Public Administration
The MPA degree is the recognized professional degree in public administration and is appropriate for students pursuing public service careers in government, nonprofit organizations, and private sector firms providing services to governments. The MPA program welcomes applications from recent undergraduates and experienced professionals seeking to develop and strengthen a broad set of administrative skills.
To apply, applicants must submit:
- Recent scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
- A statement of purpose, outlining professional goals and motivation for pursing the MPA degree.
- A professional resume summarizing education, work, and volunteer experiences.
- Transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work.
- Evidence of successful completion of previous coursework in U.S. government and statistics.
Mission
The MPA Program promotes engaged citizenship and responsible public service. The curriculum cultivates effective and ethical analysts, managers, and leaders for work in local, national, and global contexts.
- To offer a curriculum that allows public administration students to develop and strengthen technical competencies in the following areas: program design, implementation, and evaluation; human resources; budgeting and financial processes; information interpretation via quantitative and qualitative methods; and managerial strategies.
- To improve student understanding of institutional dynamics in the following areas: legal; economical; social; organizational behavior; and political.
- To strengthen student capacity for success in complex and rapidly-changing organizations.
- To promote the exercise of responsible leadership.
- To cultivate cultural competency for work in diverse settings.
- To provide outreach activities that engage students in regional communities and organizations.
- To establish the MPA program as a community resource for current and emerging leaders of public service organizations.
- To contribute to the fields of public policy and administration and the effective operation of public service organizations.
- To develop a faculty that is prepared to meet the needs of an evolving and diverse student body and community.
- To maximize the resources of the MPA program by demonstrating high levels of faculty involvement, stakeholder participation, innovative problem-solving, and adaptability.
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration degree requires 42 credit hours of course work including six credits of internship. The internship can be waived for "in-service" students, those presently employed or recently employed in a substantive position in the public sector. The curriculum consists of a common component, a concentration and a capstone course. The common curriculum enables students to function effectively in the public and nonprofit sectors. Students will learn concepts of organization, public management, human resource administration, program and policy evaluation, budgeting, and administrative law.
There are four defined concentrations: public and nonprofit management, management in international nongovernmental organization, strategic planning for international stabilization and recovery, and public sector communication. In addition, students may design an individualized concentration in consultation with the coordinator. The individualized concentration may draw upon courses in other graduate programs at JMU and graduate courses offered by other accredited institutions.
In addition to a concentration, students who do not have a significant professional work background in administration are expected to complete a supervised internship with a public or nonprofit agency. The internship will support the student's concentration. All students must take the program capstone course in their final spring semester of study. The capstone emphasizes professional and ethical application and documentation of core public management competencies.
Students admitted to the program must seek advice from the program coordinator before registering for classes. The coordinator will also assist students in planning a program of study.
Master of Public Administration Degree Requirements
| Core Curriculum | Credit Hours |
| PUAD 573. Public Financial Management | 3 |
| PUAD 605. Research Design for Policy Evaluation | 3 |
| PUAD 606. Program Evaluation in Public Administration | 3 |
| PUAD 615. Legal Environment of Public Administration | 3 |
| PUAD 620. Seminar in the Politics of the Administrative Process | 3 |
| PUAD 625. Public Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| PUAD 630. Seminar in Public Personnel Administration | 3 |
| PUAD 641. Public Budgeting | 3 |
| Internship (choose one): | 6 |
| PUAD 696. Internship in Public Administration | |
| PUAD 697. Internship in NGO Management | |
| Concentration course work | 9 |
| Choose one (details below): | |
| Public and Nonprofit Management | |
| Management in International Nongovernmental Organizations 1 | |
| Strategic Planning for International Stabilization and Recovery | |
| Public Sector Communication | |
| Individualized Concentration | |
| Capstone Course | 3 |
| PUAD 692. Public Administration Capstone | |
| Total Credit Hours | 42 |
Concentration (choose one)
Public and Nonprofit Management
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| Choose three: | 9 |
| PUAD 512. Intergovernmental Relations | |
| PUAD 560. Regionalism and Urban Policy | |
| PUAD 573. Economic and Community Development | |
| PUAD 574. Tools for Public Management | |
| PUAD 662. Governance and Nonprofit Organizations | |
9 |
|
Management in International Nongovernmental Organizations 1
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| Choose three: | 9 |
| PUAD 650. Management in International Nongovernmental Organizations | |
| MBA/PUAD 651. The International Non-Profit Sector | |
| PUAD 652. The Politics of International NGO Management | |
| PUAD 653. Ethics and International NGOs | |
9 |
|
1 This concentration is only available in summer session as part of the Management in International Nongovernmental Organizations Certificate Program. Students wishing to qualify for a certificate must complete all four courses and, if they have no experience working in nongovernmental organizations, PUAD 697.
Strategic Planning for International Stabilization and Recovery Concentration
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| Choose three: | 9 |
| POSC 660. Strategic Planning in World Affairs | |
| POSC 665. Governance and Stabilization | |
| SCOM 630. Cultural Communication | |
| PUAD 573. Community & Economic Development | |
Public Sector Communication Concentration
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| WRTC 510. Seminar in Technical and Scientific Communication | 3 |
| WRTC 530. Research Methods in Technical and Scientific Communication | 3 |
| Choose one of four: | 3 |
| WRTC 540. Technical and Scientific Editing | |
| WRTC 625. Government Writing | |
| WRTC 640. Proposal and Grant Writing | |
| WRTC 650. Electronic and Online Publication | |
Individualized Concentration
| Required Courses | Credit Hours |
| Three graduate courses selected in consultation with the M.P.A. coordinator | 9 |
9 |
|
JMU undergraduates may complete their undergraduate degree and the MPA program in five years by meeting admissions requirements of the MPA program and carefully planning their program of study with the MPA coordinator. The five-year MPA program requires 33 graduate credits in academic course work and a professional internship. Students interested in the five-year MPA should meet with the MPA coordinator early in the sophomore year to officially declare their intent to pursue the program.
Students entering the five-year MPA program are not required to major in public administration as undergraduates; they may major in any field. However, they are required to complete the public administration courses listed below while undergraduates and will be required to complete nine hours of graduate credit while still undergraduates. Simultaneous enrollment in both undergraduate and graduate classes may have consequences for financial aid awards. Students are advised to seek guidance from all sources of financial aid prior to enrolling in graduate-level courses.
Students must formally apply to the graduate MPA program during spring of the junior year. As such, interested students must prepare for and plan to take the GRE in the fall of the junior year. Admission to the graduate program is based on meeting the same criteria as students to the regular, two-year MPA program. Acceptance into the five-year program is conditioned on successful completion of all undergraduate degree requirements and earning a grade of B or better in all graduate coursework taken prior to completion of the undergraduate degree.
Five-Year Recommended Schedule
| Undergraduate Curriculum | Credit Hours |
| First or Sophomore Year: | |
| GPOSC 225. U.S. Government | 4 |
| PPA 265. Public Administration | 3 |
| Sophomore Year: | |
| POSC 295. Research Methods | 4 |
| Sophomore or Junior Year: | |
| POSC 302. State and Local Government | 3 |
| PPA 381. Public Budgeting | 3 |
| Junior Year: | |
| MGT 365. Human Resource Management | 3 |
| Junior or Senior Year: | |
| PPA 415. Legal Environment of Public Administration | 3 |
| Total Undergraduate Credits | 23 |
Taking Graduate Courses as an Undergraduate
Graduate credits taken prior to completion of the undergraduate degree do not count toward the undergraduate degree or toward any undergraduate major or minor. Thus, the student must earn at least 120 credit hours in addition to graduate coursework taken while still an undergraduate. Written permission to take graduate courses must be obtained from the MPA coordinator and the dean of the Graduate School prior to enrollment. The student should apply for permission during the junior year. The student should complete the following three courses.
Graduate Credit Requirements
| Fourth Year Graduate Credit | Credit Hours |
| Fall of Senior Year: | |
| PUAD 620. Seminar in the Politics of the Administrative Process | 3 |
| PUAD 625. Public Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| Spring of Senior Year: | |
| PUAD 571. Public Financial Management | 3 |
9 |
|
Students must complete the following courses during the fifth year, followed by an internship in the summer.
| Fifth Year Graduate Credit | Credit Hours |
| Fall of Fifth Year: | |
| PUAD 605. Research Design for Policy Evaluation | 3 |
| PUAD 630. Seminar in Public Personnel Administration | 3 |
| Two graduate courses in the student's concentration | 6 |
| Spring of Fifth Year | |
| PUAD 606. Program Evaluation in Public Administration | 3 |
| PUAD 641. Public Budgeting | 3 |
| PUAD 692. Public Administration Capstone | 3 |
| One graduate course in the student's concentration | 3 |
| Summer of Fifth Year | |
| PUAD 696. Internship in Public Administration | 6 |
30 |
|
Total Graduate Credits
| Total Graduate Credits | Credit Hours |
| Fourth Year Graduate Credit | 9 |
| Fifth Year Graduate Credit | 24 |
| Internship (summer of fifth year) | 6 |
39 |
|
Certificate in the Management of International Non-Governmental Organizations
Globalization has prompted a rapid expansion in the number of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) committed to economic development, relief, environmental issues, human rights and the advocacy of a variety of political and social causes. This growth creates employment opportunities for students trained in a variety of fields including social work, health sciences, business, political science, international affairs, education and applied technologies. Those attracted to employment in international NGOs have seldom had exposure to their distinctive work environments or training in the management of such organizations. In particular, students tend to be trained in job-specific and transferable skills in courses that assume work is conducted within the United States. The Certificate in the Management of International Non-Governmental Organizations, an innovative and intensive course of study, offers students the opportunity to examine how international NGOs are affected by changes in the operating context. Over the course of this program, students will become more familiar with the distinctive features of these organizations, their managerial challenges, their social and political environments, their economic dynamics, and the values they seek to realize.
An intensive summer curriculum involves students in a case-based pedagogy requiring them to apply various principles in scenarios central to international non-governmental management. This focused program of 40 weekly contact hours delivers 12 credit hours of instruction in four weeks during JMUs first four-week summer session (mid-May to mid-June). This course work will be followed by a six-credit internship with an international non-governmental organization, thus generating an 18-credit certificate delivered entirely over the summer.
Internships are conducted from mid-June through mid-August and require 300 hours of work. Prior to the summer, the programs internship coordinator assists students with identifying internship opportunities and approves proposed internships. Because internships will not be available in Harrisonburg, students must be prepared to move to cities elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad to do the internship. Approved internships may be paid or unpaid. The NGO internship combines experiential learning with directed readings and research in which students explore issues from the earlier four courses in more detail and in a manner relevant to the nature of the internship. The internship is not required of students presently employed or recently employed by an international NGO in a substantive position.
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
| PUAD 650. Management in International Nongovernmental Organizations | 3 |
| PUAD/MBA 651. The International Non-Profit Sector | 3 |
| PUAD 652. The Politics of International NGO Management | 3 |
| PUAD 653. Ethics and International NGOs | 3 |
| PUAD 697. Internship in NGO Management | 6 |
18 |
|
Certificate in Strategic Planning for International Stabilization and Recovery
The graduate certificate in Strategic Planning for International Stabilization and Recovery is designed to prepare personnel to effectively and ethically assist civilian populations and government entities affected by peacekeeping and combat operations. The program provides graduate-level instruction in areas of international relations, stability operations, strategic communications, and recovery planning. The program is offered via a combination of formats. Courses may be offered during the summer and in compressed format.
| Requirements | Credit Hours |
| POSC 660. Strategic Planning in World Affairs | 3 |
| POSC 665. Governance and Stabilization | 3 |
| PUAD 573. Community & Economic Development | 3 |
| PUAD 626. Strategic Planning and Management | 3 |
| SCOM 630. Strategic Cross-Cultural Communication | 3 |
15 |
|
Financial Assistance
A limited number of graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Assistantships are limited to nine paid graduate hours of tuition each fall and spring semester. Students must pay for any additional hours each semester at the tuition rate based on residency status.
All relevant regulations in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs are applicable.
Please contact:
Dr. Gary R. Kirk, MPA Coordinator
kirkgr@jmu.edu
Dr. Charles H. Blake, INGO Management Certificate Coordinator
blakech@jmu.edu
Dr. Charles H. Blake, Chair, Political Science Department
blakech@jmu.edu
Political Science Department, MSC 7705
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA 28807
(540) 568-6149
http://www.jmu.edu/mpa
Public Administration
PUAD 512. Seminar in Intergovernmental Relations.
3 credits.
Intensive examination of the dynamics of the federal system including the political, administrative and fiscal relationships among the various American governments. Grant writing will be addressed.
PUAD 560. Regionalism and Urban Policy.
3 credits.
A study of the problems of urbanization and inter-jurisdictional externalities from a regional perspective. Regionalism will be examined as an approach to generating public policy to solve these problems.
PUAD 561. Education and Social Policy.
3 credits.
A study of the development and implementation of education policy in the United States at the national, state, and local levels. Students will be introduced to major issues in contemporary education policy and the evaluation of alternative policies advanced by subgroups of the population. Educational equity and its links to social and economic goals will be examined.
PUAD 562. Social Welfare and Local Government Policy.
3 credits.
A study of the interaction of social welfare policy and local governance in theory and in practice. Students examine state and local government and community-based responses to urban problems from a policy and management perspective. Particular attention is paid to interagency and community collaboration as a way to enhance social service delivery.
PUAD 571. Public Financial Management.
3 credits.
Explores financial management in public and nonprofit organizations by examining cash, debt, and investment management; risk assessment; capital projects and budgeting. Financial reporting, financial statements, and auditing will also be considered as accountability and internal control mechanisms.
PUAD 573. Economic and Community Development.
3 credits.
Study of the theory and practice of economic development and community planning. Topics include human capital development, infrastructure development, regionalism, public-private partnerships.
PUAD 574. Tools for Public Management.
3 credits.
This course is designed to introduce students to the practical tools that will enable them to deal with the challenges mangers face in the nonprofit and public sector environment. The course is designed around a set of modules that public administrators must address on a regular basis.
PUAD 583. Emerging Issues in Public Administration.
3 credits.
A detailed, research-oriented study of an emerging issue in public administration. The course will examine new or emerging topics in the public administration profession with extensive readings and research focused on the contemporary academic and professional literatures. The course may be repeated for credit with a change in subject matter. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 584. Environmental Regulatory Policy and Politics.
3 credits.
A study of environmental politics and the policies that environmental advocacy has produced. Topics include the dynamics of policy construction, various substantive policy issues, and the prospects for environmental justice and sustainability.
PUAD 605. Research Design for Policy Evaluation.
3 credits.
Application of social science methodology to program and policy evaluation. Research design and data collection, as well as planning techniques, are covered.
PUAD 606. Program Evaluation in Public Administration.
3 credits.
Application of systematic analysis to program and policy evaluation. Students will complete a computer-assisted research project. Prerequisite: PUAD 505 or permission of instructor.
PUAD 615. Legal Environment of Public Administration.
3 credits.
Study of the constraints imposed on public administrators by law and judicial oversight. The course will address federal and state constitutions, judicial review, organizational and personal legal accountability, personnel law, and procurement law.
PUAD 620. Seminar in the Politics of the Administrative Process.
3 credits.
A study of public administration as part of the political process. Includes administration and politics, organizational structure and behavior, and patterns of management and decision making. Serves as the introductory course to the Master of Public Administration program.
PUAD 625. Public Organizational Behavior.
3 credits.
A study of contemporary issues and problems facing the public manager. Contemporary management systems, techniques and devices will be discussed and case studies will be extensively used.
PUAD 626. Strategic Planning and Management.
3 credits.
Advanced study of the strategic planning process, including mission and vision development, subordinate planning efforts, and integration with management and operational planning. Coverage of performance measurement, assessment systems, monitoring and evaluation, and program modification.
PUAD 630. Seminar in Public Personnel Administration.
3 credits.
An inquiry to systems of employment found in United States governments and nonprofit organizations, the issues these systems raise for democracy, and the Constitutional and legal framework within which they operate.
PUAD 641. Public Budgeting.
3 credits.
Public budgeting practices and skills with an emphasis on the federal budget process. Topics include politics of the budget process, budget types and analytic techniques for budgeting.
PUAD 650. Management of International Nongovernmental Organizations.
3 credits.
Study of management of non-governmental (NGO) organizations in international settings. Through readings, case studies and exercises, the course explores NGO governance, acquisition and management of resources, program management, performance measurement and accountability. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD/MBA 651. The International Non-Profit Sector.
3 credits.
Introduces the non-economics graduate student to an economic perspective on non-profit organizations with regard to diverse international systemic environments. The conjunction of economics with political, institutional, ethical and sociological elements will provide the student with a comprehensive understanding of the central nature of economics to development. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 652. Politics of International NGOs.
3 credits.
An examination of how changes in the political context provide distinctive challenges to international non-governmental organizations. The emphasis is on improving the ability of managers and service providers to adjust their organizations decisions and operations in response to differences in national and subnational political dynamics. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 653. Ethics and International NGOs.
3 credits.
This course studies the ethical issues posed by international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in both theory and practice. Emphasis will be placed on the contemporary humanitarian enterprise, on the ethical considerations it raises, and on analytical and normative tools for addressing these concerns. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 662. Governance and Nonprofit Organizations.
3 credits.
Study of the structure, functions and composition of nonprofit boards and their relationship to organization management and performance. Explore the fiduciary, strategic and generative governance roles of boards and common problems associated with nonprofit governance. Assess proposals to improve board performance and accountability.
PUAD 680. Reading and Research.
3 credits.
Under faculty supervision, independent study of a specialized area of public administration. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 683. Special Topics in Public Administration.
3 credits.
A detailed study of a selected area in public administration. May be repeated with a change in subject matter. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 692. Public Administration Capstone.
3 credits.
This capstone course, required of all graduate public administration students in their final spring semester, emphasizes professional and ethical application of core public management competencies. Course work includes a structured, individualized practicum project demonstrating technical knowledge and understanding of organizational, political and social contexts. Prerequisite: Open to students who have completed 24 graduate credit hours or are entering their final spring semester in the MPA program.
PUAD 696. Internship in Public Administration.
3-6 credits.
Supervised professional administrative experience with a public or non-profit agency. Credit for 200 or 400 hours of work is three or six credits. Assigned readings, reports and a research paper are required. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 697. Internship in NGO Management.
3 credits.
A supervised professional administrative experience with a non-governmental organization. Requires 300 hours of work. Assigned readings, reports and a research paper are also required. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
PUAD 698. Comprehensive Continuance.
1 credit.
Continued preparation in anticipation of the comprehensive examination. Course may be repeated as needed.
Political Science
POSC 561/HIST 561. Seminar in Marxist-Leninist Theory.
3 credits.
A study of the most significant ideas concerning politics, society, economics and philosophy which have shaped Communism and Marxist varieties of socialism.
POSC 665. Governance and Stabilization.
3 credits.
This course will apply political science research and theory to the role of counterinsurgency and post-conflict operations in providing governance and stabilization. It will examine current military and political strategies in light of lessons learned from past operations.
POSC 680. Reading and Research.
3 credits.
This course offers the individual student the opportunity for reading and research under faculty supervision in the areas of public and non-profit administration that are of special interest to the student.
Communication Studies
SCOM 630. Culture and Conflict Resolution.
3 credits.
The course explores the relations between culture and conflict that emerge when competing worldviews become conflicted regarding power, control, and influence. Emphasis is on communication and conflict resolution theory with application to skill competencies required for facilitation, negotiation, and mediation. Integration of cross-cultural reconstruction teams into distress communities considered.
