SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

M.P.A. in Public Administration

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Dr. Lea Rutmanowitz at lea.rutmanowitz@liu.edu or 914-831-2728.

 

The M.P.A. graduate degree prepares students for effective leadership in a wide range of areas: local, state and federal government; organizations concerned with development, advocacy, human rights, monitoring activities, the environment, etc. as well as for-profit enterprises concerned with the public good.  It also provides opportunities for those already employed, public service or nonprofit management to sharpen their analytical and managerial skills, pursue a specific area of interest and prepare for increasing levels of responsibility, management and leadership.


Admissions Requirements

Candidates for admission to the M.P.A. program must satisfy the general admission requirements for graduate study at Long Island University.

Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and an acceptable record in undergraduate and other studies reflected in official transcripts of all colleges and universities attended.

FULL MATRICULATION REQUIREMENTS

Full matriculation indicates that the student meets all the requirements for admission in the degree program.

These requirements are:

  • Official transcript reflecting award of a baccalaureate degree or the successful completion of another master's degree, both with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • Two letters of recommendation.
  • Clearly written statement with application indicating desire for admission and professional growth.

LIMITED MATRICULATION REQUIREMENTS

A student whose undergraduate cumulative grade point average is below 3.00 but who has strong letters of recommendation and an expanded statement submitted with the application indicating desire for admission and personal growth may be granted limited matriculation. The expanded statement must be in the form of an essay, and must describe the applicant's accomplishments, and offer other justifications for admission. The review may include a personal interview with the Program Director. 

To be reclassified as fully matriculated, the student must furnish all necessary documentation, complete 12 credits with a grade of B or higher in each course, and demonstrate proficiency in oral and written English.

Degree Requirements

  • Successful completion of 36 credits in Public Administration of core and elective credits with a G.P.A. of 3.0 or better.
  • Successful completion of six (6) credits of capstone course requirements. Students are not permitted to register for capstone courses (PAD 707 and PAD 708) with less than a 3.0 G.P.A.
  • Required courses will generally not be waived unless student can exhibit exceptional preparation in a given area. In those cases, substitution for a specific course requirement may be considered if a request is made in writing to the Program Director.

TRANSFER CREDITS

Up to six transfer credits may be accepted from an accredited graduate school. The courses must be appropriate to the area of Health or Public Administration. Transfer credit will not be considered unless a grade of B or better was given for the course and the course was taken within five years. In the case of a required course, the content of the course taken at the other institution must match the content of the required course. The student must submit the published bulletin containing an appropriate course description, the course syllabus, a statement about his/her accomplishments in the course and the term paper or project completed. Transfer credits are not automatically granted. Request for transfer credits must be made within the first 30 days in the first semester of attendance at the Rockland Graduate Campus.

Students who are either full or limited matriculants or have conditional status must obtain prior approval from the Program Director to attend course(s) at other universities or at other campuses of Long Island University. Without such prior approval such courses will not be transferable. Permission and transferability for course(s) taken at another university while in residence at the Rockland Graduate Campus may be granted only in exceptional cases.

Plan of Study

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Program Code: 81245 HEGIS: 2102

Foundation Courses (15 credits)

Course Number

Course Title

MPA 501

Principles of Public Administration

MPA 502

Organizational Theory & Behavior in Public Sector

MPA 503  

Economic Environment and the Public Sector

MPA 505

Analytical Methods – Applied Research

MPA 507

The Policy Process in Health Care & Public

Required Public Administration Segment (18 credits)

Course Number

Course Title

PAD 602

Human Resource Administrations in Public Sector

PAD 603

Fundamentals of Budget & Finance in Public Sector

PAD 604

Administrative Responsibility & Legal Environment in the Public Sector

PAD 725
Government Regulation of Land Use
PAD 748  Managing Metropolitan Government 
PAD 780 Current Issues in Public Administration 

Capstone Experience (6 credits)

Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and have no incompletes or F’s before they can register for the Capstone. The permission of the Program Director is required for registration.

Course Number

Course Title

PAD 707

Special Project Research  Consultation and Seminar

PAD 708

Special  Project in Public Administration

Course Descriptions

FOUNDATIONAL COURSES

MPA 501 Principles of Public Administration

This course explores the fundamentals of the field of Public Administration including organization and management concepts, and the political process. The origin, growth, and interrelationships in the public sector are discussed. This discussion falls within the broader context of public policy processes with special attention to the topics of bureaucracy and intergovernmental relations. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 502 Organization Theory and Behavior

An analysis of organizational theories with emphasis on the informal and formal aspects of the administrative process. Topics include individual behavior patterns, group dynamics, communication, motivation, decision-making, and leadership as they relate to the public health care sectors. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 503 Economic Environment and the Public Sector

An examination of the role of the public sector in economic decision-making. The nature of public goods is described as it relates to the allocation, stabilization, and distribution functions of the economic system. The role of private investment, relations between government and business, and the use of national income accounts are examined. Opposing views about the reasons, methods and institutions influencing governmental regulation, fiscal and monetary policy and action are presented. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 505 Analytical Methods

This course is an introduction to the methods, tools and uses of applied research. The course surveys basic data gathering, analytical concepts and techniques as they apply to administrative problems. Skills and issues related to research are also considered. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 507 The Policy Process in Health Care and Public Administration

This course is an analysis of the policy process in terms of the development and implementation of programs as they relate to the health care and public sectors. The impact of special interests is examined as an integral part of the process. A variety of timely subject/case studies are explored.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.


PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CORE COURSES: 

PAD 602 Human Resources Administration in the Public Sector

An exploration of the theories and practices of personnel administration in public sector including, merit systems, unionism, bureaucratic trends, personnel recruitment, testing, and performance evaluations. Other topics include equal employment opportunity, employee rights, and occupational safety. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

PAD 603 Foundations of Budgeting and Finance in Public Sector

A familiarization with the principles of budgeting and finance in the health sector. Topics include budgetary systems, methods, processes and cycles, preparation, justification. A survey of the various federal prospective payment systems and other current developments in reimbursement methods is presented. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

PAD 604 Administrative Responsibility & the Legal Environment in the Public Sector

Consideration of the authority and procedures utilized by health agencies in the administration of their affairs. Analysis of problems of accountability and the reconciliation of the administrative process with medical, political, social statutory and regulatory mandates. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

ELECTIVE COURSES

MPA 701 Managerial Communication

Theory and practice in written and oral communication as applied to the public, health, and not-for-profit sectors. Report writing, memo writing, correspondence, and oral presentations. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 704 Intergovernmental Relations

This course is an analysis of the vertical and horizontal relationships of the national, state and local governments. Topics include the theory of federalism, intergovernmental cooperation and conflict, municipal, state and regional relationships.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 707 Workforce Evaluation and Development

This course is devoted to developing an understanding  of the activities, issues and challenges encountered in workforce evaluation and development. Topics include psychological testing, leadership development, and a variety of training methodologies. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 708 Work, People and Productivity

This course is experiential. Activities demonstrate the perspectives and conflicts that arise at the various levels of organizations and suggest strategies for prevention and resolution. Students learn about their own management styles, how to maximize their own performance, and that of their employees, peers and supervisors. Role-playing, feedback exercises, effective supervision and evaluation techniques. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 710 Labor Relations in the Public Sector

This course examines the interaction of the labor movement with management in the political setting of government. This course also examines collective bargaining in relation to public bodies, and the impact of bargaining on a fiscal budget. Other policy processes as well as the role of the administration are covered and include strategies of bargaining and the role of public opinion.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 712 Managing Diversity in the Workplace

This course examines the role and function played by diversity, civil and human rights and administrative agencies at the federal, state and local levels. The course analyzes the government response to diversity issues. Topics include a review of current legislation and the respective agencies established to address the problems of discrimination.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 713 Grant Writing and Administration

In this highly experiential course, students locate available federal, state, local and foundation sources of funding for a specific project, write a letter proposal to a foundation or private sector organization, and follow-up with a full grant proposal, following the request for proposal (RFP) guidelines to a federal, state or local agency. Topics addressed include effective research, creating a plan for the program, elements of a good proposal, components of the proposal package and strategies for getting a proposal read by a foundation or corporation officer. Administration, evaluation and reporting functions, as well as accountability are described and discussed. 
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 785 Independent Study

The student is expected to research one specific phase of a problem in considerable depth under the supervision of a faculty advisor, and to prepare a well-documented evaluative report expressing his/her own assessment of the impact and significance of both the problem and of one or more solutions.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

MPA 788 Graduate Internship in Administration

An opportunity for students without administrative experience to work in an organization based upon a plan approved by the head of the program and the agency. Students prepare a substantial research and/or analytical paper concerning their experience and participate in an Internship Seminar.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

PAD 725 Government Regulation of Land Use

This course examines various forms of governmental power (zoning, eminent domain, urban renewal) to regulate the use of land.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

PAD 748 Managing Metropolitan Government

This course examines the politics of changing constituencies and their impact on community participation and city management. This course surveys the management and organization of American metropolitan areas.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

PAD 780 Current Issues in Public Administration

This course is a special topic course exploring selected themes, current developments and emerging issues.
Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

CAPSTONE COURSES

PAD 707 Special Project Consultation and Seminar

In the first semester the student will undertake an advanced study of the methods of research and the analytical and presentation techniques employed in the discipline of Public Administration.

Offered on rotation, 3 credits.

PAD 708 Special Project in Public Administration

The second semester is spent in the actual writing of the special project.

Offered on rotation, 3 credits

CONTACT

Hudson@liu.edu
914-831-2700