Curriculum

Master of Public Administration (Online)

URI’s Master of Public Administration is a fully-online accelerated degree program that includes a curriculum of core courses and stackable certificates.

The core certificate that forms the basis for the MPA online program is the Public Administration and Policy Professional Certificate. Students completing this certificate program will have an opportunity to learn about the historical and theoretical foundations of public administration and policy (PSC 501), ethical decision-making strategies (PSC 504), diversity and inclusion in the public sector (PSC 502), and an elective course focused on developing core skills or experience for a career in government, non-profits, or policy. All students who plan to earn their MPA degree will be required to complete this graduate certificate.

MPA Program Structure

All students completing the full 36-credit program will complete:

The Public Administration and Policy Professional Certificate (12 credits)

MPA students are also required to complete the MPA Capstone and at least one of two MPA certificates:

The Policy Analysis certificate (12 credits)
and/or
The Public Management certificate (12 credits)

If only one MPA certificate is chosen to be completed by the student, then the student will choose:

Any 12 graduate-level elective credits, which can include other online graduate-level certificate programs.*

*Contact Program Director Aaron Ley [ajley@uri.edu] for more information.

Graphic: Sample Curriculum Path for the URI Master of Public Administration (MPA) Accelerated Online Program — Sample Curriculum Path for the URI Master of Public Administration (MPA) Accelerated Online Program

Certificates

Public Administration and Policy

Students must complete the three required courses and one of the three elective courses for a total of 12 credits.

PSC 501 Seminar in Public Administration and Policy (3 credits)*
PSC 502 Diversity and Inclusion in Public Administration and Policy (3 credits)*
PSC 504 Ethics in Public Administration and Policy (3 credits)*
PSC 590 Internship in Public Administration and Policy (3 credits)
PSC 508 Policy and Grant Writing (3 credits)
PSC 592 Capstone in Public Administration and Policy (3 credits)

Total Credits Required: 12
*Required prerequisites for Capstone Project for MPA Degree.

Public Management

Students must complete four of the following courses for a total of 12 credits.

PSC 503 Problems in Public Personnel Administration (3 credits)
PSC 506 Seminar in Budgetary Politics (3 credits)
PSC 507 Public Finance (3 credits)
PSC 508 Policy and Grant Writing (3 credits)
PSC 573 Administrative Law (3 credits)
PSC 592 Capstone in Public Administration and Policy (3 credits)

Total Credits Required: 12

Students completing a certificate in Public Management will be competitive applicants for positions requiring financial and budgetary expertise, leadership skills, knowledge of administrative law and procedure, and the management of agency personnel.

Policy Analysis

Students must complete four of the following courses for a total of 12 credits.

PSC 505 Public Program Evaluation (3 credits)
PSC 508 Policy and Grant Writing (3 credits)
PSC 524 Seminar in Public Policy Problems (3 credits)
PSC 583 Public Policy Analysis (3 credits)
PSC 510 Critical Topics in Public Policy (3 credits)
PSC 592 Capstone in Public Administration and Policy (3 credits)

Total Credits Required: 12

Students completing the Policy Analysis certificate will develop research and analytical capabilities that will allow them to become effective at shaping public policy either within public agencies or as part of a broader policymaking process. Students pursuing this certificate will develop skills that will allow them to be policy advocates, policy researchers, and/or communication specialists.

course descriptions