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Master of Public Administration

Unique to UO | Curriculum | Admissions | Faculty

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) at the University of Oregon is a rigorous two-year program for people interested in training for careers addressing the critical social, economic, and environmental issues of our times. The curriculum is designed to provide a combination of academic theory, analytic skills, and real world applications so that students become effective and creative leaders in public service. The MPA program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.

A central focus of our program is to prepare students to become evidence based policy makers, analysts, and managers. Evidence based policy making is a concept that has been gaining widespread acceptance in the policy community, both in the U.S. and abroad. It is based on the idea that the formulation of policy and its implementation should be based on evidence of effectiveness. Fostering evidence based policy making requires a closer connection between research and practice. On the one hand, it requires that researchers ask policy relevant questions and conduct meaningful and timely analyses that can support the policy process. On the other hand, it requires that policy makers, managers, and leaders think critically about research and integrate appropriate evidence in the implementation and formulation of policy and practice. The MPA faculty strives to support evidence-based policy making through our teaching, research, and community outreach activities.

Recent MPA graduates work as advisors, policy analysts and strategic planners in all levels of government, in Oregon, throughout the US and around the globe. Their work addresses the full range of critical social, economic, environmental and development issues of the day, from improving health care access, increasing government efficiency and responsiveness, to creating new governmental structures in developing democracies. Alumni also work in a broad range of nonprofit organizations, for instance, as executive staff in social service, arts, and environmental organizations, and in for-profit companies serving the public sector.

The State of Oregon is an exciting place to study public administration. As a “laboratory of democracy” it has a long and distinguished record of policy innovation. Most recently, Oregon has been on the forefront of innovations in land use, health care, and environmental policy. Oregon is also a beautiful place to live and be a graduate student. The University of Oregon is located in the Willamette Valley, with easy access to snow-capped mountains and scenic coastlines.

Department

The Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) houses three graduate programs: a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Community and Regional Planning, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management. The Department has a national reputation for scholarship, excellence in education, and strong connections with professional communities. PPPM is both an academic home and a community of students, professors, staff, and alumni. The Department is supported by a dedicated group of alumni who help advise on curriculum and maintain strong links with the professional community.

Faculty

Faculty in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management have a wide range of interests, including social welfare policy, nonprofit management and philanthropy, citizen engagement, health policy, collaboration, and transportation. The faculty are leaders in their respective fields, publishing in top journals and serving in nationally prominent advisory roles. Professor Judith Hibbard, for example, serves as a member of the National Advisory Council to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Professor Renee Irvin is the chairperson of the Non-Profit Management Education section of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. Information on individual faculty member’s interests and publications can be found on the departmental website.

Unique to UO

Class sizes are small at the UO and faculty are on a first name basis with MPA students . Students are definitely not “a number” in our MPA program. In the second year, students work very closely with a faculty committee on a year long applied research project. The close, collegial working relationship between students and faculty means that faculty are often able to connect students with relevant alumni contacts, internships, and job opportunities.
Students interested in a career in nonprofits can earn a Certificate in Not-for-Profit Management concurrently with their MPA. The Certificate program offers innovative classes including one on board governance, in which students serve on a nonprofit board, and another on philanthropy, in which students award a $10,000 grant to a local agency.
Since PPPM also houses a master degree program in Community and Regional Planning (CRP), MPA students benefit from additional faculty and planning-related course offerings. In particular, MPA students are invited in their first year to enroll in a two term field-based course in which students consult on a topical issue for a local government or nonprofit agency in Oregon.
The University of Oregon is a leading public research university. MPA students have the flexibility to customize their concentration course work to take advantage of offerings throughout the university, including the highly ranked College of Education, College of Business, School of Architecture, and School of Law. In fact, many students customize concurrent degrees with other graduate programs throughout the university.
Oregon is an exciting place to study public policy. Oregon is known for its policy innovation, from the Bottle Bill, to vote-by-mail, to current efforts to reform the health care system. Policymakers and public managers in Oregon are remarkably accessible.

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Admissions

Incoming MPA students share a passion and commitment to improving the social, economic and environmental conditions locally and globally. The MPA program draws students from across the United States and from a number of other countries. Most incoming students have several years of experience working and/or interning in the public or nonprofit sectors. Students’ undergraduate backgrounds are varied. While most majored in a social science field, it is not at all unusual to admit students with backgrounds in the arts and humanities or the natural or physical sciences. What unifies the students is their interest and commitment to public service.

Approximately 25 students join the program each fall, for a total of roughly 50 graduate students in the MPA program. Students are selected for the MPA program based upon a combination of their undergraduate academic performance, intellectual aptitude, public service experience, and written statements. GREs are strongly recommended. The average undergraduate GPA for students in the program is 3.6 and their mean GRE scores are 580 for verbal reasoning, 624 for quantitative reasoning, and 5 for analytical writing.

The deadline for fall admission is February 1^st. Applications from exceptional applicants will be considered for winter and spring terms. Most students complete the MPA as full time students over two academic years. Students may complete the program part time, but doing so requires a flexible employment situation. Application materials are available on the department website. The Department of Planning, Public Policy, and Management (PPPM) strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. PPPM is dedicated to fostering a diverse academic environment to prepare future public leaders.

Prospective students are encouraged to visit Eugene and learn more about the MPA program. Contact Zudegi Giordano (541-346-3635) to set up meetings with students and faculty, and to attend a class.

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Curriculum

The MPA program prepares students to become effective and creative leaders in the public and nonprofit sectors. The curriculum provides students with a combination of substantive knowledge, analytic skills, and professional experience that prepares students for careers as evidence based policymakers, analysts, or managers. The program is comprised of four components: 1) core courses, 2) an area of concentration, 3) a supervised internship in a public agency or nonprofit, and 4) a final synthesizing research project.

Core Courses

The core courses provide students with the theoretical foundation and analytic skills to be effective leaders in the public or nonprofit sector. The 29 credits of core courses are organized into three areas.

Management of Public Service Organizations
These three courses are designed to enhance competency in the management of people, organizations, and information. Particular emphasis is on public management processes, such as public finance and budgeting, public personnel administration, and program evaluation.

PPPM 628, Public Sector Economy (Fall), 4 credits
Reasons for governmental intervention and analysis of revenue sources available to governments. Introduces economic framework commonly used in public service decision-making.

PPPM 629, Public Budget Administration (Winter), 4 credits
Resource allocation through the budget process. Includes analysis of budget system reforms and applied budget-making exercises.

PPPM 633, Public Management (Spring), 4 credits
Principles, issues, and practices in public management. Emphasizes the theory and practice designed to improve the performance of public service organizations.

Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis Techniques
These two courses are designed to develop applied research skills, to develop students’ ability to be critical consumers of applied policy research and have the skills to conduct independent evaluations, needs assessments and analyses.

PPPM 656, Quantitative Methods in Planning and Public Policy (Fall), 5 credits
Develop skills in using quantitative analysis to evaluate policies and programs. Emphasizes selecting appropriate analysis procedures, interpreting results appropriately, and writing clearly about findings.

PPPM 620, Applied Methods in Planning, Policy and Management (Winter), 4 credits
Overview of the basic methods of research design in planning and public policy. Emphasizes the development of appropriate research questions, reviewing academic literature, measurement, data collection, types of data sets, causality, and the design of research projects. (Prerequisite: PPPM 656 for '08-09 academic year)

Public Policy and Organizational Environment
These two courses provide the political, legal, economic, and social framework to understand policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation.

PPPM 618, Introduction to Public Service (Fall), 4 credits
The context of professional public services includes the history and theoretical foundation for public policy and management in the government and nonprofit sectors.

PPPM 636, Public Policy Analysis (Winter), 4 credits
Understanding the rationale for and impact of public policy interventions. Developing systematic methods for analyzing policy design, adoption and assessment. (Prerequisite: PPPM 628 for '08-09 academic year)

Area of Concentration

Students develop a substantive area of expertise by taking a minimum of 24 credits of course work in a concentration area. There are five concentration areas that students may choose from: Policy, Public Management, Nonprofit Management, Planning, or Environmental policy. The courses that are appropriate for each concentration area are detailed on the Departmental website.

Students are also able to develop their own concentration in consultation with a faculty advisor. Recent graduates have created customized concentrations in labor issues, health policy, and international development.

Internships

Internships are an integral component of the MPA curriculum. Internships offer students opportunities to explore and clarify career goals, apply academic learning, enhance and learn new skills, gain experience, and network with professionals. With assistance from the Internship Director, students identify a suitable internship and develop individualized learning goals. In collaboration with the internship site supervisor, students outline substantive tasks and responsibilities that support their learning goals. Students who achieve their learning goals acquire a set of transferable skills and “real world” experience that prepares them for professional positions, fellowships, or further academic study.

Students have completed a wide range of internships through the Internship Program. Examples include the highly selective Oregon Performance Internship, the competitive United Nations Internship Programme, and IE3 Global Internships. Students have also interned with the Oregon Governor’s Office, Senator Ron Wyden’s Office, the City of Portland, Oregon Department of Human Services, and at Holt International Children’s Services. MPA students are required to enroll in 10-12 credits of internship. Students typically complete their internship during the summer between their first and second year. For more information on the Internship Program see the Departmental website.

Applied Research Project

The MPA program requires students to conduct original empirical research related to the fields of public policy, nonprofit management, or public management. The research project is the culmination of the MPA curriculum. It requires students to become expert in a substantive area and put to use newly acquired research and analytical skills. For graduation, students must defend their research in front of a faculty committee, present their work in a departmental poster session, and submit a polished 20-page research report.

Students often conduct their studies to answer questions raised during their internship. Others work on projects related to a faculty member’s research or a topic of personal interest. The following two award winning research projects were presented in a professional meeting and submitted for publication respectively:

“The Impact of Neighborhood Characteristics on Physical Activity and Rates of Obesity among Child Medicaid Recipients” by Lori Quillen, 2007

“Redistributive Effect of U.S. Taxes and Public Transfers, 1994-2004” by Ki-Nam Kim, 2006

The Student Research Colloquium (PPPM 690) provides students with structure for identifying a viable research question, conducting a literature review, and developing a methodology. Students take 1 credit of Colloquium in spring of 1^st year and 2 credits in the fall of their 2^nd year. Students work very closely throughout the whole research process with a faculty advisor and with 1-2 additional committee members.

During the second year students must enroll in 6 credits of PPPM 609, Terminal Project while completing their research. Occasionally, a MPA student will opt for their research project to be a thesis rather than a terminal project. This requires three additional credits and for students to adhere to the Graduate School thesis requirements. Typically, this would be appropriate for a student interested in entering a Ph.D. program in public policy after completing their MPA degree. For more information about the Applied Research Project, see the Departmental website.

Concurrent Degrees

The University of Oregon is very flexible in allowing students to develop concurrent degrees. In fact, no formal program is required. Students need to be accepted into both programs and work out their academic schedule in conjunction with their faculty advisors. Students have recently combined the MPA with a master of community and regional planning, master of business administration (MBA), doctor of jurisprudence (JD), Ph.D. in educational leadership, master of international studies, and master of geography.

Download the MPA program (PDF) click here
Download the MPA program in Word here

Membership in the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) organization, click here APPAM Member Link

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Last updated April 10, 2008

An equal opportunity, affirmative-action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This publication will be made available in accessible formats upon request.



PPPM Home About PPPM - About PPPM - Mission, Principles and Program Objectives - Department History - Department Facilities - The Circle: Annual Newsletter Undergraduate Programs - Undergraduate Programs - PPPM Major - PPPM Minor - Nonprofit Minor - Honors Thesis Graduate Programs - Graduate Programs - Master of Community and Regional Planning - Master of Public Administration - Certificate in Nonprofit Management Prospective Students - Prospective Students - How to Apply - Financial Aid - Housing - Life in Eugene Current Students - Current Students - Departmental Forms - Course Listings - Funding Resources - Student Groups - Commencement Information - Student Handbook Community Service Center - Community Service Center Internship Program - Internship Program - Planning Your Internship - Current Internships - Recurring Internships - Student Fellowships - International Internships - Internship Resources Faculty and Staff - Faculty and Staff - - Visiting Scholars - Staff Profiles - Collaboratives Research News and Events - News and Events - Calendar of Events - Department Lectures Research Institutes - Research Institutes - - - Alumni - Alumni - Alumni Advisory Council - - Where are they now? - CSPA - Giving - Annual Award Recognition	Home > Graduate Programs > Master of Public Administration Master of Public Administration Unique to UO \| Curriculum \| Admissions \| Faculty The Master of Public Administration (MPA) at the University of Oregon is a rigorous two-year program for people interested in training for careers addressing the critical social, economic, and environmental issues of our times. The curriculum is designed to provide a combination of academic theory, analytic skills, and real world applications so that students become effective and creative leaders in public service. The MPA program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. A central focus of our program is to prepare students to become evidence based policy makers, analysts, and managers. Evidence based policy making is a concept that has been gaining widespread acceptance in the policy community, both in the U.S. and abroad. It is based on the idea that the formulation of policy and its implementation should be based on evidence of effectiveness. Fostering evidence based policy making requires a closer connection between research and practice. On the one hand, it requires that researchers ask policy relevant questions and conduct meaningful and timely analyses that can support the policy process. On the other hand, it requires that policy makers, managers, and leaders think critically about research and integrate appropriate evidence in the implementation and formulation of policy and practice. The MPA faculty strives to support evidence-based policy making through our teaching, research, and community outreach activities. Recent MPA graduates work as advisors, policy analysts and strategic planners in all levels of government, in Oregon, throughout the US and around the globe. Their work addresses the full range of critical social, economic, environmental and development issues of the day, from improving health care access, increasing government efficiency and responsiveness, to creating new governmental structures in developing democracies. Alumni also work in a broad range of nonprofit organizations, for instance, as executive staff in social service, arts, and environmental organizations, and in for-profit companies serving the public sector. The State of Oregon is an exciting place to study public administration. As a “laboratory of democracy” it has a long and distinguished record of policy innovation. Most recently, Oregon has been on the forefront of innovations in land use, health care, and environmental policy. Oregon is also a beautiful place to live and be a graduate student. The University of Oregon is located in the Willamette Valley, with easy access to snow-capped mountains and scenic coastlines. Department The Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) houses three graduate programs: a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Community and Regional Planning, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management. The Department has a national reputation for scholarship, excellence in education, and strong connections with professional communities. PPPM is both an academic home and a community of students, professors, staff, and alumni. The Department is supported by a dedicated group of alumni who help advise on curriculum and maintain strong links with the professional community. Faculty Faculty in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management have a wide range of interests, including social welfare policy, nonprofit management and philanthropy, citizen engagement, health policy, collaboration, and transportation. The faculty are leaders in their respective fields, publishing in top journals and serving in nationally prominent advisory roles. Professor Judith Hibbard, for example, serves as a member of the National Advisory Council to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Professor Renee Irvin is the chairperson of the Non-Profit Management Education section of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. Information on individual faculty member’s interests and publications can be found on the departmental website. Unique to UO Class sizes are small at the UO and faculty are on a first name basis with MPA students . Students are definitely not “a number” in our MPA program. In the second year, students work very closely with a faculty committee on a year long applied research project. The close, collegial working relationship between students and faculty means that faculty are often able to connect students with relevant alumni contacts, internships, and job opportunities. Students interested in a career in nonprofits can earn a Certificate in Not-for-Profit Management concurrently with their MPA. The Certificate program offers innovative classes including one on board governance, in which students serve on a nonprofit board, and another on philanthropy, in which students award a $10,000 grant to a local agency. Since PPPM also houses a master degree program in Community and Regional Planning (CRP), MPA students benefit from additional faculty and planning-related course offerings. In particular, MPA students are invited in their first year to enroll in a two term field-based course in which students consult on a topical issue for a local government or nonprofit agency in Oregon. The University of Oregon is a leading public research university. MPA students have the flexibility to customize their concentration course work to take advantage of offerings throughout the university, including the highly ranked College of Education, College of Business, School of Architecture, and School of Law. In fact, many students customize concurrent degrees with other graduate programs throughout the university. Oregon is an exciting place to study public policy. Oregon is known for its policy innovation, from the Bottle Bill, to vote-by-mail, to current efforts to reform the health care system. Policymakers and public managers in Oregon are remarkably accessible. TOP Admissions Incoming MPA students share a passion and commitment to improving the social, economic and environmental conditions locally and globally. The MPA program draws students from across the United States and from a number of other countries. Most incoming students have several years of experience working and/or interning in the public or nonprofit sectors. Students’ undergraduate backgrounds are varied. While most majored in a social science field, it is not at all unusual to admit students with backgrounds in the arts and humanities or the natural or physical sciences. What unifies the students is their interest and commitment to public service. Approximately 25 students join the program each fall, for a total of roughly 50 graduate students in the MPA program. Students are selected for the MPA program based upon a combination of their undergraduate academic performance, intellectual aptitude, public service experience, and written statements. GREs are strongly recommended. The average undergraduate GPA for students in the program is 3.6 and their mean GRE scores are 580 for verbal reasoning, 624 for quantitative reasoning, and 5 for analytical writing. The deadline for fall admission is February 1^st. Applications from exceptional applicants will be considered for winter and spring terms. Most students complete the MPA as full time students over two academic years. Students may complete the program part time, but doing so requires a flexible employment situation. Application materials are available on the department website. The Department of Planning, Public Policy, and Management (PPPM) strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. PPPM is dedicated to fostering a diverse academic environment to prepare future public leaders. Prospective students are encouraged to visit Eugene and learn more about the MPA program. Contact Zudegi Giordano (541-346-3635) to set up meetings with students and faculty, and to attend a class. TOP Curriculum The MPA program prepares students to become effective and creative leaders in the public and nonprofit sectors. The curriculum provides students with a combination of substantive knowledge, analytic skills, and professional experience that prepares students for careers as evidence based policymakers, analysts, or managers. The program is comprised of four components: 1) core courses, 2) an area of concentration, 3) a supervised internship in a public agency or nonprofit, and 4) a final synthesizing research project. *Core Courses* The core courses provide students with the theoretical foundation and analytic skills to be effective leaders in the public or nonprofit sector. The 29 credits of core courses are organized into three areas. Management of Public Service Organizations These three courses are designed to enhance competency in the management of people, organizations, and information. Particular emphasis is on public management processes, such as public finance and budgeting, public personnel administration, and program evaluation. PPPM 628, Public Sector Economy (Fall), 4 credits Reasons for governmental intervention and analysis of revenue sources available to governments. Introduces economic framework commonly used in public service decision-making. PPPM 629, Public Budget Administration (Winter), 4 credits Resource allocation through the budget process. Includes analysis of budget system reforms and applied budget-making exercises. PPPM 633, Public Management (Spring), 4 credits Principles, issues, and practices in public management. Emphasizes the theory and practice designed to improve the performance of public service organizations. Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis Techniques These two courses are designed to develop applied research skills, to develop students’ ability to be critical consumers of applied policy research and have the skills to conduct independent evaluations, needs assessments and analyses. PPPM 656, Quantitative Methods in Planning and Public Policy (Fall), 5 credits Develop skills in using quantitative analysis to evaluate policies and programs. Emphasizes selecting appropriate analysis procedures, interpreting results appropriately, and writing clearly about findings. PPPM 620, Applied Methods in Planning, Policy and Management (Winter), 4 credits Overview of the basic methods of research design in planning and public policy. Emphasizes the development of appropriate research questions, reviewing academic literature, measurement, data collection, types of data sets, causality, and the design of research projects. (Prerequisite: PPPM 656 for '08-09 academic year) Public Policy and Organizational Environment These two courses provide the political, legal, economic, and social framework to understand policy formulation, analysis, implementation, and evaluation. PPPM 618, Introduction to Public Service (Fall), 4 credits The context of professional public services includes the history and theoretical foundation for public policy and management in the government and nonprofit sectors. PPPM 636, Public Policy Analysis (Winter), 4 credits Understanding the rationale for and impact of public policy interventions. Developing systematic methods for analyzing policy design, adoption and assessment. (Prerequisite: PPPM 628 for '08-09 academic year) Area of Concentration Students develop a substantive area of expertise by taking a minimum of 24 credits of course work in a concentration area. There are five concentration areas that students may choose from: Policy, Public Management, Nonprofit Management, Planning, or Environmental policy. The courses that are appropriate for each concentration area are detailed on the Departmental website. Students are also able to develop their own concentration in consultation with a faculty advisor. Recent graduates have created customized concentrations in labor issues, health policy, and international development. Internships Internships are an integral component of the MPA curriculum. Internships offer students opportunities to explore and clarify career goals, apply academic learning, enhance and learn new skills, gain experience, and network with professionals. With assistance from the Internship Director, students identify a suitable internship and develop individualized learning goals. In collaboration with the internship site supervisor, students outline substantive tasks and responsibilities that support their learning goals. Students who achieve their learning goals acquire a set of transferable skills and “real world” experience that prepares them for professional positions, fellowships, or further academic study. Students have completed a wide range of internships through the Internship Program. Examples include the highly selective Oregon Performance Internship, the competitive United Nations Internship Programme, and IE3 Global Internships. Students have also interned with the Oregon Governor’s Office, Senator Ron Wyden’s Office, the City of Portland, Oregon Department of Human Services, and at Holt International Children’s Services. MPA students are required to enroll in 10-12 credits of internship. Students typically complete their internship during the summer between their first and second year. For more information on the Internship Program see the Departmental website. Applied Research Project The MPA program requires students to conduct original empirical research related to the fields of public policy, nonprofit management, or public management. The research project is the culmination of the MPA curriculum. It requires students to become expert in a substantive area and put to use newly acquired research and analytical skills. For graduation, students must defend their research in front of a faculty committee, present their work in a departmental poster session, and submit a polished 20-page research report. Students often conduct their studies to answer questions raised during their internship. Others work on projects related to a faculty member’s research or a topic of personal interest. The following two award winning research projects were presented in a professional meeting and submitted for publication respectively: “The Impact of Neighborhood Characteristics on Physical Activity and Rates of Obesity among Child Medicaid Recipients” by Lori Quillen, 2007 “Redistributive Effect of U.S. Taxes and Public Transfers, 1994-2004” by Ki-Nam Kim, 2006 The Student Research Colloquium (PPPM 690) provides students with structure for identifying a viable research question, conducting a literature review, and developing a methodology. Students take 1 credit of Colloquium in spring of 1^st year and 2 credits in the fall of their 2^nd year. Students work very closely throughout the whole research process with a faculty advisor and with 1-2 additional committee members. During the second year students must enroll in 6 credits of PPPM 609, Terminal Project while completing their research. Occasionally, a MPA student will opt for their research project to be a thesis rather than a terminal project. This requires three additional credits and for students to adhere to the Graduate School thesis requirements. Typically, this would be appropriate for a student interested in entering a Ph.D. program in public policy after completing their MPA degree. For more information about the Applied Research Project, see the Departmental website. Concurrent Degrees The University of Oregon is very flexible in allowing students to develop concurrent degrees. In fact, no formal program is required. Students need to be accepted into both programs and work out their academic schedule in conjunction with their faculty advisors. Students have recently combined the MPA with a master of community and regional planning, master of business administration (MBA), doctor of jurisprudence (JD), Ph.D. in educational leadership, master of international studies, and master of geography. Download the MPA program (PDF) click here Download the MPA program in Word here Membership in the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) organization, click here TOP Last updated April 10, 2008 An equal opportunity, affirmative-action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This publication will be made available in accessible formats upon request. Copyright © 2008. School of Architecture and Allied Arts, University of Oregon.