Core program (15 credit hours)
Students in the M.P.A. program at the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Western Michigan University complete each of the following five courses:
- PADM 6000-Fundamentals and Ethics of Public Service (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6010-Economic Principles of Public Service (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6020-Public Policy and Politics (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6060-Applied Research Methods (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6070-Quantitative Data Analysis (Credits: 3 hours)
Area of Concentration (12 credit hours)
In addition to the Core Program, each M.P.A. student must select and complete one of the following five 12-credit hour Areas of Concentration.
Health Care Administration
- PADM 6500-Management of Health Care Organizations (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6520-Health Care Economics and Finance (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6530-Health Care Policies and Practices (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6270-Human Resources Administration (Credits: 3 hours)
OR
- PADM 6290-Leadership and Supervision (Credits: 3 hours)
Human Resources Administration
- PADM 6110-Legal and Regulatory Environment of Public Service (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6120-Public Budgeting and Accounting (Credits: 3 hours)
OR
- PADM 6420-Nonprofit Accounting and Finance (Credits: 3 hours)
OR
- PADM 6520-Health Care Economics and Finance (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6270-Human Resources Administration (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6290-Leadership and Supervision (Credits: 3 hours)
Nonprofit Leadership and Administration
- PADM 6400-Managing Nonprofit Organization (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6435-Marketing and Community Engagement (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6420-Nonprofit Accounting and Finance (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6270-Human Resources Administration (Credits: 3 hours)
OR
- PADM 6290-Leadership and Supervision (Credits: 3 hours)
Public Management
- PADM 6100-Public Service Management (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6120-Public Budgeting and Accounting (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6270-Human Resources Administration (Credits: 3 hours)
OR
- PADM 6290-Leadership and Supervision (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6780-Program Evaluation (Credits: 3 hours)
Public Policy
- PADM 6650-Public Policy: Theory and Research (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6620-Finance in the Public Sector (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6780-Program Evaluation (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6920-Quantitative Data Analysis II (Credits: 3 hours)
Capstone Portfolio (3 credit hours)
The following two course-sequence of the Capstone Portfolio is required of each MPA student.
- PADM 6001-Capstone Portfolio I (Credits: 1 hour)
- PADM 6800-Capstone Portfolio II (Credits: 2 hours)
Elective Stream (6 credit hours)
M.P.A. students must complete 6 credit hours from the following course.
- PADM 5810-Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 5820-International Public Financial Management (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 5825-Managing Community Growth and Development (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 5830-Grant Writing (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 5860-Social Policy Administration (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 5870-Fund Raising for Nonprofit Organizations (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 5880-Culture, Diversity, and Social Equity (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 5890-Strategic Planning and Performance Measurement (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6555-Managerial Epidemiology (Credits: 3 hours)
- PADM 6890-Third Party Governance and Contracts (Credits: 3 hours)
Internship (3 credit hours)
Required for Pre-career students.
- PADM 7120-Professional Field experience