The Master of Public Affairs program requires a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours and completion of (1) the core requirements, and (2) the Concentration requirements.

The core requirement consists of 27 credit hours of work in nine courses. Each student must also complete the requirements of one concentration, which consists of 9 credit hours of work. An internship option is available and can count as three hours of elective credit.

Core Requirements

The Master of Public Affairs core ensures 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.

The following nine courses are required by all students regardless of concentration:

• SPEA V500 Quantitative Tools for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
• SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
• SPEA V506 Statistical Analysis for Policy and Management (3 cr.)
• SPEA V509 Administrative Ethics in the Public Sector (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.)
• SPEA V601 Workshop in Public Affairs (3 cr.)

Total (27 cr.)

Well-prepared applicants may petition the Director to waive one or more of the core requirements on the basis of advanced work done elsewhere. 

Concentration Requirement

The concentrations are designed to give an educational experience in a substantive area of the student's interest. The student chooses a concentration in consultation with an academic graduate advisor. Each concentration requires a total of 9 hours of which there are two required courses and one elective course that students can choose to supplement their knowledge/skill sets.

Concentrations

Students must choose one of the following concentrations: 

Criminal Justice 

Requirements

• SPEA J666 Criminal Justice Policy & Evaluation (3 cr.)
• SPEA V509 Administrative Ethics in the Public Sector (3 cr.)
• Elective course (3 cr.)

Health Services Administration and Social Change 

Requirements

• SPEA V545 The U.S. Health Care System (3 cr.)
• SPEA V546 Health Services Utilization (3 cr.)  
• Elective course (3 cr.)

Leadership 

Requirements

• SPEA V566 Executive Leadership (3 cr.)
• SPEA V602 Strategic Management (3 cr.)
• Elective course (3 cr.)

Sustainability and Social Change

Requirements

• SPEA V559 Principles and Practices of Social Entrepreneurship (3 cr.)
• SPEA V602 Strategic Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
• Elective course (3 cr.) 

Cumulative Grade Point Average has to be 3.0 or higher to graduate.