New MPA Curriculum Allows Students to Choose a Foundation in Public or Nonprofit Management and Offers More Electives

Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) is rolling out a new Master of Public Administration (MPA) curriculum that allows students to choose a foundation in either public or nonprofit management and to take more electives in order to shape the degree to their specialized interests and career goals. The new curriculum takes effect this fall in the traditional MPA (which is offered on campus, online, and hybrid) and in the 100% Online MPA.

Within a more streamlined core of seven courses, MPA students can now choose either a public management track or a nonprofit management track, and the number of electives for the degree doubles to six courses (18 credits), allowing much greater flexibility in choosing courses. Students can use their electives to fashion their own specialization by taking courses on topics such as labor relations, leadership and diversity, government technology, administrative law, performance measurement and evaluation, the policy process, and more. Elective courses can also be applied toward one or more Graduate Certificates offered in Budgeting and Financial Management, Healthcare Administration, Leadership of Public Organizations, Nonprofit Management, and other areas of professional specialization. The capstone course, with the option of completing either a capstone paper or a professional portfolio, continues to serve as a culminating experience in the MPA program and provides students with an opportunity to integrate their learning from coursework with application to real-world issues and career ambitions. 

The new Master of Public Administration (MPA) curriculum will be available to both current and prospective students this fall, and joins changes that have also been made to the Executive MPA (EMPA) program. To learn more, Request Information or Join a SPAA Info Session. If you have questions about the MPA program or the application process, contact Aaron Gibbs, associate dean of student and academic services, at algibbs@rutgers.edu.