Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Emergency Management and Homeland Security Concentration

This degree provides graduate professional education to students who wish to prepare for administrative or research careers in public management at the federal, state, or local government level with nonprofit organizations or private sector corporations extensively involved with government. A full-time student can complete the MPA program (including internship) in two academic years. The requirements of the program ensure that each student will have a theoretical understanding and practical awareness of public policy and of the principles of management and administration in the public sector. The program blends the study of politics and administration with the techniques of modern management. The flexibility of the program allows students to tailor an interdisciplinary curriculum to their needs, objectives, and goals. Program options include four disciplinary concentrations, which allow students to combine the study of public administration and policy with course work in substantive policy areas such as criminal justice, emergency management and homeland security, community and economic development, or information and communication technology. Alternatively, students may choose the administrative concentration, which allows students to build a customized course of study through elective courses. Each student’s background will be evaluated individually, and recommendations on program content will be made according to the student’s educational and job experiences and career plans. Selection of such courses must be made in consultation with the major advisor. Students may complete part of their MPA elective courses in such departments as accounting, criminal justice and criminology, economics, journalism, educational leadership, marketing and management, natural resources and environmental management, physiology and health science, and sociology. To accommodate practitioners and others who have daytime commitments, evening classes are offered as well as weekday classes. Many opportunities exist for student participation in workshops and experiential learning settings where students and public administrators can interact. Students without appropriate professional experience will be required to complete a full-time internship for credit.