The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a professional and academic degree program designed to prepare students for transformative careers at the intersection of policy, governance, and institutional management. Over the course of 21 months, the program cultivates advanced analytical capabilities, a sophisticated understanding of policy-making processes across governmental levels, and substantive managerial competence applicable to a broad spectrum of public, private, and nonprofit organizations.
The core curriculum integrates a comparative and globally oriented framework for studying national and subnational policy-making with rigorous coursework in economics, quantitative analysis, public finance, and organizational management. This interdisciplinary foundation ensures that graduates possess the conceptual tools necessary to navigate the increasingly complex governance challenges of the twenty-first century.
Students are encouraged to personalize their academic trajectory by selecting from a portfolio of recognized specializations, each designed to develop domain-specific expertise while reinforcing the program’s commitment to evidence-based policy analysis and effective public administration.
A distinguishing feature of the MPA is its emphasis on experiential learning. Through the capstone workshop program, students engage directly with organizations operating at local, national, and international levels, applying theoretical knowledge to real-world governance and administrative challenges. Select specialization tracks carry STEM designation, reflecting the program’s investment in quantitative and data-driven methodologies as central competencies for contemporary public service.
Graduates emerge fully equipped to assume leadership roles across a wide range of institutional environments from government ministries and multilateral agencies to multinational enterprises, civil society organizations, and social entrepreneurship ventures.
Curriculum for the Master of Public Administration
First SemesterYear I
- Policy-Making and Public Policy
- Economics I: Foundations of Microeconomic Analysis
- Globalization and Territory
- Professional Development Seminar
- Concentration Course I
- Applied Research Methods
Second SemesterYear I
- Foundations of Organizational and Public Management
- Concentration Course II
- Economics II: Macroeconomic Theory and Policy
- Specialization Course II
- Public Finance and Budget Management
Third SemesterYear II
- Economics III: Advanced Policy Applications
- Concentration Course III
- Common Goods, Environmental Policy, and Natural Resources
- Territorial Planning and Strategic Management
- Models of Public Territorial Governance
Fourth SemesterYear II
- Governance, Accountability, and Public Ethics
- Network Governance and Intergovernmental Relations
- Elective: Advanced Topics in Public Administration
- Quantitative Analysis for Policy Research
- Public Defense of the MPA Thesis
Total Program Credits
75 Credits
After Graduation
Career Pathways and
Professional Opportunities
Graduates of the MPA program are equipped to assume mid-level and senior leadership positions across a wide spectrum of institutional environments. The program’s interdisciplinary curriculum prepares alumni for distinguished careers in governmental agencies, international organizations, large-scale private sector enterprises, community and civil society organizations, and academic institutions. MPA graduates have likewise demonstrated exceptional performance in specialized roles involving grant management, transportation policy, human resources administration, public policy analysis, and departmental leadership within municipal and regional governments.
The following professional profiles are representative of the diverse career trajectories pursued by MPA graduates:
- Budget Analyst
- Public Auditor
- Administrative Law Advisor
- Financial Manager
- Benefits & Social Programs Administrator
- University Administrator
- Public Policy Consultant
- Criminal Justice Administrator
- Financial Aid Director
- Health Systems Manager
- Hospital and Healthcare Administrator
- Chief Administrative Officer
- Political Affairs Analyst
- Public Health Administrator
- Grant Writer & Development Officer
- Nonprofit Executive Director