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Public Administration Programs

Chairperson: Alice McDonnell, M.P.A., Dr. P.H.

Admissions Requirements || M.P.A. Public Administration || M.H.S.A. Heath Services Administration ||

Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) Program

Degree Program Overview

The M.P.A. degree is a broad area professional degree which focuses on management skills. A healthy organization results from excellence in management, a product of the Marywood M.P.A. program.

Program Objectives

The general purpose of the M.P.A. program at Marywood is the administrative training of men and women concerned with the provision of public, health and human services. Specifically, the program strives:

  1. To expose participants to a wide range of administrative and managerial problems, processes, practices and responsibilities involved in providing public, health and human services.
  2. To prepare participants in planning, organizing, staffing and generally implementing and administering public, health and human services.
  3. To facilitate the participant's understanding and command of basic theories of management and supervision and applied social science theory related to the delivery of public, health and human services.
  4. To help participants develop analytical and evaluation skills and techniques leading to effective managerial decision-making applied to the complex task of providing public, health and human services.
  5. To help participants develop an awareness of equity and public interest concerns and the political process in which they arise.

The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) provides entry-level, post-entry-level and mid-career participants from a variety of public, health and human service settings with practical directed experiences involving use of case studies, simulations, group discussion and analyses, interpersonal development exercises, audiovisual media, field observation and intensive coursework.

Formal Concentration in Nonprofit Management Overview

Nonprofit organizations provide a wide array of important services to the community and represent a critical component in the U.S. political economy. Nonprofit administrators, attempting to balance the provision of mission-focused services with increasing demand and declining resources, face many distinct challenges. Marywood has recognized this and established this concentration, which responds to the need for advanced education in management issues that are related to the provision of nonprofit goods and services.

Formal Concentration in Criminal Justice Overview

The Criminal Justice concentration is a program for working professionals and students of criminal justice. The concentration in criminal justice offers a broad, multi-disciplinary, systems-based approach integrating problem-solving methods in management, organizational dynamics, human resources utilization, personnel systems, labor relations and communication processes with criminal justice administration, constitutional impact on criminal justice administration, corrections, juvenile delinquency and criminology.

The concentration in Criminal Justice at Marywood provides an opportunity for a graduate education that combines criminal justice and criminology with administrative and management studies. As a result of integrating these two complementary fields of study, students are better prepared to contribute to and develop more effective planning and analysis in a variety of administrative and treatment settings.

Master of Public Administration/Master of Social Work Overview

The Master of Public Administration and Master of Social Work is a dual degree program designed to assure the acquisition of both management and social work skills necessary for competence as a manager/administrator in the social work field. Today social workers must be knowledgeable in managerial and administrative problems, processes, practices and responsibilities in their role as middle managers, administrators, department heads and in other similar capacities. The M.P.A. curriculum follows National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration guidelines and the M.S.W. program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Upon successful completion of the M.P.A. /M.S.W., a graduate will be qualified to accept a middle management position such as social work director or program administrator in a community program.

Admission to the M.P.A./M.S.W. program will be on a selective basis. The prerequisites and admission process will follow that of the College of Health and Human Services Department of Nursing and Public Administration and the School of Social Work.

A Professional Contribution is required as an application of the theoretical base to a practical situation. The guidelines for the School of Social Work and Department of Public Administration will be followed.

Back to topDepartmental Admissions Requirements

  1. A group pictureThe admissions application, two references and official transcript from previous educational programs, along with an essay describing the reasons why the applicant wishes to pursue a particular program.
  2. The GRE is recommended but not required.

Other Requirements of M.P.A.

Each student is required to discuss with his/her assigned faculty advisor the application essay which outlines career goals and objectives and their relationship to the M.P.A.

After completion of class coursework, a candidate must take the Professional Development Seminar. Any candidate who cannot demonstrate a clear record of administrative responsibility must pursue a three-credit-hour field internship in addition to, and in conjunction with, the Practitioner's Seminar. A field internship must be arranged six months prior to its intended commencement. Internships in public, human and health service agencies each consist of twelve weeks of full-time employment or their equivalency, on an extended, part-time basis.

The Practitioner's Seminar/Internship is an exceptional feature of the program, providing each student with an opportunity to apply concepts from coursework.

The Professional Contribution is a closure requirement which provides the student with an opportunity to work with faculty on a research project. The Professional Contribution applies theoretical knowledge to a practical situation. Refer to detailed guidelines for closure requirements.

The course on Problem-Solving Methods for Modern Management provides a foundation of knowledge about behavior in public organizational settings. This required course affords an opportunity for self-appraisal of one's practices from a behavioral science perspective, thereby providing a base for enlightened choice and change, i.e. personal and organizational.

M.P.A. Program

39 Semester Hours

Follows the curriculum of the National Association of Schools of Public Administration and Affairs (N.A.S.P.A.A.)

I. REQUIRED COURSES

27 semester hours

PUB 501

Dimensions of Public Administration

3

PUB 502

Problem-Solving Methods for Modern Management
(Intensive course for pass credit)

3

PUB 505

Financial Management in Public and Nonprofit Organizations

3

PUB 506 Research Theory 3

PUB 507

Organizational Dynamics

3

PUB 508

Human Resources Administration and Personnel Systems

3

PUB518

Policy and Program Analysis

3

PUB 519

Administrative Law

3

PUB/

Professional Contribution/Research Design

0

PUB 599

Practitioner's Seminar in Administration*

3

*Note: Any participant lacking administrative work experience is required to pursue a field internship for an additional three credit hours, for a total of 42 semester hours.

Participants must pursue an additional 12 credits in one of the three concentrations listed below:

II. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION--GENERAL CONCENTRATION

12 semester hours

PUB 510

Organizational Communication

3

PUB 511

Ethics in Management

3

PUB 512

The Grantsmanship Process

3

PUB 513

Strategic Planning

3

PUB 522

State and Local Administration

3

PUB 523

Public Sector Labor Relations

3

PUB 552

Computer Application of Social Science Data

3

PUB 598

Special Topics (Intensive short courses)*

variable credit

*A maximum of 9 hours of pass credit can be applied to M.P.A. degree requirements. Any courses within the Master of Health Services Administration degree may be used for general electives upon consultation and approval by the Program Director.

Special Note: Courses listed as part of the following formal concentrations may be taken as general electives.

III. CONCENTRATION IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE

12 semester hours

PUB 521

Criminal Justice Administration

3

PUB 522 Criminology 3

Add two of the following three credit courses listed below:

PUB 524

Sex, Drugs, and Crime

3

PUB 533

Crime Over The Life Course

3

PUB 534

Comparative Criminal Justice Policy

3

PUB 540

The Constitution and Criminal Justice Policy

3

PUB 573

Physical and Sexual Abuse of Children

3

PUB 576

Corrections

3

PUB 598

Special Topics

3

 

IV. CONCENTRATION IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT

12 semester hours*
(Students must discuss selection of courses with coordinator of nonprofit program.)

PUB 511

Ethics in Management

3

PUB 512

The Grantsmanship Process

3

PUB 513

Strategic Planning

3

PUB 579

Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector

3

PUB 581

Issues of Governance in Nonprofit Organizations

3

PUB 582

Fundraising in Nonprofit Organizations

3

PUB 583

Strategic Marketing

3

PUB 585

Program Assessment and Evaluation

3

 

[Back to top]Master of Public Administration/Master of Social Work

78 semester hours

Social Work Classroom Credits
33
Social Work Practicum (Includes management component)
15
M.P.A. electives
12
M.P.A. Classroom Credits
18

Cooking at Marywood

PUB 501

Dimensions of Public Administration

3

PUB 502

Problem-Solving Methods for Modern Management

3

PUB 505

Financial Management in Public and Nonprofit Organizations

3

PUB 508

Human Resources Administration and Personnel Systems

3

PUB 513

Strategic Planning

3

PUB 519

Administrative Law

3

PUB 555 Professional Contribution 0

Back to topMaster of Health Services Administration (M.H.S.A.) Overview

A management career in Health Services Administration allows students to gain proficiency in management skills and can improve the delivery of health services in a community. This proficiency contributes to highly successful health care delivery committed to quality. In turn, the consumers benefit from effective and efficient health care services.

The M.H.S.A. provides graduate education in health care administration for persons seeking careers in the management and administration of health care facilities/organizations. This degree also provides opportunities for individuals in health services to seek career improvement and development.

The M.H.S.A. provides health care managers with a framework for decision-making in the constantly changing health care environment. At the same time the degree provides a background of operational resources for managers in the field.

This program course will enhance the administrative training of students concerned with the provision of health care and the current health care reform. Students' needs and goals are met, bringing the application of management skills from a theoretical model. This degree will be a step in meeting the needs of those professionals currently practicing and also will prepare the health service administrators of tomorrow.

Master of Health Services Administration (M.H.S.A.)

36 semester hours

I. CORE COURSES

36 semester hours

HSA 506 Research Theory OR 3
HSA 533 Research Methods 3
HSA 507 Organizational Dynamics 3
HSA 518 Policy and Program Analysis 3
HSA 520 Introduction to Health Services Administration 3
HSA 532

Legal Aspects of Clinical and Health Care Organizations

3
HSA 537 Managerial Decision-Making in Health Care Organizations 3
HSA 538 Institutional Budgeting and Planning 3
HSA 555 Professional Contribution /Research Design 0
HSA 597 Management Project/Internship 3

Participants must pursue an additional 12 credits in one of the two concentrations listed below:

II. CONCENTRATION IN MANAGED CARE

12 semester hours

HSA 524

Health Care Systems Analysis

3

HSA 525

Health Care Economics

3

HSA 539

Overview of Managed Care

3

Managed Care Elective:

HSA 580
OR
HSA 583
3

3

 

III. CONCENTRATION IN LONG-TERM CARE MANAGEMENT

12 semester hours

GER 527

Gerontological Services Administration

3

GER 528

Administration of Long-Term Care

3

GER 529

Planning Health Care Services for the Elderly

3

Gerentology Elective:

GER 510
OR
GER 524

Concepts and Issues in Gerentology

Aging Changes and Health Problems

3

3

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