Master of Public Administration, M.P.A.

Visit the UVU Public Administration page for more information on the program and access to advising.

Program Description

The Master of Public Administration, M.P.A. prepares students for leadership roles in public service through a focused curriculum in leadership, policy analysis, and ethical decision-making. This program emphasizes critical thinking and evidence-based strategies to equip future public service professionals with the skills needed to address complex community challenges. Graduates develop strong communication abilities and a comprehensive understanding of legal, regulatory, and human resource issues, thereby enabling them to contribute effectively to diverse and dynamic public service environments

Matriculation Requirements

1. A 3.0 cumulative GPA from the institution where the undergraduate degree was awarded or a 3.0 GPA calculated on the last 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) from the institution where the undergraduate degree was awarded.
2. A bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited college/university, a nationally accredited program, or an international college or university recognized by a Ministry of Education in one of the following or related fields:(Applicants with a bachelor's degrees in other fields may be admitted if they have at least two years of public services experience and completed undergraduate courses with a B grade or better. These applications are handled on a case-by-case basis.):
   • Emergency Services
   • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement, Forensic Science
   • Political Science
   • Public and Community Health
   • Aviation Science
   • Emergency Management/Homeland Security
   • Emergency Medical Services
   • Business Administration, Organizational Management
   • Environmental Science
   • Public Admin/Public Management
   • Social Science
   • Technology Management

  3. Graduate School Application.

  4. Official transcripts from all attended institutions of higher education.

  5. Two letters of recommendation.

  6. Admissions Essay.

Program Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Total Credit Hours		36
Discipline Core Requirements		27 Credits
PADM 6000	Public Administration	3
PADM 6010	Public Administration Finance and Budgeting	3
PADM 6020	Public Administration Policy and Evaluation	3
PADM 6030	Legal Issues for Public Administration	3
PADM 6040	Organizational Behavior in Public Administration	3
PADM 6050	Public Administration Leadership and Ethics	3
PADM 6060	Research Methods for Public Administration	3
PADM 6070	Human Resource Management	3
PADM 6900	Public Administration Capstone Project	3
Elective Requirements		9 Credits
Complete 9 credits from the following:		9
ESMG 6100	Psychology and the Emergency Services Responder (3)
ESMG 6110	Disasters/Vulnerability/and Impacts (3)
ESMG 6120	Emergency Planning and Response (3)
ESMG 6130	Social Vulnerability in Emergencies (3)
ESMG 6140	Homeland Security Fundamentals (3)
CJ 6200	Advanced Topics in Criminal Justice (3)
CJ 6210	Information-based Decision Making for Criminal Justice Administrators (3)
CJ 6220	Contemporary Issues In Criminal Justice (3)
CJ 6230	Criminal Justice Policy (3)
HLTH 6200	Issues in Public Health (3)
PADM 6400	Public Administration Program Development and Evaluation (3)
PADM 6410	Non-Profit Management (3)
NSS 6500	US National Security Policy and Strategy (3)
NSS 6700	Intelligence Analysis and Tradecraft (3)
PADM 6700R	Public Administration Internship (3)
PADM 6790R	Special Topics in Public Administration (3)
HLTH 6300	Communication Campaigns (3)
HR 6550	Organization Development and Change Management (3)
EDHE 6410	Foundations and Contexts of Higher Education (3)
EDHE 6420	Humanizing Higher Education (3)
EDHE 6430	Student Success and Development (3)
EDHE 6440	Leadership in Higher Education (3)
MGMT 6300	Healthcare Systems/Finance/Operations (3)
MGMT 6310	Healthcare Policy and Law (3)
MGMT 6320	Healthcare Strategy (3)
Graduate-level electives as approved by the MPA Director.

Graduation Requirements

1. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher must be maintained within program.
2. All course work must be completed with a "B" or higher.

3. Complete a minimum of 36 credit hours.

4. Graduates may not transfer more than 9 credits toward the MPA. All transfer courses will be reviewed by the College of Health and Public Service Graduate Committee.

5. All coursework must be completed within 6 years.

Graduation Plan

This graduation plan is a sample plan and is intended to be a guide. Your specific plan may differ based on your Math and English placement and/or transfer credits applied. You are encouraged to meet with an advisor and set up an individualized graduation plan in Wolverine Track.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Semester 1		Credit Hours
PADM 6000	Public Administration	3
PADM 6060	Research Methods for Public Administration	3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 2
PADM 6020	Public Administration Policy and Evaluation	3
PADM 6050	Public Administration Leadership and Ethics	3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 3
PADM 6010	Public Administration Finance and Budgeting	3
PADM 6040	Organizational Behavior in Public Administration	3
	Credit Hours	6
Second Year
Semester 4
PADM 6030	Legal Issues for Public Administration	3
MPA Elective Course		3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 5
PADM 6070	Human Resource Management	3
MPA Elective Course		3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 6
PADM 6900	Public Administration Capstone Project	3
MPA Elective Course		3
	Credit Hours	6
	Total Credit Hours	36

An online graduation plan offers students a flexible yet structured approach to their academic journey. While this sample serves as a general guideline, individual plans may differ based on Math and English placement scores. Meeting with an academic advisor is strongly recommended to customize plans and ensure all graduation requirements are met.

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are Certified Online Courses, meeting UVU’s high standards for quality and accessibility.

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Semester 1		Credit Hours
PADM 6000	Public Administration	3
PADM 6060	Research Methods for Public Administration	3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 2
PADM 6020	Public Administration Policy and Evaluation	3
PADM 6050	Public Administration Leadership and Ethics	3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 3
PADM 6010	Public Administration Finance and Budgeting	3
PADM 6040	Organizational Behavior in Public Administration	3
	Credit Hours	6
Second Year
Semester 4
PADM 6030	Legal Issues for Public Administration	3
MPA Elective		3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 5
PADM 6070	Human Resource Management	3
MPA Elective		3
	Credit Hours	6
Semester 6
PADM 6900	Public Administration Capstone Project	3
MPA Elective		3
	Credit Hours	6
	Total Credit Hours	36

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Apply leadership strategies to design and implement initiatives that promote positive community change and advance the public interest.
2. Evaluate public problems to contribute to the public, fiscal, and economic policy process.
3. Use critical thinking skills and evidence-based strategies to solve public service problems in a complex and dynamic environment.
4. Evaluate legal, regulatory, human resource, and ethical dimensions of public service delivery.
5. Demonstrate written and verbal communication skills to address public service-related problems in a diverse and changing workforce.