Public Administration, Human Resources Concentration, M.P.A.

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

(36 UNITS)

Master of Public Administration

The Master of Public Administration is a professional degree designed to disseminate the knowledge and skills needed for efficient and effective public management. The program acquaints students with the theoretical and practical skills needed to improve the practice of public and nonprofit management. It also prepares one to cope with the ethical and moral dimensions of the contemporary policy maker. Career guidance, working experience and placement are important components of the program.

Admission to Graduate Standing - Conditionally Classified

Students must meet the CSU requirements for admission to a master’s degree program. Please consult the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for complete information. In addition, applicants may be conditionally classified with a grade-point average of at least 2.75 in the last 60 semester units attempted.

Graduate Standing - Classified

A student who meets the above requirements may become a classified student if all following conditions are met:

Completes a minimum of 12 semester units of undergraduate coursework in the social sciences or business, six semester units of which must have been upper-division level. At least one of the courses must have been in economics. Upon recommendation of the public administration faculty, suitable practical experience may be substituted for a maximum of six units of the social science/business requirement;
completes a one-semester course in basic statistics;
satisfies at least one of the following GPA conditions:

At least a 3.0 in the undergraduate major and 2.75 in the last 60 units
Between 2.75 and 2.99 in the undergraduate major, 2.5 in the last 60 units, and at least 1000 combined score (vocabulary and math) on the General Test of the Graduate Record Exam
Between 2.75 and 2.99 in the undergraduate major, 2.75 in the last 60 units, and quality professional experience as evaluated by the M.P.A. coordinator based on job description, resume, two letters of reference and four years of professional administrative service
At least a 2.75 in the last 60 semester units and completion of the first 12 units of adviser-approved coursework in this program with a grade-point average of 3.0;

scores a minimum of 570 on the TOEFL (international students); and
approval of a study plan through consultation with the M.P.A. adviser.

Degree Requirements

The degree requires adviser-approved coursework. Courses may not satisfy more than one area.

Core Courses (21-24 units)

POSC 497 - Internship in Public Administration (3) (required if no previous public sector administrative working experience)
POSC 509 - Foundations of Public Administration (3)
POSC 521 - Capstone Seminar: Public Administration Theory (3)
POSC 523 - Administrative Research and Analysis (3)
POSC 526 - Public Organizational Theory and Behavior (3)
POSC 571 - Public Budgeting and Finance (3)
POSC 572 - Human Resource Management for Public Organizations (3)

One of the following:

Culminating Experience (0-3 units)

Successfully pass a written comprehensive examination, or, with the approval of their concentration and M.P.A. adviser, choose POSC 597 (project) or POSC 598 (thesis) in lieu of the comprehensive examination. The project and thesis each earn three units of coursework and include a final oral defense.

Additional Information

No more than nine units of postgraduate coursework taken prior to classified standing may be applied to the master’s degree program. A minimum of half the units of the degree must be completed at the 500-level.

Human Resources Concentration (9-15 units)

Required (6 units)

Adviser-Approved Electives (3-9 units)

Other courses may be chosen with department graduate adviser approval. Courses taken to satisfy other areas may not count toward the electives