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The Master of Public Administration prepares students from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds to excel in careers with a public policy, public management, or nonprofit management orientation. The MPA provides students with an academic credential appropriate for employment in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors.

The MPA program has two key objectives. First, through a set of core courses, the program provides a strong foundation of practical and theoretical training for professional work in public service. Second, through free electives or the selection of a concentration, the MPA program offers students the opportunity to fashion a curriculum linked directly to their individual career and academic interests.

The Baruch MPA is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). Baruch's School of Public Affairs is the only nonprivate school of public affairs in New York City.

All students in the MPA program complete seven required courses and are required to earn a minimum grade point average of 3.0. This ensures that all students achieve a basic understanding of fundamental public administration principles and practices together with a foundation in communication skills, economic analysis, and statistical analysis. In addition to the required courses, students complete six elective courses chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor. Students without prior professional experience will also complete an internship in a public, nonprofit, or private-sector organization. In their final semester, all students take the Capstone Seminar, which emphasizes the application of students knowledge and skills to specific professional situations.

Full-time and part-time MPA students (but not students in the NUF or Executive MPA programs) may choose to focus 12 of their 18 credits of elective course work in one of the five specializations: urban development and sustainability, nonprofit administration, public management, policy analysis and evaluation, and health care policy. All five specializations participate in the shared MPA core, which does not vary from specialization to specialization. Specializations must be chosen in consultation with a School of Public Affairs advisor.

Selection of a specialization is not required. Students who choose not to take a specialization must structure their 18 elective credits in consultation with an advisor.


Core                                       (21 credits)
Introduction to Public Affairs3 credits
Communication in Public Settings3 credits
Public and Nonprofit Management I3 credits
Economic Analysis and Public Policy3 credits
Budgeting and Financial Analysis I3 credits
Research and Analysis I3 credits
Research and Analysis II3 credits


Specialization and Elective Courses          (18 credits) 

Students are required to complete 18 credits toward electives. Students may choose to specialize in one of five specific specializations

or may choose, in consultation with a faculty advisor, a group of six electives without regard to any specialization. The specific requirements of each specialization vary. Please consult the list below for exact course requirements.

Specialization in Urban Development and Sustainability

The urban development and sustainability specialization examines how cities grow, decline, and function in terms of development, infrastructure, housing, and transportation. It considers issues of sustainability and development in the context of government regulation, tax incentive programs, green initiatives, and the politics of neighborhood advocacy. It offers students policy knowledge, management practices, and evaluation skills for careers in the growing field of urban development and sustainability within government and the nonprofit sector. The specialization requires the completion of 4 courses for 12 credits.

Students who wish to concentrate their MPA studies in urban development and sustainability must take 12 credits (four courses), 6 of which (two out of three courses) are required.

Mandatory Courses in Urban Development and Sustainability  (6 credits; select two)
Community Development: History, Present, and Future3 credits
Housing Policy3 credits
Greening and Growing Cities: Sustainability and Public Policy Choices3 credits
Elective Courses in Urban Development and Sustainability  (6 credits; select two from the following)
Government Contracting3 credits
Ethics and Public Decision Making3 credits
Urban Economic Development3 credits

or

or

Community Development: History, Present, and Future

or

Housing Policy

or

Greening and Growing Cities: Sustainability and Public Policy Choices

 3 credits
Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector 3 credits
Administration of the Nonprofit Sector and Voluntary Agencies 3 credits
Fund Raising and Grants Administration in Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations 3 credits
Budgeting and Finance for Nonprofits 3 credits
Privatization and Marketbased Government 3 credits
Public and Nonprofit Management II 3 credits
Program Evaluation 3 credits
Comparative Public Administration 3 credits
Environmental Policy3 credits
Map Making for Public Policy3 credits
Selected Topics in Nonprofit Management3 credits
Free Electives

Students must complete 6 additional elective credits of their choice. These may be any two electives consistent with a students academic program for which the student has satisfied prerequisites. All courses must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Specialization in Nonprofit Administration

Students who wish to concentrate their MPA studies in nonprofit administration must take 12 credits (four courses), 6 of which (two courses) are required.

Mandatory Courses in Nonprofit Administration  (6 credits)

Administration of the Nonprofit Sector and Voluntary Agencies

3 credits
Budgeting and Finance for Nonprofits3 credits
Elective Courses in Nonprofit Administration   (6 credits; select two from the following)
Government Contracting3 credits
Ethics and Public Decision Making 3 credits
Urban Economic Development3 credits
Communication Strategy3 credits
Community Development: History, Present, and Future3 credits
Housing Policy3 credits
Greening and Growing Cities: Sustainability and Public Policy Choices3 credits
Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector3 credits

Fund Raising and Grants Administration in Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations

3 credits
Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery3 credits
Introduction to Philanthropy3 credits
Religion, Nonprofits, Politics, and Policy3 credits
Public and Nonprofit Management II 3 credits
Human Services Administration3 credits
Program Evaluation3 credits
Comparative Public Administration3 credits

International Nonprofit Organizations

3 credits
Selected Topics in Nonprofit Management3 credits

Health and Health Care

3 credits

Social Entrepreneurship: Concepts and Cases

3 credits
Free Electives

Students must complete 6 additional elective credits of their choice. These may be any two electives consistent with a students academic program for which the student has satisfied prerequisites. All courses must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Specialization in Public Management

Students who wish to concentrate their MPA studies in public management must take 12 credits (four courses), 6 of which (two courses) are required.

Mandatory Courses in Public Management      (6 credits)
Public Personnel and Human Resources Management3 credits
Public and Nonprofit Management II3 credits
Elective Courses in Public Management         (6 credits; select two from the following)
Government Contracting3 credits
Ethics and Public Decision Making3 credits
Intergovernmental Relations3 credits
Labor Relations in the Public Sector3 credits
Urban Services Delivery3 credits
Communication Strategy3 credits
Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery3 credits
Privatization and Market-Based Government3 credits
Human Services Administration3 credits
Program Auditing and Performance Measurement3 credits
Program Evaluation3 credits
Comparative Public Administration3 credits
Free Electives

Students must complete 6 additional elective credits of their choice. These may be any two electives consistent with a students academic program for which the student has satisfied prerequisites. All courses must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Specialization in Health Care Policy

Students who wish to concentrate their MPA studies in health care policy must take 12 credits (four courses), 3 of which (one course) are required.

Mandatory Courses in Health Care Policy    (3 credits)
Health and Health Care *3 credits
Elective Courses in Health Care Policy         (9 credits; select three from the following)
Political Analysis3 credits
Health Care Policy3 credits
Population-Based Health Planning3 credits

or

Health Program, Policy, and Performance Evaluation

or

Program Evaluation

3 credits
Comparative Health Systems3 credits
Health Politics and Policymaking3 credits
Health Care Costs and Financing3 credits
Selected Topics in Health Policy3 credits

Other courses relevant to the track offered at other schools of Baruch College and/or other CUNY campuses, with advisor approval


*PAF 9710 must be taken prior to taking additional courses in this specialization.

Free Electives

Students must complete 6 additional elective credits of their choice. These may be any two electives consistent with a students academic program for which the student has satisfied prerequisites. All courses must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Specialization in Policy Analysis and Evaluation

Students who wish to concentrate their MPA studies in policy analysis and evaluation must take 12 credits (four courses), 6 of which (two courses) are required.

Mandatory Courses in Policy Analysis and Evaluation    (6 credits)
Economics of the Public Sector and Public Finance3 credits
Policy Analysis3 credits
Elective Courses in Policy Analysis and Evaluation    (6 credits; select two from the following)

Ethics and Public Decision Making

3 credits
Human Resources Policy3 credits
Telecommunications Policy3 credits
Housing Policy3 credits
Social Welfare Policy3 credits
Business and Public Policy3 credits
Program Auditing and Performance Measurement3 credits
Program Evaluation3 credits

Advanced Analytical Methods

3 credits
Environmental Policy3 credits

Mapmaking for Public Policy

3 credits
Educational Policy3 credits

Higher Education, Politics, and Public Policy

3 credits
Selected Topics in Public Policy3 credits
Health Care Policy3 credits
Free Electives

Students must complete 6 additional elective credits of their choice. These may be any two electives consistent with a students academic program for which the student has satisfied prerequisites. All courses must be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Internship                                         (3 credits)

Internship in Public Affairs
(required of students without prior professional experience)
3 credits

Capstone                                           (3 credits)

Capstone Seminar
(Prerequisite: Completion of the MPA core plus 15 additional credit hours or permission from the Office of Graduate Admissions and Student Services)
3 credits
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