Portland-State-University 2017-2018 Bulletin

Executive M.P.A.

The Executive MPA offers a work-centered curriculum with a focus on taking leadership initiative. Students are required to have 10 years of significant work experience. The program is offered in a cohort model which facilitates course sequencing that maximizes learning that carries over from one course to another. Students are required to complete the following 45 credits of coursework.

Requirements

Core courses (39)

PA 513Administrative Ethics and Values

3

PA 517Leadership Development for Public Organizations

3

PA 518Leading Public Organizations

3

PA 533Public Policy: Origins and Process

3

PA 534Administrative Law

3

PA 539National Policy Process

3

PA 540Administrative Theory and Behavior

3

PA 544International Field Experience

3

PA 545Organizational Development

3

PA 547Culture, Values and Leadership

3

PA 552Analytic Methods in Public Administration II

3

PA 583Advanced Budgeting Concepts and Techniques

3

PA 590Human Resource Management in the Public Sector

3

Capstone Requirement (6)

Students will register for the following two courses to complete their capstone, a culminating project intended to demonstrate mastery of the core skills taught in the program as applied to a real-life problem of public management:

PA 510Selected Topics

0-6

PA 512Case Analysis

3-6

Diversity

At some point within their program of study students must satisfactorily complete one course the primary focus of which is diversity.  This does not require additional credit hours or coursework beyond the existing 45 credit hours.  EMPA students normally complete two courses with this focus (PA 547 Culture, Values, & Leadership and PA 544 International Field Trip), but the requirement is applicable to students in the program since there are rare situations in which a particular student may not participate in the international experience. Courses options would include, but are not limited to the following:
PA 549Cross-cultural Communication in the Public Sector

3

PA 593Civil Rights for Public Managers

3

PA 594Enhancing Diversity in the Workplace

3

PA 529Nonprofit Field Study in Oaxaca, Mexico

3-6

PA 523Nongovernmental Organizations: Nonprofits on the World Stage

3

PA 514Global Leadership and Management

3

Other courses can be approved by the adviser.

Total Credit Hours: 45