MPA Curriculum
The Master Degree in Public Administration prepares men and women interested in public service and third sector careers for professional and management policy positions. Persons already employed or preparing to enter public service are encouraged to apply for admission. The interdisciplinary nature of the program is designed to utilize faculty resources in departments and colleges across the University and to offer students a wide choice in their professional preparation.
Current
Curriculum below for those that were admitted after Fall 2018
MPA Course Completion Checklist
MPA students must complete a minimum of 42 credit hours for the degree that includes five components:
- Core (12 credit hours)
- Required Sequential Curriculum (9 credit hours)
- Elective (18 credit hours or 15 cr hours if doing a thesis)
- Capstone (3 credit hours) or Professional Paper (3 credit hours) or Master's Thesis (6 credit hours)
Core
The following core curriculum of 12 credit hours:
Principles and methods of public management and policy analysis: policy formulation and implementation, organizational relations, institutional development, administrative process, and public sector ethics.
Survey of theories of public organization, principles for planning in the public sector, methods of developing organizations, implementing changes, and adapting to operational demands. Major issues of human behavior related to ethics and productivity.
Survey of human resources management principles and practices in public sector organizations.
Required Sequential
The following required sequential curriculum of 9 credit hours:
This course presents basic concepts and methods in public administration research. It surveys data collection and analysis techniques consistent with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research traditions.
This course builds on PADM 595 and focuses on data analysis prevalent in public administration, including descriptive and inferential statistics, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, correlation, cross-tabulation, mean comparison with significance testing, regression, ANOVA.
Prerequisite: MATH 1350 Introduction to Statistics (or equivalent)
This course is intended to provide an advanced introduction to the theory and practice of program evaluation, along with policy analysis and evaluation.
Prerequisite: PADM 596 Research Methods II: Data Analysis
Electives
Electives consist of any PADM courses outside the core, required sequential, and capstone/professional paper/thesis curriculum. If you are interested in a graduate course outside of PADM course offerings, please submit an elective substitution form for approval to spadvise@unm.edu.
This course aims to acquaint students with the study of human behavior in complex public and nonprofit organizations and to improve their skills in effectively managing it.
The organization, policies, processes, and financing of state governments, cities, counties, and special districts, with particular emphasis on human resources, budgets, and planning.
Organization of federal system, focusing on relationships and problems among agencies on different levels of government. Considers interstate, interlocal and regional organizations and implementation of intergovernmental programs and policies.
The course covers the core dimensions, concepts, and approaches to diversity in organizations. Will consider the historical, political, cultural, and economic contexts as well as questions and controversies surrounding diversity management.
Survey of employment relations among employers, employees, and government in the public sector, with particular attention to unionized organizations.
Overview of the role of conflict/disputes in employment relationships; theories of conflict origins in humans, manifestations of workplace disputes, aggression, coercion, and violence; positive conflict resolution and reconciliation through peacemaking strategies.
Role and nature of administrative law; procedural requirements and judicial review of administrative actions; safeguards against arbitrary/capricious action; delegation of sovereignty and legislative power; legal principles in the development of public policy and administration.
This course aims to familiarize students with the ethical nature and dilemmas of American public administration. It looks at the ethical dilemmas and concerns that arise from the exercise of discretionary authority and administrative power.
Examination on a comparative basis of national systems of administration in developed and developing countries, focusing on the organization and behavior of public bureaucracies, with special emphasis on Latin America.
Course is designed to develop an understanding of the bureaucratic/political environment and processes crucial to effective performance in public sector management and of ethical issues inherent in public management.
This course will introduce the dynamics of non-profit management and provide a deeper understanding of socio, economic, political, and historical forces that have shaped the non-profit sector in the U.S. and the world.
Course focuses on nonprofit financial decision-making, operating and capital budgeting, managing working capital, issues in implementing budgets and business plans, issues in government contracting with nonprofit organizations, and financial performance management.
Analysis of financial management functions of government including treasurer, comptroller, accounting, capital budgeting, auditing, debt and cash management, and other functions. Methods for evaluating the financial conditions of governments are presented. The impact of computers on public financial management also is evaluated.
Prerequisite: PADM 544
A topic relevant to public administration is developed, resulting in a paper of substantial length.
Available only to students assigned to an agency as an intern. Gives work experience to students with little or no prior government employment.
This course will examine critical issues currently facing health care managers and policymakers. Key areas of discussion are structure, financing, and delivery of health services in the U.S.
Health Finance helps students develop an understanding of the managerial aspects of financial analysis in health care organizations. It explores the concepts, principles, and applications of financial management and decision-making in modern hospitals and healthcare organizations.
This course is designed for future leaders of health care organizations. The course provides students with the knowledge of how the best health care organizations deliver high-quality and cost-effective health care services.
The course is designed to prepare future healthcare leaders of healthcare organizations to deal with ethical issues and dilemmas. The course does not cover medical ethics but focuses on management ethics.
Introduces key concepts in disability-related public policies in the United States and New Mexico, explores critical topics in disability and public policy, and increases understanding of the interactions between disability, public policy, and public health.
Review of representative theories of public policy, including policy formation, implementation, and impact analysis.
Examination of issues and problems associated with the implementation of U.S. environmental policies and programs. Administration of natural resources on federal, state, and local levels, with special reference to the Southwest.
Complex policy problems defy traditional boundaries. The governance of inter-organizational and cross-sectoral networks is a crucial skill for effective leaders. Topics include network design, leadership, informal accountability, managing competition, innovation, social capital, and network resilience.
(Also offered as CRP 577)
Introduction to practice of public policy development in technical and professional applications. Emphasis on writing, interpretation, and implementation of policy documents. Environmental, physical, and social policies are highlighted.
(Also offered as CRP 585)
Introduces students to new ways of negotiating and resolving disputes in the context of professional practice through collaborative decision-making and problem-solving.
Seminars scheduled from time to time on issues and topics requiring additional focus in public administration. See course offerings each semester for seminars.
This course will discuss the concept of culture, how it changes and how it influences everyday life, as well as a health disparity, and what healthcare organizations/systems can do to implement strategies for enhancing cultural competence.
This course is designed to help students develop a comprehensive understanding of the design, use, and evaluation issues and methodologies of health informatics applications.
The course focuses on the fundamentals of establishing compliance programs to identify and prevent fraud and abuse and familiarize students with various payment systems such as Medicare's prospective payment systems for hospitals and other provider reimbursements.
This course is designed for future leaders of health care organizations. The course provides students with knowledge about how the best health care organizations deliver high-quality cost-effective healthcare.
Capstone / Professional Paper / Thesis
Three options to complete your M.P.A graduate degree.
This course features an analysis of selected public administration cases. Students will develop analytical writing skills via case analyses critically applying knowledge and skills to challenges faced by nonprofit, public policy, and administrative professionals.
Must be taken by all students who are not pursuing the capstone or thesis option. In general, papers will be more extensive than term papers, perhaps including case studies, reports of research results, theoretical essays, or similar contributions of substantive and professional quality. Students must enroll for 3 hours the first semester, and then for 1 hour consecutively thereafter (including summer sessions) until their professional paper is approved. Only the first 3 credit hours will count toward the M.P.A. degree. Professional Paper guidelines.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
Offered on a CR/NC basis only. Master's Thesis guidelines.
Legacy
Curriculum below for those that were admitted before Fall 2018
MPA Course Completion Checklist