public service by way of an experience outside the classroom. This experience may or may not involve the accumulation of credit hours toward the degree. The remaining credit hours necessary for graduation, if any, are general electives that can be used to add breadth to a student's program; to further explore a field of concentration; or to enhance skills in foreign languages, quantitative tools, or administrative techniques.

Core Requirements

(18 credit hours)

The M.P.A. core is designed to ensure that each student acquires both the prerequisite analytical skills and an understanding of policy issues and governmental processes that compose the environment within which graduates will pursue their careers.

Required Courses
SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA V517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA V540 Law and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.)

Extremely well-prepared applicants may petition the program director to waive one or more of the core requirements on the basis of advanced course work done elsewhere. Students may be exempted on the basis of satisfactory equivalent course work or by examination. Credit hours waived from the core add to the electives a student may use. Students requesting course waivers should contact the appropriate graduate program director for requirements and guidelines.

Concentration Requirements

(12-30 credit hours)

Concentrations give students educational experiences in a substantive area of interest. The course of study in each concentration area is determined in conjunction with an advisor. Up to 3 credit hours of the concentration may be taken in V585 Practicum in Public Affairs, if approved in advance by an advisor.

Concentration requirements may be waived on the same basis as core requirements. Consult with an advisor about course prerequisites.

Experiential Requirements

Each M.P.A. student must obtain professionally relevant experience through one of the following options: an approved internship (0-6 credit hours); SPEA V590 Research in Public Affairs; SPEA V601 Workshop in Public Affairs; the Environmental Fellowship Program; or the Mid-Career Credit Option.

Mid-Career Credit Option

The Graduate Admissions Committee of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs may grant up to 12 credit hours toward the M.P.A degree for students who have had significant policy-level work experience in their backgrounds. Credit will be granted for work experience gained until the end of the semester in which the student completes 24 credit hours according to the following guidelines:

To receive 3 credit hours, a student must have a minimum of one year's technical, administrative, or policy-level work experience with a government or private agency.
6 credit hours will be awarded for one to four years of managerial experience in directing programs, preparing budgets, and making decisions on organizational or staff development, or for one to four years of professional experience in policy analysis or planning.
Those with four or more years of executive assignment may be awarded 9 to 12 credit hours. Applicants must have had responsibility for supervision of high-level staff, budget preparation, and organizational control of public agencies, or executive responsibility for policy analysis or planning.

Application Process and Policies Students are eligible to apply for mid-career credit at the time of application to the M.P.A. or during the first semester of M.P.A. graduate study in order to take full advantage of available credit. Applicants may appeal the initial mid-career credit decision by submitting a request, in writing, for reconsideration and providing additional information to the campus director.

Determination of mid-career credit is made separately from decisions about transfer of credit. Under no circumstances will the mid-career credit and transfer credit total more than 21 hours of the 48 required for the M.P.A. degree. Students receiving mid-career credit should carefully plan the balance of their program with an advisor.

General Elective Courses

Graduate courses, or undergraduate courses approved for graduate credit, may be used to complete the overall degree requirement of 48 credit hours.

Criminal Justice Concentration
Health Systems Administration Concentration
Public Management Concentration
Public Policy Analysis Concentration

Fields of Concentration

Concentrations accommodate the needs of both the preservice graduate student and the practitioner seeking additional education for career enhancement and advancement. Students select a concentration after consultation with a faculty advisor. Concentrations on the Fort Wayne campus are:

Criminal Justice Concentration

(18 credit hours)

The criminal justice concentration is for those interested in the issues, methods, and skills involved in the management of criminal justice or related agencies.

Required Courses (12 credit hours)
SPEA J501 Evolution of Criminological Thought and Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA V509 Administrative Ethics in the Public Sector (3 cr.)

One of the following:
SPEA J502 Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)

One of the following:
SPEA J666 Criminal Justice Policy and Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA J682 Criminal Justice Planning and Management (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two courses from one of the following groups (6 credit hours)

Group A
SPEA J582 Criminal Justice Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA J587 Criminal Violation: Problems and Characteristics (3 cr.)
SPEA J588 Law and Control in Society (3 cr.)
SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs (criminal justice topics only) (3 cr.)
SPEA V580 Readings in Public Affairs (criminal justice topics only) (3 cr.)
SPEA V585 Practicum in Public Affairs (criminal justice topics only) (3 cr.)
SPEA V685 Research Seminar in Public Affairs (3 cr.) (criminal justice only)

Group B
SPEA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA V504 Public Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V512 Public Policy Process (3 cr.)
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V547 Negotiation and Dispute Resolution for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA V564 Urban Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V566 Executive Leadership (3 cr.)
SPEA V569 Managing Interpersonal Relations (3 cr.)
SPEA V570 Public Sector Labor Relations (3 cr.)

Nonprofit Management
SPEA V522 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (3 cr.)

Other courses approved by a faculty advisor. Three courses must be criminal justice courses.

Health Systems Administration Concentration

(18 credit hours)

The health services administration concentration examines policies and programs in the health field. Emphasis is placed on organizational and economic analysis.

Required Courses (12 credit hours)
SPEA H517 Managerial Epidemiology (3 cr.)
SPEA V543 Health Services Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V545 The U.S. Health Care System (3 cr.)
SPEA V546 Health Services Utilization (3 cr.)

Two of the following courses:
SPEA V631 Health Planning (3 cr.) or
  SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs (health topics only) (3 cr.)
SPEA V561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.) or
  SPEA V570 Public Sector Labor Relations (3 cr.) or
  SPEA V504 Public Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.) or
  SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.) or
  SPEA V567 Public Financial Administration (3 cr.)
SPEA V580 Readings in Public Affairs (3 cr.) or
  SPEA V590 Research in Public Affairs (3 cr.)

Public Management Concentration

(18 credit hours)

The public management concentration develops the quantitative and qualitative skills necessary for public and not-for-profit management. Emphasis is placed on organizational, political, and economic analysis.

Required Courses (6 credit hours)
SPEA V504 Public Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:
SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs: GIS (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:
SPEA V512 Public Policy Process (3 cr.)
SPEA V518 Intergovernmental Systems Management (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:
SPEA V561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V569 Managing Interpersonal Relations (3 cr.)
SPEA V570 Public Sector Labor Relations (3 cr.)

Electives (3 credit hours)
One additional SPEA graduate course with approval of the program director.

Public Policy Analysis Concentration

(18 credit hours)

The public policy analysis concentration examines the methods and develops the skills involved in analyzing complex public policy issues.

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA V507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (3 cr.)

Two of the following courses:
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:
SPEA V512 Public Policy Process (3 cr.)
SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs: GIS (3 cr.)
SPEA V563 The Planning Process (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two other SPEA graduate courses, generally rooted in one or more policy areas, with approval of the program director.

Admission
Program Restrictions
Certificate in Public Management
Certificate Requirements

Certificate Program

The Certificate in Public Management is offered on the Fort Wayne campus. It is flexible and adaptable to the needs of either precareer or in-service students.

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Admission

Admission Eligibility
The student must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university to apply.

Application
Application forms and literature may be obtained from the same SPEA offices that offer material for the graduate degree programs.

Students should apply to the SPEA admissions office on the IPFW campus.

Application Fee
Students must pay a nonrefundable application fee.

Program Restrictions

Students enrolled in a certificate program must complete it within 15 credit hours of approved SPEA course work with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B). Failure to do so results in automatic dismissal from the certificate program.
Students who have completed more than three SPEA courses are not eligible for admission to a certificate program.
Transfer credit, course substitutions, or course waivers are not accepted for meeting the Public Management certificate requirements.
Students admitted to a SPEA graduate degree program are not eligible for admission to the certificate program or eligible for the awarding of a certificate.
Admission to or successful completion of a certificate program does not guarantee subsequent admission to a SPEA graduate degree program.
Students enrolled in the certificate program who apply to SPEA's graduate degree programs must meet all existing admission requirements.
Students planning to request admission to a SPEA graduate degree program after successfully completing a certificate program should refer to the application procedure presented earlier in this bulletin.

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Certificate in Public Management

The Certificate in Public Management program is a 15-credit-hour program of study in public management. The certificate program is flexible enough to be adapted to the needs of precareer and inservice individuals. Graduate students in other disciplines can use the program to supplement their primary fields with course work in public management, possibly using the certificate courses as part or all of a doctoral or master's degree minor. Career employees of public and private sector agencies seeking courses in public management, and especially those changing from professional or technical roles to managerial roles, find the certificate program beneficial.

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Certificate Requirements

(15 credit hours)

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two additional SPEA graduate public affairs courses approved by the program director.

Note: Students interested in continuing on for the Master of Public Affairs degree should consider selecting the two elective courses from the M.P.A. core; one of the courses recommended is V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making. These courses may also be applied to the Master of Planning upon admission to the M.Pl. program.

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