1.5 Combining forces in the development of programs and services:  (Page 4/7)

The masters of public administration program

The Masters of Public Administration (MPA) program at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, prepares leadersfor educational, government, and nonprofit organizations. The interdisciplinary and experimental nature of the program requiresboth structure and flexibility in course development, offerings, and in classroom instruction. The Masters of Public Administrationis a 30 (minimum) credit hour program divided into three parts: (1) Core and Information Systems, (2) Specialty Courses, (3)Internships, and (4) Assessment Seminar.

The courses are cross-listed between educational administration and public administration. The corecourses are: Introduction to Administration; Principalship/Leadership and Administration; Administration ofHuman Resources; School Budgeting and Finance/Administration of Financial Resources; and Information Systems and Statistics forAdministrators. All MPA students (educational administration, nonprofit, and public sector) are required to complete anAssessment Seminar near the conclusion of their program. The seminar is a capstone course and is structured to permit thestudents in the program to synthesize their specialized coursework and to examine problems common to the various specialties.

The Government/Public Sector program requires completion of the MPA Core, specialty requirements, electivesappropriate to administration in the public sector, and the MPA Assessment Seminar. Students must select 13 credits of courses fromthe specialty areas of leadership, finance, human resources, planning, analysis, and evaluation with approval of a public sectorfaculty advisor. The program is structured to follow the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration(NASPAA) guidelines. An internship may be required if the student is unable to present evidence of prior experience in publicadministration.

The program in Nonprofit Leadership requires completion of the MPA core as described above, specialtyrequirements, electives appropriate to the Nonprofit Leadership Program, and the MPA Assessment Seminar. The design of the programis consistent with the guidelines established by the American Society of Association Executives. A Nonprofit LeadershipCertificate is available and is consistent with the certification process established by the American Society of AssociationExecutives and has been endorsed by the Michigan Society of Association Executives. Eligibility for the certificate requirescompletion of the MPA Core, eight (8) credit hours specialty requirements: Public Relations for the Nonprofit and PublicSectors, Fundraising, Strategic Planning and Needs Assessment, and Program Evaluation. The remaining electives are chosen withapproval of the nonprofit faculty advisor. An internship with a nonprofit organization may be required if the student is unable topresent evidence of prior experience.

Eligibility for the MPA degree and certificate in Educational Administration includes completion ofthe core courses, specialty requirements in school and community relations, legal and regulatory issues, curriculum deliberation anddevelopment, program evaluation, applications of technology fororganizational administration, and an internship in elementary or secondary school administration. Students must also complete theMPA Assessment Seminar. A 20 credit hour certificate-only program is available to students already holding a masters' degree anddesiring a certificate in elementary or secondary school administration. The program consists of the MPA core (minus thestatistics course), plus administrative law, school/community relations, curriculum development, and an internship. A certificate in CentralOffice Administration is also available. Candidates for this certificate are required to complete an additional 15 credit hoursbeyond the MPA degree or 20 credit hour certificate-only program in appropriate course work including Strategic Planning and NeedsAssessment, Labor Relations, Fund Accounting, and Policy Analysis&Development along with appropriate electives from the public administration and/or education graduate degree offerings withapproval of the educational administration advisor. An internship in central office administration is also required for thiscertificate. In addition to the MPA coursework in educational administration described above, candidates must hold a valid Stateof Michigan teaching certificate and have a minimum of three years classroom teaching experience. Upon successful completion of theprogram, the candidate will receive a certificate from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, School of Education.