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). Baruchs 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 four specializations: nonprofit administration, public management, policy analysis and evaluation, and health care policy. All four 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)

PAF 9100

 Introduction to Public Affairs 3 credits

PAF 9103

 Communication in Public Settings 3 credits

PAF 9120

 Public and Nonprofit Management I 3 credits

PAF 9130

 Economic Analysis and Public Policy 3 credits

PAF 9140

 Budgeting and Financial Analysis I 3 credits

PAF 9170

 Research and Analysis I 3 credits

PAF 9172

 Research and Analysis II 3 credits


Specialization and Elective Courses          (18 credits) 

Students are required to complete 18 credits toward electives. Students may choose to specialize in one of four 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 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)

PAF 9151

 Administration of Not-For- Profits and Voluntary Organizations 3 credits

PAF 9153

 Budgeting and Finance for Nonprofits 3 credits

Elective Courses in Nonprofit Administration   (6 credits)

select two courses from the following

PAF 9010

 Ethics and Public Decision Making  3 credits

PAF 9108

 Communication and Information Technologies 3 credits

PAF 9109

 Government Contracting 3 credits

PAF 9123

 Program Evaluation 3 credits

PAF 9136

 Urban Economic Development 3 credits

PAF 9139

 Communication Strategy 3 credits

PAF 9141

 Community Development 3 credits

PAF 9142

 Housing Policy 3 credits

PAF 9143

 Greening and Growing Cities 3 credits

PAF 9150

 Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector 3 credits

PAF 9152

 Fund Raising and Grants Administration in Not-for-Profits and Voluntary Organizations 3 credits

PAF 9156

 Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery 3 credits

PAF 9157

 Introduction to Philanthropy 3 credits

PAF 9158

 Religion, Nonprofits, Politics, and Policy 3 credits

PAF 9160

 Public and Nonprofit Management II  3 credits

PAF 9171

 Human Services Administration 3 credits

PAF 9181

 Comparative Public Administration 3 credits

PAF 9183

International Nonprofit Organizations

 3 credits

PAF 9299

 Selected Topics in Nonprofit Management 3 credits

PAF 9710

Health and Health Care

 3 credits
MGT 9969

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)

PAF 9117

 Public Personnel and Human Resources Management 3 credits

PAF 9160

 Public and Nonprofit Management II 3 credits

Elective Courses in Public Management         (6 credits)

select two courses from the following

PAF 9010

 Ethics and Public Decision Making 3 credits

PAF 9108

 Communication and Information Technologies 3 credits

PAF 9109

 Government Contracting 3 credits

PAF 9112

 Administrative Law and Regulation 3 credits

PAF 9116

 Intergovernmental Relations 3 credits

PAF 9118

 Labor Relations in the Public Sector 3 credits

PAF 9123

 Program Evaluation 3 credits

PAF 9138

 Urban Services Delivery 3 credits

PAF 9139

 Communication Strategy 3 credits

PAF 9156

 Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery 3 credits

PAF 9159

 Privatization and Market-Based Government 3 credits

PAF 9171

 Human Services Administration 3 credits

PAF 9173

 Program Auditing and Performance Measurement 3 credits

PAF 9181

 Comparative Public Administration 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 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)

PAF 9710

 Health Care Delivery in the United States * 3 credits

Elective Courses in Health Care Policy         (9 credits)

select three courses from the following:

PAF 9180

 Political Analysis 3 credits

PAF 9715

 Health Care Policy 3 credits

PAF 9720

 Population-Based Health Planning 3 credits

PAF 9725

or

PAF 9123

Health Program, Policy, and Performance Evaluation

or

Program Evaluation

 3 credits

PAF 9730

 Comparative Health Systems 3 credits

PAF 9735

 Health Politics and Policymaking 3 credits

PAF 9766

 Health Care Costs and Financing 3 credits

PAF 9799

 Selected Topics in Health Policy 3 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)

PAF 9123

 Program Evaluation 3 credits

PAF 9133

 Economics of the Public Sector and Public Finance 3 credits
Elective Courses in Policy Analysis and Evaluation    (6 credits)

select two courses from the following

PAF 9102

 Selected Topics in Advanced Analytical Methods 3 credits

PAF 9137

 Telecommunications Policy 3 credits

PAF 9145

 Social Welfare Policy 3 credits

PAF 9161

 Business and Public Policy 3 credits

PAF 9173

 Program Auditing and Performance Measurement 3 credits

PAF 9175

 Human Resources Policy 3 credits

PAF 9180

 Policy Analysis 3 credits

PAF 9318

 Issues in Educational Policy 3 credits

PAF 9610

 Environmental Policy 3 credits

PAF 9699

 Selected Topics in Public Policy 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.

Internship                                         (3 credits)

PAF 9195

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

Capstone                                           (3 credits)

PAF 9190

 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