The Master of Public Administration (MPA) offered by the School of Planning, Policy and Environmental Studies , equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary for a career in public service and to become leaders in public agencies, government, and non-profit organizations.
The MPA program is a nationally recognized public affairs graduate program and accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). The program provides students with a foundational, practical education in public policy and public management, which includes:
- Political and legal institutions and processes
- Economic and social institutions and processes
- Organization and management theories and practices
- Concepts and techniques of budgeting and financial administration
- Application of quantitative and qualitative research in decision-making, problem-solving, and assessments
- Values and ethics that define the public service profession
Students also develop the ability to:
- Apply policy analysis techniques to leadership and management that include the use of evidence-based decision-making and logical analyses to define and diagnose public problems, develop policy recommendations, implement an effective and ethical course of action, and evaluate results.
- Ethically lead organizations that are guided by principles of transparency, accountability, collaboration, and democratic decision-making to ensure the effective and equitable management of public resources.
- Organize and communicate information clearly to a variety of audiences through oral presentations, written memoranda and technical reports, and visual aids..
- Recognize and value diversity and diverse viewpoints within the community and organizations, and integrate diverse views and perspectives to create innovative policy solutions.
Our program supports both full-time and part-time students. All courses are offered in the mid-afternoon and evening to accommodate working students.
For more information on the program please go to the MPA program’s website.
University Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit a complete graduate application by applying through the CSU Cal State Apply system and meet all the university admission requirements . Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English must achieve a minimum English-language proficiency test score as indicated on the Graduate Program Test Requirements webpage.
Department Requirements
A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, from an accredited college or university is required. No specific undergraduate major is necessary.
-
Applicants applying within 3 years of graduating from an undergraduate school need an overall grade point average of 3.0 in all courses, or in the last 60 units as an undergraduate, or in the major.
-
Applicants applying three or more years after completing the BA degree need a grade point average of 2.75 overall, or in the last 60 units of undergraduate courses, or in the major.
The MPA program does not require GRE scores.
Program Prerequisites
Students are expected to have an introductory knowledge of American government, microeconomics and statistics when they start the program. Whether a student meets these prerequisites will be determined from the materials submitted with their application. If students satisfied all prerequisites, they will be admitted as classified standing.
Students are still admitted to the program if they do not meet all the prerequisites. They are admitted as conditionally classified standing and are expected to complete any outstanding prerequisites before the end of the first year of the program or before registering for their fifth MPA course. Transcripts for the completion of prerequisites submitted after admission must go to the MPA Director directly.
Application Process
- All applicants must fill out the application and submit materials on Cal State Apply
- Domestic Students - Submit one set of official transcripts from all higher educational institutions attended (even those where you did not get a degree) to the Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluation (GAPE) Office. Do not send transcripts to the school or program.
- International Students - International students are advised to closely follow guidelines for international applicants by the GAPE Office for submitting transcripts and any other supporting documents, including demonstrating competence in English, available on the Graduate Program Test Requirement webpage.
- A Statement of Purpose (approximately 1.5 single-spaced typed pages) that indicates how a graduate degree will help in achieving career objectives and motivations for pursuing a graduate education in public administration. Students are encouraged to share any work or research experience that is relevant to public administration.
- Updated CV/résumé
- Two original signed letters of recommendation from university instructors or supervisors. It is highly recommended that at least one letter come from a university instructor.
Admission to Graduate Standing - Classified
Students admitted in classified standing have met all requirements for admission to the program.
Admission to Graduate Standing - Conditionally Classified
Students in conditionally classified standing must meet all admissions requirements, but may be lacking one or more of the prerequisites for the program. These prerequisites must be completed before registering for the fifth MPA course.
Advancement to Candidacy
The university requirements for advancement to candidacy for the master’s degree are outlined in the Graduate Policies and Procedures section. Students should seek advancement to candidacy as soon as possible for their given program and on the advice of their graduate program coordinator. Graduate students may submit a Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy form to the Graduate Admissions & Program Evaluations (GAPE) office after satisfying the following: achieved classified status; completed a minimum of nine letter-graded units with all grades “C” or higher; fulfilled the Campus Graduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CGGWAR); achieved a minimum cumulative and program 3.0 GPA, and, graduate within the seven-year time limit for degree completion. Graduate students must submit their petition no later than one semester prior to graduating. Courses that satisfy the CGGWAR are listed in the course requirements for the program.
Final date for submission in each semester may be found at the GAPE Deadlines webpage. In addition to meeting the university requirements for advancement to candidacy, applicants must have submitted an approved program for the degree.
Program of Study Requirements
Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, GPA, and culminating experience requirements as outlined in the Graduation Requirements section of the Graduate Policies and Procedures . Students must comply with all other graduate requirements contained in this catalog.
At SJSU, students must pass the Campus Graduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CGGWAR). This requirement is satisfied by passing PADM 210 .
Culminating Experience
Students must complete PADM 297 - Culminating Experience Proposal Development and either Plan A or Plan B for their culminating experience (6 units total).
For Plan A (with thesis), students enroll in PADM 298 - MPA Project to develop a thesis demonstrating their competence in original research related to public administration. This thesis must conform to the SJSU Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines and be approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies.
For Plan B (with project), students may complete an academically rigorous research project by enrolling in PADM 298 - MPA Project . In PADM 298 the student will complete a substantial paper under faculty supervision to complete the project component of Plan B.
