|
About
the Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Public administration
is rapidly becoming a field practiced at the intersection
of business, government, and nonprofit sectors. If
a career in public service means making a difference,
increasingly, the differences will happen at these
boundaries.
As formerly
public services such as health care, job training,
welfare-to-work, and child care become the domain
of private contractors, government is becoming more
of a financier than a direct service provider. Our
Master of Public Administration (MPA) curriculum emphasizes
the skills you will need to meet the challenges of
an increasingly mixed economy of social entrepreneurship.
We built
our MPA program's national reputation through our
diverse intellectual tradition and student body. Faculty
members are committed to giving our students real-world
experience from the earliest stages of each program
of study.
The City
of Pittsburgh provides an ideal laboratory through
which MPA students can put theory into practice. Home
to nearly 3,000 nonprofit organizations, Pittsburgh
consistently ranks among the top 15 cities in the
nation for philanthropic dollars per capita. The city's
complex, well-endowed foundation sector boasts some
of the largest private and community foundations in
the country.
As an intern,
you might:
-
design,
implement, and manage a large federal grant for
a nonprofit organization;
-
create
geographic information systems for community programs;
and/or
-
create
and implement a model for neighborhood revitalization.
If you're
interested in a career in government, opportunity
flourishes there, too. Pittsburgh is just a few hours'
drive from Washington, DC, or Harrisburg, Pa., where
GSPIA maintains strong networks with alumni, intellectual
colleagues, and elected officials in federal and state
agencies. We place our students in meaningful internships
that pave the way for a future in public administration.
Locally,
Allegheny County encompasses more government jurisdictions
than almost any other county in the nation, second
only to Cook County , Ill. Greater Pittsburgh is home
to
Through
the University
Center for Social and Urban Research (UCSUR),
you will have the opportunity to collaborate on cutting-edge
research addressing issues of local, regional, national,
and international concern. The research conducted
at UCSUR has resulted in the publication of books,
journal articles, and symposia presentations. Students
enrolled in the MPA program may also take advantage
of the school's Nonprofit Clinic, through which they
collaborate with directors of nonprofit organizations
on projects involving strategic planning, business
plan development, and accountability auditing, among
other issues.
The University
of Pittsburgh is also home to a Community
Outreach Partnership Center (COPC), an initiative
of the U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development.
Through their work with COPC programs, our students
spearhead outreach efforts in small business development,
children's literacy and tutoring, targeted health
care and prevention programs, and neighborhood revitalization.
Many of these projects become conduits to careers
after graduation.
As an MPA
student, you will learn to diagnose leadership challenges
from a variety of ethical and moral frameworks. The
Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership will
train you to apply skills borrowed from fields such
as law, philosophy, moral reasoning, and organizational
design and theory.
Many MPA
students go on to become members of Pi Alpha Alpha,
the national honor society for public affairs and
public administration. Pi Alpha Alpha encourages and
recognizes outstanding scholarship and accomplishment
in public affairs and public administration, promotes
the advancement of education and practice in the art
and science of public affairs and administration,
and fosters integrity, professionalism, and creative
performance in the conduct of governmental and related
public service activities.
We seek
committed, motivated students with superior analytical
skills who share our interest in changing the world.
If you are passionate about your vision for a future
in public service, we invite you to contact us.
Division
Director/Contact Us: Louise
Comfort, PhD, Division Director.
For more
information or to schedule a campus visit, please
contact the Office of Student Services, Phone: 412-648-7640 E-mail: gspia@pitt.edu.
Accreditation
GSPIA's
Master of Public Administration degree is accredited
by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs
and Administration (NASPAA). NASPAA accreditation recognizes
that a master's program in public affairs has gone
through a rigorous process of voluntary peer review
conducted by the Commission on Peer Review
and Accreditation (COPRA) , and has met NASPAA's
Standards for Professional Master's Degree Programs
in Public Affairs, Policy and Administration.
Degree Requirements and Majors
A total
of 48 credits is required for the Master of Public
Administration along with participation in an internship
with an approved public, private, or nonprofit organization.
Prior to graduation, you are required to complete a 300-hour internship, which will provide hands-on experience in a particular field. GSPIA will help you find a meaningful internship based on your area of interest. Your internship is an opportunity to create a new network of connections and demonstrate your professional capacity. Internship experiences are virtually unlimited in terms of location, sector, or organization.
Select a
major to view the Plan of Study document which outlines
the required courses for the degree and major:
- Major in Public and Nonprofit Public
Management: Public service is a discipline
practiced at many levels: local, national, and international-often
with ripple effects across each. Through grassroots
contributions and global applications, students
pursuing a public and nonprofit management major
acquire a deep understanding of the many contexts
in which public and nonprofit organizations. More...
- Major in Urban and Regional Affairs: In
today's evolving urban landscape, issues such as
community development and organization, affordable
housing, safety, cleanliness, and quality of life
become increasingly complex. The urban and regional
affairs major prepares students to meet the challenge
of addressing these issues. More...
- Major in Policy Research and Analysis: Today's
policymakers require analytical skills from a variety
of disciplines: quantitative, economic, political,
and organizational. Students in the policy and research
analysis major enjoy access to a rich array of resources
to help them prepare for careers in both the public
and private sectors. More...
Minors
GSPIA offers students a unique and integrated education. Starting with three distinct master's degree programs offering seven different majors, students benefit from a structured and comprehensive program. They also have choices - students can minor in any major, allowing the opportunity to take advantage of GSPIA's strengths in issues spanning public and international affairs.
Students also have the option of choosing to minor in Civil Security and Disaster Management, designed exclusively to be a minor field of study. More...
|
