School of Public Affairs and Administration

School of Public Affairs and Administration
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5440 USA
(269) 387-8932

Accordian page

  • 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-Foundations 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)

    Joint Doctor of Laws and Master of Public Administration with Western Michigan University Cooley Law School

  • 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 5850-Managerial Epidemiology (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 6890-Third Party Governance and Contracts (Credits: 3 hours)
  • Internship (3 credit hours)

    Required for Pre-career students.

    • PADM 7120-Professional Field experience