IU Indianapolis Bulletin » Schools » O'Neill School Of Public and Environmental Affairs » Graduate » Student Learning Outcomes » Master of Public Affairs (MPA)

O'Neill School Of Public and Environmental Affairs

Graduate

Student Learning Outcomes
Master of Public Affairs (MPA)

General Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the MPA degree program, students shall:

  • Demonstrate the ability to lead and manage public and nonprofit organizations.
  • Demonstrate the ability to participate in and contribute to the policy process.
  • Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions.
  • Demonstrate the ability to articulate and apply a public service perspective.
  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.

Concentrations will have the above general outcomes plus the additional ones listed below.

Policy Analysis Concentration
Upon completion of this concentration, students shall:

  • Demonstrate the ability to rigorously analyze public policies using a variety of tools, including microeconomics, institutional analysis, and other common public affairs models of policy development, implementation and evaluation using quantitative, qualitative and mixed approaches.
  • Demonstrate experience in the practical conduct and communication of results of policy analysis.

Public Management Concentration
Upon completion of this concentration, students should:

  • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate management practices, using a variety of outcome measurements to assess efficacy, efficiency and economic costs and benefits.
  • Demonstrate experience in the conduct of management tasks, and the ability to communicate effectively with the appropriate constituencies.

Nonprofit Management Concentration
Upon completion of this concentration, students will:

  • Demonstrate the managerial and policy skills to effectively undertake leadership roles in the nonprofit sector.
  • Demonstrate the managerial and policy skills to effectively undertake leadership roles in the public or private sectors as they apply to working with organizations in the nonprofit sector.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the philanthropic tradition in the broadest sense (voluntary action for the public good).