Public Administration (M.P.A.)
https://carsey.unh.edu/program/mpa/online-master-public-administration
The Online Master of Public Administration program (MPA) offers you the opportunity to learn the skills you need in all aspects of public and nonprofit management including leadership, program evaluation, budgeting, planning, personnel management, collective bargaining, and policy analysis. Professionals with five or more years of relevant work experience or an accredited Certified Public Manager (CPM) credential can enroll in the 12-month Executive MPA program with reduced degree requirements and lower tuition cost.
Our MPA graduates are prepared to engage with their communities, ensure accountability, and have the administrative skills to achieve their organization's mission in an effective and sustainable manner.
- The MPA program is fully online and is ideal for working professionals
- Study with public service professionals and professors who bring strong analysis and best practices to your learning
- Start in the fall, spring, or summer and graduate in as little as 12 months (Executive MPA) or 16 months (MPA)
- Choose your MPA Capstone Experience Track: Management and Leadership or Program Planning and Development
- The GRE is not required to apply for this degree program
Program Delivery & Location: Core academic courses for the MPA program are offered entirely online with choices for taking optional elective courses in person on the UNH campuses. Students who choose to participate in the Washington DC Colloquium experience will join students from other Carsey programs for a week in Washington, DC.
MPA Requirements
Students enrolled in the Carsey School's Master of Public Administration program are required to complete a thirty-six (36) credit program, consisting of:
- Three (3) BASIC Core Curriculum Courses
- Three (3) ADVANCED Core Curriculum Courses
- MPA CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE Track:
- Management and Leadership Track: Two (2) Capstone Project Courses + Four (4) Elective Courses
OR - Program Planning and Development Track: Four (4) Capstone Project Courses + Two (2) Elective Courses
- Management and Leadership Track: Two (2) Capstone Project Courses + Four (4) Elective Courses
These provide students with a strong foundation in theory and the applied skills necessary to foster democratic involvement, accountability and administrative competency in the provision and delivery of public services in towns, cities, state agencies, and a wide range of nonprofit and non-governmental organizations. Further opportunities for depth and specialization are provided through a broad range of ADVANCED Core and ELECTIVE courses which vary by semester. For a culminating graduate experience, students choose an MPA capstone experience to match their interests in Management and Leadership or Program Planning and Development, enabling students to directly apply what they've learned throughout their MPA program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MPA BASIC Core Curriculum Courses (3 Courses) | ||
| PA 800 | Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | 3 |
| PA 805 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| PA 809 | Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | 3 |
| MPA ADVANCED Core Curriculum Courses (3 courses) | ||
| Select three courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Grant-writing for Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice | ||
| Human Resource Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Financial Management and Budgeting in the Public Sector | ||
| Public Management Techniques | ||
| Non-Profit Management | ||
| Managing Conflict and Change in Nonprofit and Public Organizations | ||
| Strategic Communications for Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Effective Change Management in Nonprofit and Public Organizations | ||
| Integrative Approaches to Development Policy and Practice | ||
| Economic Analysis for Development | ||
| Fiscal Management for Development Organizations | ||
| Policy Seminar | ||
| Community Development Finance | ||
| Conflict & Human Security | ||
| Global Governance | ||
| International Development & Human Security | ||
| Sustainable Development: Gender-Environment Nexus | ||
| Peace and Human Security in the Post-Atrocity State | ||
| Fundamentals of Policy Analysis | ||
| Policy Across Borders | ||
| Strategies for Policy Impact | ||
| Media Strategy and Skills | ||
| Advanced Special Topics | ||
| MPA CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE Track | ||
| Select a track from the following: | 18 | |
| Management and Leadership Track 2 | ||
| Policy and Program Evaluation | ||
| Capstone in Public Administration | ||
Four (4) MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Courses 1 | ||
| Program Planning and Development Track 3 | ||
| Introduction to Community Development Projects | ||
| Project Design and Planning | ||
| Project Implementation and Monitoring | ||
| Project Evaluation | ||
Two (2) MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Courses 1 | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
A range of MPA ADVANCED Core courses are offered each term and vary each year. ADVANCED Core courses can also be taken as ELECTIVE courses. Students may also propose relevant ELECTIVE courses if they make sense in terms of the student’s interests and academic plan. Discussion with your MPA Graduate Academic Advisor should inform this choice.
- 2
As a culmination of their graduate work, students in the Master of Public Administration's Management and Leadership Track are tasked with reflecting upon the professional applicability of their MPA skillset and drawing from the ePortfolio that they built throughout the program. Students are presented with a real-world problem in public administration and asked to write a paper exploring the problem and proposing recommended solutions.
- 3
Students in the Master of Public Administration's Program Planning and Development Track complete a four-term capstone project as the culmination of their graduate work. This capstone experience is designed to provide an opportunity to directly apply theories learned in the classroom to a major applied project within a community.
MPA Sample Degree Plan (36 Credits)
CAPSTONE TRACK: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| Term 1 | ||
| PA 800 | Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | 3 |
| MPA ADVANCED Core Course 1 | 3 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| MPA ADVANCED Core Course 1 | 3 | |
| MPA ADVANCED Core Course 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| Term 3 | ||
| PA 804 | Policy and Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| PA 809 | Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | 3 |
| Term 4 | ||
| PA 805 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Course 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Course 1 | 3 | |
| MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Course 1 | 3 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| PA 908A | Capstone in Public Administration | 3 |
| MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Course 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
A range of MPA ADVANCED Core courses are offered each term and vary each year. ADVANCED Core courses can also be taken as ELECTIVE courses. Students may also propose relevant ELECTIVE courses based upon their interests. Consult with your Graduate Academic Advisor for guidance and course selections.
- 2
As a culmination of their graduate work, students in the Master of Public Administration's Management and Leadership Track are tasked with reflecting upon the professional applicability of their MPA skillset and drawing from the ePortfolio that they built throughout the program. Students are presented with a real-world problem in public administration and asked to write a paper exploring the problem and proposing recommended solutions.
MPA Sample Degree Plan (36 Credits)
CAPSTONE TRACK: PROGRAM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| Term 1 | ||
| DPP 980 | Introduction to Community Development Projects 2 | 3 |
| PA 800 | Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | 3 |
| Term 2 | ||
| DPP 981 | Project Design and Planning 2 | 3 |
| MPA ADVANCED Core Course 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| Term 3 | ||
| DPP 982 | Project Implementation and Monitoring 2 | 3 |
| PA 809 | Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | 3 |
| Term 4 | ||
| DPP 983 | Project Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| PA 805 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| MPA ADVANCED Core Course 1 | 3 | |
| MPA ADVANCED Core Course 1 | 3 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Course 1 | 3 | |
| MPA-Approved ELECTIVE Course 1 | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
A range of MPA ADVANCED Core courses are offered each term and vary each year. ADVANCED Core courses can also be taken as ELECTIVE courses. Students may also propose relevant ELECTIVE courses based upon their interests. Consult with your Graduate Academic Advisor for guidance and course selections.
- 2
Students in the Master of Public Administration's Program Planning and Development Track complete a four-term capstone project as the culmination of their graduate work. This capstone experience is designed to provide an opportunity to directly apply theories learned in the classroom to a major applied project within a community.
This graduate program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with certain undergraduate degree programs.
General Accelerated Master's policy, note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher grade expectations) compared to the policy.
Please see the Graduate School website and contact the department directly for more information.
Accelerated Master's Progam Eligible: Yes-MPA Only (not applicable for the Executive MPA program)
The Public Administration (M.P.A.) program allows eligible undergraduate seniors to enroll in graduate level courses which can fulfill requirements for both their undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Students can apply to the Accelerated MPA program during their junior or senior year. Please review details on eligibility requirements for admission.
Eligible students who are admitted to the Accelerated Master's MPA program may complete up to 12 credits (four 3-credit courses) at the 800-level during their undergraduate senior year (unless otherwise indicated below). Credit earned counts toward both the undergraduate program and graduate degree.
The Public Administration (M.P.A.) is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the below undergraduate programs.
The graduate 800-level courses listed below have been approved to be completed in the undergraduate senior year and earn credit toward both the undergraduate programs listed below and the Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree program.
Accelerated Master's students should always consult with their Graduate Academic Advisor for course selection guidance.
College of Health and Human Services
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Recreation Management & Policy: Outdoor Leadership and Management Option (B.S.) | ||
| Recreation Management & Policy: Program and Event Management Option (B.S.) | ||
| Recreation Management & Policy: Therapeutic Recreation Option (B.S.) | ||
| Students may select up to four (4) 800-level courses (12 credits total) from the following: | ||
Community Development Policy and Practice (M.A.) courses: | ||
| Integrative Approaches to Development Policy and Practice | ||
| Economic Analysis for Development | ||
| Fiscal Management for Development Organizations | ||
| Organizational Management and Leadership | ||
Global Conflict & Human Security (M.S.) courses: | ||
| Conflict & Human Security | ||
| Global Governance | ||
| International Development & Human Security | ||
| Sustainable Development: Gender-Environment Nexus | ||
| Peace and Human Security in the Post-Atrocity State | ||
Public Administration (M.P.A.) courses: | ||
| Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | ||
| Grant-writing for Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice | ||
| Non-Profit Management | ||
| Managing Conflict and Change in Nonprofit and Public Organizations | ||
| Strategic Communications for Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Effective Change Management in Nonprofit and Public Organizations | ||
Public Policy (M.P.P.) courses: | ||
| Fundamentals of Policy Analysis | ||
| Policy Across Borders | ||
| Strategies for Policy Impact | ||
| Media Strategy and Skills | ||
| Advanced Special Topics | ||
Recreation Management and Policy (M.S.) courses: | ||
| Recreation Resource Management | ||
| Adaptive Sport Facilitation for Recreation Therapy and Related Professions | ||
| Research, Evaluation, and Data-Driven Decisions | ||
| Therapeutic Recreation Service Delivery in Community Settings | ||
| Theories and Philosophies of Youth Development | ||
| Law and Public Policy in Leisure Services | ||
| Human Dimensions of Natural Environments | ||
College of Liberal Arts
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science (B.A.) | ||
| 800-level courses approved for the undergraduate program: | ||
| Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | ||
| Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Non-Profit Management | ||
College of Professional Studies - Manchester
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity Policy (Minor) | ||
| 800-level courses approved for the undergraduate program: | ||
| Foundations of Cybersecurity Policy (Minor Required Course) | ||
| Foundations and Theories of Public Administration (Minor Elective Course) | ||
| Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors (Minor Elective Course) | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice (Minor Elective Course) | ||
| Non-Profit Management (Minor Elective Course) | ||
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Global Studies (Minor) | ||
| 800-level courses approved as electives in the undergraduate program: | ||
| Foundations and Theories of Public Administration (Minor Elective-Economics and Interdependence pillar) | ||
| Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors (Minor Elective-Economics and Interdependence pillar) | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice (Minor Elective-Economics and Interdependence pillar) | ||
| Non-Profit Management (Minor Elective-Economics and Interdependence pillar) | ||
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public Service and Nonprofit Leadership (B.S.) | ||
| 800-level courses approved as electives in the undergraduate program: | ||
| Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | ||
| Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice | ||
| Non-Profit Management | ||
College of Professional Studies - Online
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Business and Technology | ||
Accounting and Finance (B.S.) | ||
Applied Studies: Management (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Accounting Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Economic Science Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Emergency Management Strategy and Planning Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Finance Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Leadership, Change, and Social Responsibility Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Management Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Nonprofit Management Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Organization and Business Administration Option (B.S.) | ||
Business Management: Project Management Option (B.S.) | ||
Fire Service Administration (B.S.) | ||
Human Resource Management (B.S.) | ||
Operations, Supply Chain, and Logistics Management (B.S.) | ||
Public Administration (B.S.) | ||
Technology Management (B.S.) | ||
| Health Care, Human Services, and Behavioral Science | ||
Applied Psychology: Emergency Management Strategy and Planning Option (B.S.) | ||
Criminal Justice (B.S.) | ||
| Liberal Arts, Communications, and General Education | ||
Individualized Studies: Management (B.S.) | ||
Professional Communication: Business and Strategic Communication Option (B.S.) | ||
Professional Communication: Interpersonal and Organizational Communication Option (B.S.) | ||
Professional Communication: Visual Communication and Social Media Option (B.S.) | ||
| The approved 800-level courses below will count as electives in the undergraduate program. | ||
| Students may select up to four (4) 800-level courses (12 credits total) from the following: | ||
Community Development Policy and Practice (M.A.) courses: | ||
| Integrative Approaches to Development Policy and Practice | ||
| Economic Analysis for Development | ||
| Fiscal Management for Development Organizations | ||
| Organizational Management and Leadership | ||
Global Conflict & Human Security (M.S.) courses: | ||
| Conflict & Human Security | ||
| Global Governance | ||
| International Development & Human Security | ||
| Sustainable Development: Gender-Environment Nexus | ||
| Peace and Human Security in the Post-Atrocity State | ||
Public Administration (M.P.A.) courses: | ||
| Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | ||
| Grant-writing for Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice | ||
| Non-Profit Management | ||
| Managing Conflict and Change in Nonprofit and Public Organizations | ||
| Strategic Communications for Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Effective Change Management in Nonprofit and Public Organizations | ||
Public Policy (M.P.P.) courses: | ||
| Fundamentals of Policy Analysis | ||
| Policy Across Borders | ||
| Strategies for Policy Impact | ||
| Media Strategy and Skills | ||
| Advanced Special Topics | ||
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Public Administration & Policy (Minor) | ||
| 800-level courses approved as electives in the undergraduate program: | ||
| Conflict & Human Security | ||
| Global Governance | ||
| International Development & Human Security | ||
| Sustainable Development: Gender-Environment Nexus | ||
| Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | ||
| Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Non-Profit Management | ||
| Fundamentals of Policy Analysis | ||
| Policy Across Borders | ||
| Media Strategy and Skills | ||
Program Learning Outcomes
- Develop in-depth understanding of the structure of public sector organizations and common issues faced by public and nonprofit managers
- Communicate effectively with public managers, policymakers, and the general public
- Manage organizations, processes, and people in the public and nonprofit sectors
- Apply critical thinking skills to address public issues and solve problems
- Collect and analyze data to inform public decision-making