Public Administration

  • Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)

The mission of the Master in Public Administration (M.P.A.) is to develop both the general knowledge and specific abilities needed for professional careers in public service organizations. The curriculum is designed to prepare students to act ethically and effectively in public management, urban and regional policy and planning, nonprofit management, criminal justice, and health care administration.

Program Offerings at Grand Valley

The M.P.A. program offers the following concentrations:

  • Criminal justice
  • Health administration
  • Nonprofit management and leadership
  • Public management
  • Urban and regional policy and planning

Coursework

Students study a variety of topics, including:

  • Administrative and regulatory law
  • Conflict management
  • U.S. health administration
  • Public policy analysis
  • Economic and community development
  • Philanthropy and the nonprofit sector
  • Metropolitan politics and administration

Career Options

Career opportunities include positions as:

  • Administrative assistants
  • City managers
  • Department heads
  • Foreign service officers
  • Journalists
  • Program or agency directors

Why Study Public Administration at Grand Valley?

  • As a professional school in an urban setting, Grand Valley is actively involved with the community in professional service activities and applied research.
  • Students receive personal attention by faculty in all courses in our student-oriented, teaching-focused program.
  • The program meets the diverse educational needs of part-time and full-time students with a flexible, innovative curriculum design that includes evening and weekend courses, workshops, and Web-enhanced learning.
  • Students have opportunities to collaborate with faculty on ongoing research projects and other students will find or create research opportunities independently.

For More Information

School of Public, Nonprofit, and Health Administration
www.gvsu.edu/spnha
(616) 331-6575
Admissions Office
www.gvsu.edu/admissions

“The M.P.A. program was the ideal preparation for my work with the city of Grand Rapids Executive Office. The city's professional environment is competitive and requires constant process and skill improvement. The M.P.A. program gave me the critical analysis skills needed to improve my project management capacity. Grand Valley's M.P.A. helps bridge the gap between the theory of graduate studies and the application to the local government.”

HARIS ALIBASIC
M.P.A. ALUMNUS

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