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UNDERGRADUATE
- Major Requirements
- Minor Requirements
- Minor in Public Policy
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ - BA)
MPA Academics and Curriculum
Degree Requirements
(36 Total Units)
Public Administration Core
Students must take ALL of the following courses:
- POSC 509 Foundations of Public Administration
- POSC 521 Capstone Seminar: Public Administration Theory
- POSC 523 Administrative Research and Analysis
- POSC 526 Public Organizational Theory & Behavior
- POSC 571 Public Budgeting and Finance
- POSC 572 Human Resources Management for Public Organizations
And at least ONE of the following:
- POSC 519 State and Local Government
- POSC 525 Local Government Management
- POSC 528 Seminar in Public Policy
For students with no previous public sector managerial working experience, the following course is required:
POSC 497 Internship in Public Administration:
MPA students in POSC 497 are eligible to apply for the Lawson Internship in Public Service, a $2000 stipend generously funded by alumnus, Bruce Lawson. Application for the award is open once students have enrolled in POSC 497.
We are pleased to announce a $50,000 endowment for the Lawson Internship in Public Service. This gift from Bruce Lawson recognizes the 50th Anniversary of the MPA Program.
Questions?
Prospective Students: mpaadmissions@fullerton.edu
Current Students: mpaadvising@fullerton.edu
Concentrations
There are four concentrations within the program. All students must choose one. Students must choose a concentration by the time they file their study plan, typically after completion of 12 MPA units.
- Human Resource Management
- Public Finance
- Local Government Management
- Public Policy
CONCENTRATION IN HUMAN RESOURCES
The human resources concentration is designed to prepare students to work in the field of personnel management. The concentration helps students learn the managerial skills and knowledge needed to manage essential human resource functions in public or non-profit organizations.
Core Course:
- POSC 572 Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations
Electives (take two):
- POSC 423 Diversity in Public Management
- POSC 475 Administrative Law
- POSC 522 Seminar in Public Personnel Administration
- POSC 582 Organizational Development and Change
- MGMT 441 Labor-Management Relations
LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT
The purpose of the concentration in local government management is to prepare students for a career in local government. This is accomplished by a mix of courses that focus on theoretical and conceptual issues relevant to local government managers and those that impart practical skills.
Core Course:
- POSC 525 Local Government Management
Take either one:
- POSC 427 Metropolitan Politics and Policymaking
- POSC 519 State and Local Government
Electives (take any one):
- POSC/GEOG 478 Urban Planning Principles
- POSC/GEOG 484 Planning Methods
- POSC 427 Metropolitan Politics and Policymaking
- POSC 519 State and Local Government
- POSC 580 Emergency Management in Public Administration
- POSC 588 Collaborative Governance
- ENST 595T Selected Topics in Environmental Problems (note: only certain sections of this course will count. Be sure to check with the MPA advisor in advance)
CONCENTRATION IN PUBLIC FINANCE
The purpose of the concentration in public finance is to prepare students for future careers in public financial management. This is accomplished by helping students to become literate in public finance concepts, knowledgeable of best practices in public financial management, and able to interpret financial reports and economic data.
Core Courses (take both):
- POSC 571 Public Budgeting and Finance (prerequisite for POSC 583)
- POSC 583 Public Budgeting and Finance II
Electives (take one)
- POSC 421 Government & the Economy
- POSC 425 Policy Analysis
- ECON 416 Benefit Cost and Microeconomic Policy Analysis
- ECON 417 Public Finance
CONCENTRATION IN PUBLIC POLICY
The purpose of the concentration in public policy is to prepare students for future careers in the policy process and public policy analysis. This is accomplished by taking a course in the public policy process, a course policy analysis and at least one additional course in a substantive policy area.
Core Courses (take both):
- POSC 425 Policy Analysis
- POSC 528 Seminar in Public Policy
Electives (take one):
- POSC 421 Government and the Economy
- POSC 426 Education Politics and Policy
- POSC 427 Metropolitan Politics and Policymaking
- POSC 539 Seminar in Nonprofit Sector Management
- CRJU 405 Criminal Justice Policy
- CRJU/POSC 491 Applied Policy Research
- ECON 416 Benefit Cost and Microeconomic Policy Analysis
- PUBH 524 Public Health Administration
GENERAL ELECTIVES
In addition to the core courses and the minimum requirements for each concentration, students must complete a total of 39 units to be awarded the degree. The following is a list of approved electives for the MPA degree. Additional courses not on this list may be added to a student’s study plan only in consultation with the MPA adviser.
- POSC 421 Government and the Economy
- POSC 423 Diversity in Public Management
- POSC 425 Policy Analysis
- POSC 426 Education Politics and Policy
- POSC 427 Metropolitan Politics and Policymaking
- POSC 446 Corruption, Ethics and Public Policy
- POSC 475 Administrative Law
- POSC 459 Social Welfare Politics and Policy
- POSC 519 State and Local Government
- POSC 522 Seminar in Public Personnel Administration
- POSC 525 Local Government Management
- POSC 528 Seminar in Public Policy
- POSC 539 Seminar in Nonprofit Sector Management
- POSC 580 Emergency Management in Public Administration
- POSC 582 Organizational Development and Change
- POSC 583 Public Budgeting and Finance II
- POSC 588 Collaborative Governance
- POSC 599 Independent Graduate Research
- POSC/GEOG 478 Urban Planning Principles
- POSC/GEOG 484 Planning Methods
- CRJU 404 Capital Punishment
- CRJU 405 Criminal Justice Policy
- ECON 416 Benefit Cost and Microeconomic Policy Analysis
- ECON 417 Public Finance
- ENST 595T Selected Topics in Environmental Problems*
- GEOG 481 Geographic Information Systems: Introduction
- GEOG 488 Land Use Analysis
- HESC 524 Public Health Administration
- MGMT 441 Labor-Management Relations
- MGMT 542 Labor and Employment Relations Seminar
***Only certain sections of this course will count. Be sure to check with the MPA advisor in advance.
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
The comprehensive exam is administered in January each year. Students must answer two questions: one general public administration question and one question from their concentration.
Requirements
Students must have successfully completed all core courses including POSC 521 Seminar in Public Administration Theory in order to take the comprehensive exam. Students must have also successfully completed the courses in their concentration area before taking the comprehensive exams.
Grading
Answers to the general questions and concentration questions are graded independently under a blind review process. Students can earn a High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, or Fail on the comprehensive exam questions. A failing grade on either or both of the questions results in a retake. A failing grade is earned when two of the exam readers assign it to an answer.
Retakes
If a student earns a failing grade on the exam, that student has one opportunity to take a second exam to earn a passing grade. The period for retakes is in the same semester, shortly after the exam grades are released. Students who fail to pass the retaken exam may be disqualified from the program, or at the MPA faculty discretion, may be allowed to complete an oral exam. Failure of the oral exam will result in disqualification from the program.
Students with Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities must register with Disability Support Services (DSS) and inform their instructors if they will require accommodations so that faculty and DSS can provide them. Students who require accommodations for the comprehensive exams must inform their POSC 521 instructor during the semester they are taking POSC 521.
