Master of Public Administration

Program Length

The MPA program is offered in two tracks – Hybrid and Executive.

The Hybrid Track requires a total of 39 credit hours where, in addition to core management courses, students pursue an area of concentration in public or nonprofit management. The Hybrid Track blends online and in-person instruction. This means that 50% of a course is online and 50% taught in-person on the Statesboro Campus. Moreover, the curriculum is designed for full-time (9-credit hours) or part-time (3- or 6-credit hours) study.

The Executive Track requires a total of 39 credit hours. The Executive Track is designed for individuals with a minimum of three years of relevant work experience in the public (civil or military) sector, nonprofit organization, or closely related position. This cohort-based lock-step track is offered fully online with courses delivered in an abbreviated format. The Executive Track admits cohorts annually each spring, with the entire program taking 18-months to complete (based on full-time enrollment). In the Executive Track, concentration courses have been carefully selected to expose students to a range of cutting-edge skills and ideas spanning public and nonprofit management.

Program Size, Demographics, and Graduation Rates

The MPA program has historically averaged between 50-60 students enrolled in a given academic semester.  There are eight full-time core nucleus faculty members, as well as a select few practitioners that teach courses in the program.

More information related to the demographic make-up of the MPA student body can be found in the Georgia Southern University Fact Book.

Most full-time students graduate from the MPA program in 18-months (Executive Track) or two academic years (Hybrid Track), whereas part-time students graduate in three to four years on average.

The table below displays the graduation rates for the cohort entering Fall 2019 (ARY-5, as required by NASPAA). Of the 16 students who enrolled in Fall 2019, 8 (50%) graduated within two years and an additional three students graduated within four years. The overall four-year graduation rate, including full-time and part-time students, was 69% or 11 out of 16 students in this cohort. Please note that this data is for the MPA Hybrid Track. Retention, Progression, and Graduation data for the MPA Executive Track (beginning Spring 2023) will be shared here once available.

Recent Internships and Job Placements

Internships

Job Placements

Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid

Tuition and Fees charged by Georgia Southern University are approved by the University System of Georgia annually.  Changes in tuition and fee rates are typically effective fall semester each year.  The tuition and fees listed on the links below provide an estimate of tuition, fees, housing, meals, books and supplies.  Actual costs are determined when a student registers for classes each semester and are based on student level, residency, credit hours, miscellaneous course fees, housing and meals.  Please contact the Office of Financial Aid with specific questions about tuition and fees.

Related Tuition and Fees Information:

• Tuition and Fee Information for Graduate Students (Hybrid Track), Online Programs (Executive Track), and Graduate Assistants
• Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid information from the Board of Regents of the University System Georgia

Graduate Assistantships

A number of MPA students are awarded graduate assistantships (GA) each academic year.  While some assistants work for academic departments supporting faculty in a variety of teaching and research roles, others work as graduate assistants in the University’s numerous administrative departments.  GAs receive a waiver of the standard in-state and out-of-state tuition, along with a monthly stipend during the academic year.

The online application for GA positions is available HERE. This application is for graduate assistant positions in the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies only and is open to incoming or returning MPA Students. GA positions are awarded by May (fall semester start) and by November (spring semester start) each year.

Additional GA opportunities can be found on the College of Graduate Studies website. Students should reach out to the listed contact(s) for more information about a listed position. Students should also complete the GA application.

The Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies offers courses under the Public Administration (PBAD) prefix and Nonprofit Management, Leadership, and Innovation (NMLI) prefix.

PBAD 7030 – Selected Topics in Public and Nonprofit Management: This course examines specific topics in public and nonprofit management not addressed by other courses. May be repeated once as topics change.

PBAD 7130 – Ethics for Public Service Organizations: This course examines the experiences, approaches, and strategies for confronting and solving the complex problems facing public and nonprofit organizations. An emphasis is placed on accountability and responsibility of public servants, the methods of moral reasoning and their connection to behavior, specific ethical concerns of public organizations, and ethical decision-making.

PBAD 7133 – Administrative Law: This course examines the intersection of public administration and the law, giving particular attention to U.S. Supreme Court decisions pertaining to the constitutional and statutory authority of agencies, rulemaking, policy enforcement, administrative transparency, judicial deference, judicial review, and the law of public employment.  Extensive attention will be given to both the relationship between courts and modern administrators and the ways in which elements of administrative law and the practice of public administration can be integrated.

PBAD 7134 – Advanced Management: This course provides the key insights and skills necessary to manage and lead in public service organizations. It focuses on contemporary practices of public and nonprofit management such as cross-sector collaborations, networks, negotiations, and other technical skills needed to lead in the twenty-first century.

PBAD 7230 – Budgeting in Public Service Organizations: This course examines both the politics and techniques used in formulating and implementing budgets by governmental and nonprofit organizations. It provides a bridge between budgeting theory and practice and its relationship to the administrative processes of control, management, and planning. Attention is also given to understanding the complexities of designing a tax system that conforms to principles of good tax policy.

PBAD 7232 – Financial Management in Public Service Organizations: This course provides a theoretical and practical introduction to financial analysis and management in public service organizations. Topics include processes, tools and methods used in financial planning and control of public and nonprofit organizations, including cost estimation, strategies for long-term and short-term investing, and financial statement analysis utilizing critical performance indicators.

PBAD 7233 – IT for Public Service Organizations: Provides a guide to the electronic delivery of government information and services and the management of information technology in the public sector.  Topics include the digital divide, information security, privacy, transparency and accountability issues, and evaluation of the government’s use of social media in the provision of service to citizens.

PBAD 7235 – Leadership of Public Organizations: This course examines the extensive literature on successful leadership broadly and its existence within and application to public service organizations more specifically. Particular attention is given to identifying strong leadership practices and distilling principles of exemplary leadership. This includes an emphasis on conceptual, technical, and human skills.

PBAD 7330 – Intergovernmental Relations: Examines the interaction between the federal, state, and local levels of government in the United States. Special attention is given to the constitutional and fiscal relationships between these levels of government and the historical evolution of the nature of the relationships. The concept of federalism and its relationship to effective intergovernmental relations is also examined.

PBAD 7331 – Local Government Management: This course examines the political and administrative processes of municipalities, counties, and other units of local government in the United States. Special focus is placed on the role and responsibilities of the city/county manager, enhancing manager–council effectiveness, managing citizen engagement, and implementing innovative service delivery strategies.

PBAD 7333 – Social Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: This course examines the ways in which differences in demographic characteristics affect the work of public and nonprofit managers, and explains how gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of diversity influence organizational behaviors and outcomes. Special attention is given to social equity, diversity and inclusion, representative bureaucracy, and implementing culturally competent strategies to address the challenges of serving an increasingly diverse public.

PBAD 7335 – Urban Management: Examines the problems confronting public managers in large municipalities and the unique responsibilities of urban governments. Special attention will be paid to policy areas such as transportation, housing, social welfare, public safety, and infrastructure management.

PBAD 7336 – Comparative Public Management: Examines public administration through two differing viewpoints–domestic and international. Special attention is paid to the unique problems and circumstances surrounding domestic and international governments and how they relate to and differ from each other.

PBAD 7337 – Environmental Management and Policy: This course provides an overview of environmental and natural resource management in the United States. Particular attention is paid to the topics of federalism and cooperation. Issues of regional importance are also covered, including water quality and availability, regulation and monitoring compliance, sustainable growth, and management within overlapping jurisdictions.

PBAD 7338 – Managing Economic Development: Examines the strategies, tools, and techniques used by local, state, and national governments to generate economic growth in and revitalization of economically depressed areas as well as maintaining economic growth in stable areas.

NMLI 7339 – Community Development: Examines the history and theory behind the practice of community organizing, civic engagement, and public participation.  Provides students with practical and effective community organization skills and civic engagement strategies.

PBAD 7430 – Public Human Resource Management: Examines the functions, policies, and techniques of human resource management in public and nonprofit organizations.

PBAD 7431 – Organizational Behavior: This course examines human behavior in organizations, with a focus on the practical application of theories related to the management of individuals and groups within public service organizations.

NMLI 7432 – Nonprofit Administration: Examines the management of nonprofit organizations, with a focus on areas of management most different from the public sector, such as legal requirements, ethics, board governance, strategic management, ethics, and financial management.

PBAD 7530 – Research Methods for Public Service Organizations: This course examines quantitative techniques for public and nonprofit organizations. Emphasis is placed on understanding and using techniques appropriate to categorical analysis and the simple linear model. Students are exposed to research design, measurement, and the use of computer program packages appropriate to public service organizations.

PBAD 7531 – Public Program Evaluation: This course examines the design and implementation of policy and program evaluation in public and nonprofit organizations. Special attention is given to developing logic models, selecting appropriate research designs, and monitoring agency operations through performance measurement. The mechanics of benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis are examined. Various evaluation methods are used in assessing the efficiencies and effectiveness of programs. Prerequisite(s): PBAD 7530

PBAD 7532 – Public Policy: This course examines how public policy is developed, implemented, and evaluated with special attention being given to policy formulation, analysis, and interpretation.

PBAD 7533 – Geographic Information Systems and Public Planning: Examines the practice of urban, regional, and state planning with focus on the use of geographic information system (GIS) applications for state and local decision-making. Includes an introduction to the scope, theories, and politics of planning.

PBAD 7631 – Foundations of Public Administration: This course surveys the field of public administration and explores the historical foundations and theories of public administration as well as the diverse political, social, and economic contexts within which they exist.

PBAD 7638 – Capstone Seminar: This course prepares students to sit for the comprehensive examination by undergoing a review of the major theories underlying the field of public administration. This course also addresses issues related to a student’s professional development. This course is for students admitted prior to Fall 2021.

PBAD 7651 – Organization Development: This course examines the theoretical basis of organization development (OD) and demonstrates how OD technologies can be applied to public and nonprofit organizations for improving organizational quality and performance.

NMLI 7652 – Board Governance and Executive Leadership: This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of governance, trusteeship, and executive leadership in nonprofit organizations. The course critically examines the principal models, processes, and practices used in governing nonprofit organizations and the relationships between the governing boards and executive leaders of such organizations.

NMLI 7653 – Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector: This course surveys the history, scope and role of the nonprofit sector. Special attention is given to the economic, political and philanthropic theories of the nonprofit sector.

NMLI 7654 – Strategic Management: This course examines the principal models, processes, and practices used in strategic management, familiarizing students with essential management skills. The course focuses on the key internal and external factors that drive strategic management decisions within nonprofit and governmental organizations, including leadership, external resources, and stakeholder involvement.

NMLI 7655 – Resource Development and Grant Writing: This course introduces the tools, techniques, and strategies associated with the principles of successful fundraising for nonprofit organizations. The class also introduces students to the fundamentals of grant writing.

NMLI 7656 – International Nongovernmental Organizations: This course introduces international nonprofit/non-governmental organizations and explores contemporary challenges these organizations face including issues of accountability, governance, effectiveness, and fundraising.

NMLI 7657 – Theory and Practice of Philanthropy: This course examines the theoretical framework for institutional philanthropy in the United States. The course explores the strategies, tools, and techniques for the role of strategic philanthropy in both programming and policymaking. It provides students with insight into the work of philanthropy.

PBAD 7730 – Internship in Public Administration: This course requires students to intern in a professional capacity with a public service organization. The internship requires a minimum of 300 hours working in the organization and as approved by the MPA internship coordinator.

PBAD 7731 – Local Government Practicum:  This course provides students with experience conducting research and policy analysis for local government. Projects are proposed by municipalities within Georgia and students are allowed to choose projects aligned with their interests. Students work individually, or in pairs on larger projects, under the direction of the course instructor. This course expands research skills, enriches understanding of local government policy processes, and exposes participants to issues they are likely to face when employed in local government.

PBAD 7810 – MPA Professional Portfolio:  The MPA Professional Portfolio is a work product that will be prepared, presented, and evaluated. Students will collect academic and professional artifacts throughout their program tenure, which will be incorporated into a portfolio. The portfolio is designed for students to demonstrate competencies gained in established academic and professional areas. The portfolio will also allow students to highlight their growth and development of the course study. Finally, the portfolio will provide MPA program faculty with an invaluable artifact in which to assess student learning.

PBAD 7820 – Immersion I:  Immersion I exposes MPA Executive Track students to a range of topics that supplement and support classroom learning, while providing opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the discipline.

PBAD 7821 – Immersion II:  Immersion II exposes MPA Executive Track students to a range of topics that supplement and support classroom learning, while providing opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the discipline.

PBAD 7890 – Directed Reading: A structured set of readings and assignments mutually designed by the student and the instructor on a specific area of public administration.

MPA Program History

Since 1973, Georgia Southern University’s MPA program has been a leader in the advancement of public and nonprofit management education.  Today, the MPA program is recognized as one of the top graduate programs at Georgia Southern, boasting a dedicated core faculty and an alumni base of more than 700 strong.

In 2011, the MPA Program gained membership in the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC), which is comprised of academic programs and institutions committed to furthering research and education in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.  The MPA program is also accredited by the NASPAA Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation and listed on the Annual Roster of Accredited Programs in conformity with NASPAA Standards.

On July 1, 2012, in recognition of the MPA program’€s continued development, the program was made part of the newly established Institute for Public and Nonprofit Studies (IPNS). In 2018, the IPNS became the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies.  Today, the department serves as the focal point for scholarship, teaching, and professional service in the field of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Nonprofit Management at Georgia Southern.  It is one of six academic departments in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.

The MPA program’s curriculum is structured to meet the needs of both pre-service students and mid-career practitioners. In Fall 2021, the program transitioned to a hybrid format blending online and in-person instruction on the Statesboro Campus.

Also, beginning Fall 2021, undergraduate students majoring in Recreation Management or Human Development and Family Science-Family Services may apply to the Advanced Bachelors to Masters (ABM) program. The ABM program provides students with the opportunity to apply up to 12-credit hours of MPA coursework towards both their undergraduate and graduate (MPA) degree requirements.

The department also offers three undergraduate minors (Public Administration, Public Policy, and Nonprofit Management).  The department’s undergraduate courses are taught fully-online and are open to all students seeking training in public and nonprofit management.  Students in the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) program may also pursue program concentrations in these areas.

MPA Program Mission

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program educates, equips, and empowers our region’s future and existing public service professionals who are passionate about shaping a more just and equitable society. The program is designed to provide students with skills, values, and the ethical foundation necessary to effectively lead diverse public serving organizations through education, leadership, innovation, and collaboration.

MPA Student Learning Outcomes

• Using the major theories underlying the field of public administration students can synthesize relevant information to address public problems.
• Students can articulate and apply a public service perspective in their demonstrated knowledge of the structure, components, goals and objectives of the public and nonprofit sectors.
• Students are able to participate in the public policy process through analysis and application of quantitative and qualitative empirical evidence to determine the effectiveness of a public policy or program.
• Students are able to describe the public policy process and the administrator’s role in that process.
• Students are able to identify ethical problems in public administration, assess the nuances and ambiguities of those ethical problems, and create appropriate solutions using moral reasoning skills.
• Students will participate in and contribute to the policy process through preparation and analysis of a public budget in order to lead and manage in public governance.
• Students can manage the major components of a personnel system within an organizational setting, understand the nuances of effectively motivating and managing personnel, and communicate and interact productively and in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large.

The MPA program’s learning outcomes align with the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) universal required competencies.  The required competencies include five domains:

• to lead and manage in the public interest;
• to participate in, and contribute to, the policy process;
• to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make evidence-informed decisions in a complex and dynamic environment;
• to articulate, apply, and advance a public service perspective;
• to communicate and interact productively and in culturally responsive ways with a diverse and changing workforce and society at large.

Members of the MPAAB are entrusted by the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies to help ensure the Master of Public Administration Program achieves its mission to prepare students for careers in public service and in nonprofit organizations.

Serve. Respect. Achieve.

	Jason Boyles Assistant City Manager, City of Statesboro, GA
	LaShai Campbell Business Manager, Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs, Georgia Southern University
	Col. George Fredrick Director of Veteran and Military Services, Georgia Southern University
	James Hall Member, Board of Elections, Chatham County, GA
	Akilah King Conference Services Manager, Division of Continuing & Professional Education, Georgia Southern University
	Ben McKay Research Specialist, Business Innovation Group, Georgia Southern University
	Judith Oglesby Chief Assistant Solicitor-General, Office of the Solicitor-General, Bulloch County State Court
	Cindy Steinmann Assistant County Manager, Bulloch County, GA
	Debbie Vives Nonprofit Professional (Retired)
	Justin Williams Planning & Housing Administrator, City of Statesboro, GA