Master of Public Administration Executive Track

Elevate your career in the public or nonprofit sector alongside a cohort of working professionals in a flexible, top-ranked program.


The UConn Master of Public Administration (MPA) executive track is designed for experienced working professionals in public or nonprofit organizations.

This professional degree provides current and future leaders with analytic and management skills necessary to advance their careers. The program is tailored for the life of working professionals, featuring:

  • Virtual and in-person classes based at UConn's Hartford and Stamford campuses.
  • Schedule flexibility, with courses offered on Saturdays, evenings, and online.
  • Options to complete your degree in two years.

UConn MPA students earn an exceptional education from the only Connecticut school accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), the global standard in public service education.


Why Choose UConn


#8

National ranking of public finance and budgeting programs, U.S. News & World Report.

#46

National ranking of public affairs programs, U.S. News & World Report.

NASPAA

The only NASPAA-accredited school in Connecticut.

100%

Students placed in paid internships with tuition scholarships.

97%

Job placements 6-months after graduation.

Location Flexibility

Program available at UConn's Hartford and Stamford campuses.

Outcomes and Careers

Alumni of UConn’s MPA executive-track are leaders in nonprofit organizations and in government at the national, state, and local levels. Their successes contribute to our school’s national reputation and our ability to attract high-caliber students from around the world.

By earning your MPA through the UConn School of Public Policy, you'll join our network of talented alumni who in turn mentor current students.

Career Development Resources

The faculty is lauded as responsive and attentive to student needs and the program’s national accreditation speaks volumes.

Carease Gadson '22 MPA
Revenue Agent, Connecticut Department of Revenue Services

Carease Gadson

Academics

Program Requirements

The MPA curriculum is designed to prepare students for the important responsibility of becoming public managers and policy decision-makers. The program develops the skills needed to diagnose problems, collect and analyze information, choose among policy alternatives, communicate findings, implement programs, and manage change.

The executive track follows a cohort-model. The core courses (listed below) will be designed for the executive cohort. The executive experience courses are designed to meet the pedagogical, intellectual, and professional needs of the fellows without compromising the MPA learning outcomes and course quality.

The program is designed to be completed in two years. All students will have the opportunity to complete the core courses in two years and they may choose to complete the electives during the summer, during the regular semester while taking the core classes, or after they complete those classes.

Prerequisites

Applicants to the MPA executive track program must:

  • Be currently employed in the public sector, nonprofit sector, or a private sector organization working in a public service-related role.
  • Have a minimum of five years of professional experience with a minimum of three years in a leadership role.
  • Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate institution.
  • Have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0, unless there are extraordinary circumstances.

Core Courses

Students must take the following courses:

  • PP 5340. Introduction to Public Policy and Management
  • PP 5345. Project Management in the Public Sector
  • PP 5361. Theory and Management of Public Organizations
  • PP 5364. Public Finance and Budgeting
  • PP 5365. Human Resource Management
  • PP 5370. Applied Research Design
  • PP 5375. Economic Analysis for Public Administration
  • PP 5376. Applied Quantitative Methods
Focus Area/Electives

The MPA executive track requires 12 credits of electives, which you can use to complete additional coursework in a focus area. You can choose from the list of possible focus areas below, develop your own with the help of your advisor, or choose to remain a generalist and complete the focus area with three generalized courses.

Examples of focus areas and possible courses include:

Executive Leadership

  • PP 5366. Executive Leadership (required)
  • PP 5325. Labor-Management Relations, Negotiation, and Contract Management
  • PP 5359. Crisis Management
  • Other PP courses as approved

Law and Public Policy

Two approved School of Law courses are required (recommended: LAW 7600 Administrative Law) along with one PP course:

  • PP 5304. Public Policy, Diversity, and Inclusion
  • PP 5363. Local Government Management and Leadership
  • PP 5329. Nonprofit Advocacy, Government Relations, and Law
  • Other courses as approved

Nonprofit Management

  • PP 5319. Program Development
  • PP 5328. Business Functions of Nonprofit Organizations
  • PP 5324. Grant Writing and Government Contracting
  • PP 5323. Leading and Governing Nonprofits
  • PP 5329. Nonprofit Advocacy, Government Relations, and Law
  • PP 5336. Fund Development and Nonprofit Sustainability

Public Financial Management

  • PP 5373. Budgeting in Public Service Organizations
  • PP 5318. Financial Management for Public Organizations
  • PP 5317. Capital Finance and Budgeting
  • PP 5326. Public Investment Management
  • PP 5374. Topics in Financial Management

Public Policy

  • PP 5347. Applied Policy Issues
  • PP 5314. Casual Program Evaluation
  • PP 5342. Policy Analysis

Public Policy, Diversity, and Inclusion

  • PP 5304. Public Policy, Diversity, and Inclusion (required)
  • PP 5346. Child and Family Policy or PP 5344 Social Policy
  • PP 5303. Race and Policy
  • Other courses as approved from POLS, SOCI, WGSS

Social Policy

  • PP 5346. Child and Family Policy (required)
  • PP 5303. Race and Policy
  • PP 5344. Social Policy
  • PP 5347. Applied Policy Issues
  • PP 5342. Policy Analysis
  • Other courses as approved from POLS, PUBH, SOCI, SSW

State and Local Government Management

  • PP 5363. Local Government Management and Leadership (required)
  • PP 5325. Labor-Management Relations, Negotiation, and Contract Management
  • PP 5317. Capital Finance and Budgeting
  • PP 5349. Public Procurement and Contracting
  • PP 5368. Performance Management and Accountability
  • PP 5350. Urban and Regional Policy

Survey Research

  • PP 5379. Principles and Methods I (required)
  • Other courses as approved

Urban Planning

  • PP 5348. Urban Planning Principles and Methods (required)
  • PP 5363. Local Government Management and Leadership
  • PP 5317. Capital Finance and Budgeting
  • PP 5350. Urban and Regional Policy
  • Other courses as approved from GEOG and LAW

Capstone Portfolio

  • PP 5372. Capstone Portfolio

Sample Course Sequence

Below is a model course of study for the UConn MPA executive track program. You can learn more about our courses on our course descriptions page.

Year 1

Year 1 Fall
  • PP 5340. Introduction to Public Policy and Management
  • PP 5364. Public Finance and Budgeting

Total Credits = 6


Year 1 Spring
  • PP 5361. Theory & Management of Public Organizations
  • PP 5375. Economic Analysis for Public Administration

Total Credits = 6


Year 1 Summer
  • Elective/Focus Area (PP 5366. Public Service Executive Leadership)
  • PP 5370. Applied Research Design

Total Credits = 6

Year 2

Year 2 Fall
  • PP 5365. Human Resource Management
  • PP 5376. Applied Quantitative Methods

Total Credits = 6


Year 2 Spring
  • PP 5345. Project Management in the Public Sector
  • Elective/Focus Area

Total Credits = 6


Year 2 Summer
  • Elective/Focus Area*
  • Elective/Focus Area*

Total Credits = 6


Total Program Credits = 36

*Electives may be taken during year 2 for a May Graduation

Admissions

Students apply to the UConn MPA program via the UConn Graduate School’s online application.
 

Full admissions requirements
 

Application Deadlines

Fall

Priority decision: Feb. 15
Final Deadline: May 15

Spring

Final Deadline: Nov. 1

Contact Us

For more information about the UConn MPA program, please contact:

Bryan Callender

Outreach Coordinator, School of Public Policy

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