MPA IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the nation’s oldest African-American higher education institution, is offering a 36 credit-hour Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program with two degree tracks: a pre-professional Master of Public Administration, and an Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA). This places Cheyney in a unique position to address the need to increase the number of senior-level Minorities in public administration. Courses will emphasize methods that public administrators should use to address the needs of the nation’s changing population.

Depending on previous administrative work experience, students may be admitted to either the Executive or the Pre-Professional track. Individuals with at least five years of management experience will be eligible for the Executive MPA degree program track. Cheyney University will offer weekend and evening courses to accommodate student needs, with on-line courses planned within two years.

Students enrolled in the Cheyney University MPA program with little or no management experience will pursue a pre-professional program consisting of 24 hours of core coursework, with up to 9 hours in electives, and 6 hours of an internship experience that includes an internship paper. These requirements correspond with the National Association of Schools of Public Administration and Public Policy (NASSPA) curriculum standards. All students, pre-professional and executive, will be required to spend at least one academic year completing the core requirements as outlined by NASSPA.

The Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) program resides in Cheyney University’s School of Arts & Sciences, and is administered by the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences in cooperation with the Dean of Graduate Studies. Classes are held evenings and Saturdays and are taught at the Cheyney University Urban Center at 8th and Market Streets in Philadelphia.

Cheyney’s MPA program offers three areas of concentration:

State & Local Government Administration
Non-Profit Administration
Criminal Justice Administration

The program also offers an “Executive Track” for students who are already working in the field of Public Administration.

The MPA program at Cheyney is intended to offer maximum flexibility for a diverse body of students – some of whom may have just completed the Bachelor’s degree, others of whom may be experienced professionals seeking to enhance their skills. Courses may be offered in the traditional 15 week semester format, the accelerated 7½ week semester format, and also during the Summer semesters. Plans are also in place to offer some, or all, of the courses online. With this flexibility, it may be possible to acquire the MPA within 1 year, although for most students it will be more practical to get the degree in 1½ to 2 years. A full course load for graduate studies at Cheyney University is 9 credit hours per semester.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s degree (or higher), with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
1. must submit official transcripts to Admissions office
GRE Scores
1. must be submitted to Admissions office
A written essay to be evaluated by a committee of graduate faculty.
3 letters of recommendation
1. must be submitted to admissions office

Admission applications are reviewed by a committee of graduate faculty, who then make recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies. Students meeting all of the criteria above will be granted regular admission status. Students failing to meet one or more of the criteria may be granted conditional admission – which will convert to regular admission once all criteria are met.

Students with a cumulative GPA slightly below 3.0 may be granted conditional admission upon the recommendation of the MPA faculty committee. Such students must register for XPA 500 – a writing intensive course designed to help students improve their written work. Upon the recommendation of the course instructor, students successfully completing XPA 500 will be granted regular admission to the program, provided all other criteria are satisfied.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:

Students in the MPA program are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above to remain in good academic standing. A student whose GPA falls below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters will be reviewed by the MPA faculty committee and may be dismissed from the program.

MPA PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

Providing current and future administrators with the necessary analytical problem- solving and critical thinking skills that will allow them to create and maintain public and private institutions that can best serve the Philadelphia region, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the nation;
Developing competent professionals prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century, including new technological developments;
Sensitizing graduates to the needs of diverse international communities and an increasingly international workforce;
Enhancing communication among diverse peoples in a global society;
Promoting effective teaching practices to enable students to become engaged, lifelong learners in an ever-changing society.

Students who graduate from the Cheyney University MPA program will be able to meet the following general learning objectives.

Apply good management practices to the introduction of change and development within an organization;
Comprehend the fiscal and other relevant relationships among governmental entities;
Articulate and utilize ethical decision-making management procedures;
Understand public management within an international perspective;
Apply public administration principles to organizations;
Comprehend and utilize basic personnel management principles in a diverse workforce environment;
Utilize practical applications of theories of organizational behavior to public administration;
Write effective managerial documents;
Apply the analytical tools used in macro policy making to micro situations;
Present written and oral information in a professional manner
Demonstrate an understanding and utilization of the principles in public administration.

GENERAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

During the first year of the Cheyney University MPA program, introductory intergovernmental and public policy courses introduce students to the theories and building blocks of public administration. These courses establish the governmental context in which public managers work. Required first year courses also focus on the technical aspects of public management, such as GIS and quantitative decision-making skills. The remaining semesters emphasize practical applications of administrative theories and approaches through the internship and specialized concentration courses. In lieu of an internship, Executive MPA students will complete a special project through the Independent Study/Project course that demonstrates their ability to perform at a management level. This course will be completed in lieu of an internship paper.

The final MPA degree program requirement is a comprehensive examination designed to assess the student’s competencies with regard to the program’s learning objectives. The comprehensive exam may be a combination of oral and written questions.

24 hours of core coursework (8 courses)
9 credit hours of elective courses (depending on experience);
6 credit hours for an internship (pre-professional students) or work experience (EMPA students) upon approval of the faculty;
Successful completion of a comprehensive exit exam – demonstrating knowledge and mastery in core and elective areas.
Obtain no less than 6 credit hours of their chosen concentration from Cheyney’s MPA program;
MPA students may transfer up to 6 credit hours. Executive track MPA students will receive credit for no more than 12 hours in a combination of transfer and work experience credit.

Comprehensive Exam (0): Completion of a comprehensive examination testing the student’s knowledge of public administration principles.

PROGRAM SEQUENCE

A full course load for graduate studies at Cheyney University ranges from 9 to 12 credit hours per semester. Therefore, full-time students can complete the MPA program within 1 ½ - 2 years, especially if they take courses over the summer. MPA students also may complete the sequence by taking advantage of both weekend and regular weekday classes. According to the NASPPA standards, public administration programs should offer courses that build skills in several areas, core curriculum components in public service and organizational management, the application of qualitative and quantitative techniques of analysis, and public policy. The recommended course sequence for full-time Cheyney University MPA students with the appropriate credit hours is as follows:

For those admitted conditionally XPA 500 Effective Professional Communication Skills may be required.

Recommended First Semester Course Schedule

XPA501 Introduction to Public Management (3)
XPA502 Organizational Theory (3)
XPA503 Intergovernmental Relations (3) or

Recommended Second Semester Course Schedule

XPA505 Public Budgeting (3)
XPA506 Public Personnel Management (3)
XPA507 Quantitative Decision-Making for Public Managers (3)

Recommended Third Semester Course Schedule

XPA508 Geographical Information Systems for Managers (3)
XPA504 Public Policy (3)
XPA600 Master of Public Administration Internship I (3)
Elective (3)

Recommended Fourth Semester Course Schedule

XPA610 Master of Public Administration Internship II (3)
Electives (3-9)
Comprehensive exam (0)

MPA COURSE OFFERINGS

CORE COURSES

(All courses 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted)

XPA 501 Introduction to Public Management (3): This introductory course covers the historical development of public administration theories and principles. Emphasis is placed on writing and analysis for public management.

XPA 502 Organizational Theory (3): This course explores organizational development as it applies to the public sector. There is special emphasis on the application of organizational theories in the public sector and public management organizational issues. The course includes extensive analysis and interpretation of these theories.

XPA 503 Intergovernmental Relations (3): This course examines issues involved in the management of fiscal and policy relations at all levels of government; Special emphasis is placed on state, local and border relations and the implementation of public policy.

XPA 504 Public Policy (3): This course explores various public policy issues, including implementation and analysis. Specific public policies such as education, transportation, diversity etc. will be examined.

XPA 505 Public Budgeting (3): This course introduces students to practical applications of the theories of budgeting within public organizations. Various types of budgeting practices will also be examined.

XPA 506 Public Personnel Management (3): This course is an introduction to the principles of managing human resources in the public sector. Special emphasis is placed on affirmative action, and the role of administrative law in personnel management.

XPA 507 Geographical Information Science (GIS) for Managers (3): This course introduces students to the theoretical and practical use of GIS in the public sector with special emphasis on the organizational and public policy applications.

XPA 508 Quantitative Decision-making for Management (3): Application of statistics and research methodology used by managers within the public sector, special emphasis on methods used in program evaluation and human resources management.

XPA 600, XPA 610 Public Administration Internship I, II (3 hours per course) - The MPA program Internship class is a two-semester course designed to provide pre-professional students with practical work experience within the field of public management. These advanced courses consist of completing a work assignment in a public or non-profit agency and the completion of an internship paper that demonstrates the student’s

ELECTIVE COURSE OFFERINGS

XPA 500 Effective Professional Communication Skills (3) The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills for professional success. This course is designed to improve a student’s ability to use written, graphic, oral, and other communication techniques. Students will build and develop communication skills needed to express and conceptualize ideas in their respective professions. The course will emphasize written and oral communication skills. Topics will include instruction in report writing, grant writing, and other specialized professional communication skills necessary.

XPA 620 Independent Study (3) Students conduct independent research, projects or within a class setting explore specific problems in public administration.

XPA 625 Special Topics (3) Periodically, faculty may have a special area they would like to teach in that is not covered in other courses. This may be a precursor to a new elective course, or just a special interest area.

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE ELECTIVES

XPA 510 Writing for Law Enforcement (3)
Prerequisites: None
The documents produced in the Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement institutions in the USA are legal documents, and as such must be carefully constructed. In this course, students will build and develop skills needed to create successful documents in the CJ/LE system. Topics will include report writing, records management and other specialized skills necessary to the Criminal Justice enterprise.

XPA 511 The Criminal Justice Process (3)
Prerequisites: For this course, it is desirable to have had at least a basic course in Political Science and/or Criminal Justice.
This course is an in-depth survey of the various aspects of the Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement enterprise as it exists in America today. It will include an analysis of the evolution of the modern criminal justice and court institutions in the US and will make comparison with other modern systems. Consideration will be given to how individuals move through the system – with particular attention to the procedural details necessary to administration.

XPA 512 Law Enforcement Management (3)
Prerequisite: The Criminal Justice Process
This course builds on the Criminal Justice Process course by focusing on management issues in Law Enforcement. It will begin with a survey of management styles and best practices in administering police agencies. Consideration will be given to basic management techniques and how they apply to Law Enforcement administration, as well as to those elements that are unique to Law Enforcement. The course will deal in part with issues such as police ethics and maintaining morale, along with other issue common in the field.

XPA 513 Administrative Law (3)
This course is an examination of the case decisions, regulations, constitutional impacts and related actions of national, state, local and intergovernmental government agencies. The course also examines the process of producing law, and its application. Special emphasis is placed on the comparative nature of administrative law in order to provide a global perspective.

XPA 514 Court Administration and Management (3)
Prerequisite: The Criminal Justice Process
This course builds on the Criminal Justice Process course by focusing on management issue peculiar to Court Administration. An overview of court administration and court management in the US, this course will focus on the institutions and actors that make up the system. Special consideration will be given to how courts conduct business, how they interface with the Law Enforcement system, and established best practices in administration. We will survey basic management styles and how they apply to court administration, as well as those that are unique to court administration. Special emphasis will be given to issues of ethics and due process.

NON-PROFIT ADMINISTRATION ELECTIVES

XPA 520 Seminar on Community Development (3)
This course is an overview of local, international community development, and the role of community-based organizations. Special emphasis is placed on the politics of managing these types of organizations.

XPA 521 Seminar in Group and Organizational Dynamics (3)
This course is the study of the structure of small and large groups. Emphasis is placed on individual behavior and group processes, current theoretical views, significant research and the application of these to non-profit organizations, community interactions, and social change. The course will highlight the structure of non-profit organizations.

XPA 523 Minority and Women Administrators (3)
Public administrators operate in an increasingly diverse world- both nationally and internationally. Therefore, it is important that they have an understanding of the important contributions that Minorities and women can bring to their organizations. In addition, if organizations are to flourish and be healthy, administrators must address the issues and concerns of these groups. This course examines the issues, problems, and opportunities that influence the selection, evaluation, and promotion of Minorities and women in public and non-profit organizations. It also examines their opportunities for successful management.

XPA 524 Managing Non-profit Human Resources (3)
This course will introduce students to the issues particular to managing personnel (paid and volunteer) and Boards of Directors in the non-profit sector. The course address issues concerning managing diversity, ‘managing’ supervisors, and the technical issues of human resource management.

XPA 525 Non-Profit Finances and Budgeting (3)
This course shall focus on budgeting and basic non-profit accounting skills, finance, investment decision-making, analysis and planning, cost-effectiveness, present value analysis, cash flow analysis, generating earned income, managing endowments, gifts and grants, and tax planning.

XPA 526 Fundraising and Marketing for Non-Profit Organizations (3)
Non-profit organizations are typically dependent upon the generosity of foundations, the government, and/or individual citizens in order to provide services. Special attention will be given to: the history, theory and practice of philanthropy, Unrelated Business Income, charitable trusts, related tax law, grant writing, direct mail, one-on-one solicitation, use of the Internet, as well as tapping the talents (and resources!) of the board of directors of the organization.

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION ELECTIVES

XPA 530 Politics of State and Local Government (3)
This course is an examination of state and local governmental structures, functions, administration and policy. The place and role of state and local governments within the federal system is explored; as well as the limitations of governments in the procurement, development and allocation of resources to meet the public and private demands placed on state governments.

XPA 531 Ethnic Groups and Diversity (3)
In this course students study how various ethnic groups have shaped and influenced the political and social structures within the United States and selected international communities. Special attention is given to ethnic diversity among elected and administrative officials.

XPA 533 Government Project Management (3)
This course serves as a first course in project management and introduces students to the basic principles of project management, as they apply to public projects . Students are also introduced to the international standards of the field.

XPA 534 Emergency Management (3)
This course introduces issues involved in governmental management of natural and man-made disasters. Topics include the planning, and prevention of disasters, organizing community, county, state, national and international responses, fiscal issues, and post-disaster activities. Special emphasis will be placed on public policy involving disaster response.

CORE COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Each core course has specific learning objectives which contribute to the MPA goals and general learning objectives. These learning objectives will be stated in the respective course syllabi. Note: instructors are free to include additional learning objectives at their discretion. Selected core course specific learning objectives are listed below by course. At the completion of these core courses students will be able to meet the following objectives.

XPA501 Introduction to Public Management

Understand the historical and ethical developments of public administration, especially the role of minority public administrators;
Understand the differences between public and private organizations;
Write effective managerial reports, research projects and related documents;
Understand the need for change and new developments within the field of public administration;
Apply public management theories to current public management issues;
Understand the relation of non-profit organizations to governmental entities.

XPA502 Organizational Theory

Articulate the intellectual differences between contending theories of organizations;
Apply general theories of organizations to explain contemporary organizational behavior;
Compare the environmental influence affecting disparate bureaucracies in the public sector with those in the private arena;
Predict future organizational behavior;
Comprehend how the paradigms of organization apply to the administrative process and efforts underway to improve public management;
Understand how organizations are a product of their surrounding, their designs, and structural functions, and adaptation techniques, including growth, change, and resistance to change.

XPA503 Intergovernmental Relations

Understand policy implementation, administrative issues, and relations among state, national and local governments in the United States through an analysis of political and managerial structures and problems;
Understand the issues of policy implementation and administrative issues through an analysis of policy issues and managerial problems;
Understand the fiscal relations among governmental entities;
Apply administrative knowledge of intergovernmental relations through the completion of projects, assignments, and reports.

XPA504 Public Policy

Understand the basic concepts in public policy and current public policy processes at the federal, state, and local levels;
Distinguish between public policy theory and administration of public policy;
Apply various decision-making models to public policy issues;
Understand ethical considerations in public policy;
Demonstrate the ability to analyze public sector issues and identify potential solutions;
Utilize computer technology to analyze public policy issues.

XPA505 Public Budgeting

Utilize budget concepts and budget terminology;
Understand of the political context of budget development and implementation at the federal, state, and local levels;
Apply basic skills in budget development, analysis, and implementation;
Understand the importance of ethics in the budgeting process;
Use spreadsheet techniques for financial and managerial analysis;
Utilize basic skills in the selection and use of performance measures in the context of performance budgeting;
Understand how budgets impact organizational missions and activities;
Analyze an agency/program budget.

XPA506 Public Personnel Management

Understand the basic principles of personnel management;
Understand the legal and historical developments in personnel management, especially as it relates to public organizations;
Apply good management practices to human resource needs;
Understand the important ethical issues in managing a diverse workforce;
Understand the importance of technological training.

XPA507 Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Managers

Develop informational maps using GIS;
Interpret and illustrate important data for planning and change through the use of GIS maps;
Understand general database management issues;
Understand the ethical issues of information;
Develop plans for the use of GIS or other technologies;
Understand issues of information management within public organizations.

XPA508 Quantitative Decision-Making for Public Managers

Apply quantitative tools in daily, managerial decision-making;
Understand applications and use of quantitative data;
Understand when to apply quantitative and / or qualitative data;
Apply ethics to the decision-making process;
Understand the role of research in managerial decision-making;
Apply research techniques to problem-solving and evaluations.

MPA INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS: XPA 600 AND XPA 601

The purpose of the MPA internship is to provide students with the opportunity to experience practical applications of public administration theories. The student will be a participant observer in the field while receiving academic credit. The student also will be subject to the rules, regulations and jurisdiction of the internship organization. The internship will be supervised by the Cheyney MPA Program Internship Coordinator working the student’s site-manager.

Internship students typically will be pre-professionals. Students have the option of selecting an internship site from a list of non-profit organizations, government organizations, and selected private organizations compiled by the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Students may choose their own internship site with the approval of the internship coordinator and department faculty. The MPA Program Internship Coordinator must approve all internship sites. The student’s internship should coincide, whenever possible, with the students stated specialization or general interest. The internship must be with an established non-profit organization or government entity.

Students are required to work at a placement site for no less than 20 hours a week, for one semester (16 weeks fall/spring) and no less than 40 hours per week during the summer session (8 weeks). Students will receive 3 credit hours for the practical experience and an additional 3 hours upon the completion of the internship paper, for a total of 6 credit hours. Students will meet once a week in an internship class where they will share their experiences and notes with the internship coordinator and other students.

Students should keep a ‘management’ journal of their daily internship activities. The internship coordinator and the student’s interest will determine the administrative related subject matter for journal entries. The general structure of the internship paper will be decided by the faculty teaching in the program, but the student must be able to demonstrate knowledge of public administration principles. Students must complete and defend a paper that analyzes public administration theories as they relate to the student’s internship.

Students will complete their internship papers in several stages. The daily journal should serve as a beginning point for the internship paper. During the fourth week of the fall and spring semesters, students should submit a preliminary internship paper that describes the organizational structure of the internship site, the intern’ s role at the organization, and where their position fits within the organizational structure. At the end of the 8th week of a 16 week internship, students should submit a draft paper that discusses the organization’s mission, goals and objectives. At the end of the 12th week, students should submit a paper that discusses the progress of their assigned project. At the end of the working portion of the internship experience, students should submit a final paper that combines the short papers into a first draft of the internship paper. The due dates for the preliminary paper requirements for the summer session are similar to the fall/spring semesters, but are set at 2 week intervals, with the first draft due at the end of the 8th week.

The second semester of the internship is devoted to completing the internship paper, using the journal and draft internship paper as guides. During the second semester, the student will meet, with the internship coordinator and other student interns at regular intervals to discuss their reflections on the internship and their progress on the internship paper.