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MPA Curriculum

Master of Public Affairs

Hauptmann School for Public Affairs
911 Main, Suite 900
Kansas City, MO 64105
Tel. (816) 559-5616
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Core Courses

MPA Required Core Courses*		15 hrs.
1.	Public Affairs Concepts and Theory (PA 501)	3 hrs.
2.	Public Affairs Methodology (PA 502)	3 hrs.
3.	Information and Data Gathering, Analysis & Evaluation (PA 508)	2 hrs.
4.	Organizations & Leadership Development (PA 509)	2 hrs.
5.	Ethical Foundations of Authority & Responsibility (PA 600)	2 hrs.
6.	Seminar in Public Affairs (capstone course)** (PA 602)	3 hrs.
Students selecting a thesis option take additional two to three 700-level courses beyond the 36 hours required for the M.P.A. degree. *Prerequisite: 27 hours academic credit, including completion of PA 501 and PA 502. It is recommended that students take the capstone in their final term in the program, as preparation for the oral and written comprehensive examinations.

Concentration Area Courses

MPA students select one of six program concentration areas as their area of concentration, which consists of 15 credit hours of study:

Cross-Sector Courses

The six (6) cross-sector courses include MPA courses taken outside of the MPA core courses and the student’s area of concentration (may require permission of the selected graduate program). Students may select courses that complement their degree program and their career aspirations. Students who elect to also earn an additional professional credential of a graduate certificate may also apply appropriate cross-sector hours to a certificate.

Comprehensive Examinations

During the enrollment in PA 602, or as soon afterwards as possible, each student will have to pass both a written and an oral comprehensive examination.

MPA Student Competencies and Responsibilities

Graduates of the MPA degree program are expected to have developed these Hauptmann School competencies during the course of their studies.

Students are not only encouraged to familiarize themselves with the academic policies and procedures contained in the Graduate Catalog under which they are admitted, it is their responsibility. The Graduate Catalog is available here.

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