Public Administration (M.P.A.)
https://carsey.unh.edu/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 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 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 or spring and graduate in as little as 12 months (Executive MPA) or 16 months (MPA)
- UNH Undergraduates can earn their MPA degree in as little as 12 months when enrolled in the UNH Accelerated Master's program for the MPA degree (not applicable for the Executive MPA program).
- No GRE is required
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.
Accelerated Master's Progam Eligible: Yes-MPA Only (not applicable for the Executive MPA program)
MPA Requirements
Students enrolled in the Carsey School's Master of Public Administration program (MPA degree) are required to complete a thirty-six (36) credit program, consisting of:
- Four (4) BASIC Core Curriculum Courses
- Three (3) ADVANCED Core Curriculum Courses
- Five (5) 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 elective courses which vary by semester. As a culminating graduate experience, students engage in a capstone project within their community, enabling students to directly apply what they've lerned throughout their MPA program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MPA BASIC Core Curriculum Courses (4 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 |
| PA 908A | Capstone in Public Administration 1 | 3 |
| MPA ADVANCED Core Curriculum Courses: Choose Three (3) 2 | 9 | |
| Grant-writing for Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Performance Management in Public and Non-Profit Organizations | ||
| Policy and Program Evaluation | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Leadership Theory and Practice | ||
| Human Resource Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | ||
| Financial Management and Budgeting in the Public Sector | ||
| Art of Negotiation | ||
| Public Management Techniques | ||
| Legal and Policy-Making Environment on Public and Non-Profit Sectors | ||
| Non-Profit Management | ||
| MPA ELECTIVE Courses: Choose Five (5) 3-Credit Public Admin 800/900 level Elective Courses (or related discipline with MPA Academic Advisor's approval) 2 | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
For more details on the MPA program, visit the MPA website.
Executive MPA Requirements
Students enrolled in the Carsey School's Executive Master of Public Administration program are required to complete a thirty (30) credit program, consisting of:
- Four (4) BASIC Core Curriculum Courses
- Three (3) ADVANCED Core Curriculum Courses
- Three (3) ELECTIVE Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MPA BASIC Core Curriculum Courses (4 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 |
| PA 908A | Capstone in Public Administration 1 | 3 |
| MPA ADVANCED Core Curriculum Courses: Choose Three (3) 2 | 9 | |
| Performance Management in Public and Non-Profit Organizations | ||
| Policy and Program Evaluation | ||
| 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 | ||
| MPA ELECTIVE Courses: Choose Three (3) 3-Credit Public Admin 800/900 level Elective Courses (or related discipline with MPA Academic Advisor's approval) 2 | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
FALL START (Typical)
MPA Sample Degree Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| E-Term 1 | ||
| PA 800 or PA 700 |
Foundations and Theories of Public Administration 3 or Foundations and Theories of Public Administration |
3 |
| MPA Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| E-Term 2 | ||
| PA 812 | Leadership Theory and Practice 2 | 3 |
| PA 813 | Human Resource Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| E-Term 3 | ||
| PA 804 | Policy and Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| PA 809 or PA 709 |
Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors 3 or Organization and Management in Public and Nonprofit Sectors |
3 |
| E-Term 4 | ||
| PA 805 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| PA 808 | Administrative Law 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| E-Term 5 | ||
| PA 908A | Capstone in Public Administration 1 | 3 |
| PA 814 |
Financial Management and Budgeting in the Public Sector 2,3 or Non-Profit Management or Nonprofit Management |
3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| E-Term 1 | ||
| PA 802 | Grant-writing for Public and Non-profit Sectors 2 | 3 |
| MPA Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Notes:
| 1 | The Capstone project is the culmination of the student's graduate work, applying academic knowledge with practical experience. |
| 2 | A range of MPA Advanced Core and Elective courses are offered each term and vary each year. Advanced Core courses can also be taken as Elective courses. |
| 3 | Undergraduates enrolled as Accelerated Master's students will enroll in both the 700-level course (for credit in their undergraduate program) and the 800-level course (for graduate credit in the Master of Public Administration program). |
Executive MPA Sample Degree Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| E-Term 1 | ||
| PA 800 | Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | 3 |
| MPA Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| E-Term 2 | ||
| PA 812 | Leadership Theory and Practice 2 | 3 |
| PA 813 | Human Resource Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| E-Term 3 | ||
| PA 804 | Policy and Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| PA 809 | Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | 3 |
| E-Term 4 | ||
| PA 805 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| PA 808 | Administrative Law 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| E-Term 5 | ||
| PA 814 or PA 818 |
Financial Management and Budgeting in the Public Sector 2 or Non-Profit Management |
3 |
| PA 908A | Capstone in Public Administration 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Notes:
| 1 | The Capstone project is the culmination of the student's graduate work, applying academic knowledge with practical experience. |
| 2 | A range of MPA Advanced Core and Elective courses are offered each term and vary each year. Advanced Core courses can also be taken as Elective courses. |
SPRING START
MPA Sample Degree Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Credits | |
| E-Term 3 | ||
| PA 804 | Policy and Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| PA 809 or PA 709 |
Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors 3 or Organization and Management in Public and Nonprofit Sectors |
3 |
| E-Term 4 | ||
| PA 805 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| PA 808 | Administrative Law 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| E-Term 5 | ||
| PA 814 | Financial Management and Budgeting in the Public Sector 2 | 3 |
| PA 818 or PA 718 |
Non-Profit Management 2,3 or Nonprofit Management |
3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fall | ||
| E-Term 1 | ||
| PA 800 or PA 700 |
Foundations and Theories of Public Administration 3 or Foundations and Theories of Public Administration |
3 |
| PA 802 | Grant-writing for Public and Non-profit Sectors | 3 |
| E-Term 2 | ||
| PA 812 or PA 813 |
Leadership Theory and Practice or Human Resource Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors |
3 |
| PA 908A | Capstone in Public Administration 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Spring | ||
| E-Term 3 | ||
| PA 816 | Public Management Techniques 2 | 3 |
| MPA Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Notes:
| 1 | The Capstone project is the culmination of the student's graduate work, applying academic knowledge with practical experience. |
| 2 | A range of MPA Advanced Core and Elective courses are offered each term and vary each year. Advanced Core courses can also be taken as Elective courses. |
| 3 | Undergraduates enrolled as Accelerated Master's students will enroll in both the 700-level course (for credit in their undergraduate program) and the 800-level course (for graduate credit in the Master of Public Administration program). |
Executive MPA Sample Degree Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Credits | |
| E-Term 3 | ||
| PA 804 | Policy and Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| PA 809 | Organization and Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors | 3 |
| E-Term 4 | ||
| PA 805 | Introduction to Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| PA 808 | Administrative Law 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| E-Term 5 | ||
| PA 814 | Financial Management and Budgeting in the Public Sector 2 | 3 |
| PA 818 | Non-Profit Management 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fall | ||
| E-Term 1 | ||
| PA 800 | Foundations and Theories of Public Administration | 3 |
| PA 802 | Grant-writing for Public and Non-profit Sectors 2 | 3 |
| E-Term 2 | ||
| PA 812 or PA 813 |
Leadership Theory and Practice 2 or Human Resource Management in Public and Non-profit Sectors |
3 |
| PA 908A | Capstone in Public Administration 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Notes:
| 1 | The Capstone project is the culmination of the student's graduate work, applying academic knowledge with practical experience. |
| 2 | A range of MPA Advanced Core and Elective courses are offered each term and vary each year. Advanced Core courses can also be taken as Elective courses. |
- 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