Curriculum

MPA Core Courses (12 Credits)

• PA 503 - Public Policy in the American Federal System 3 Credit(s)
• PA 504 - Purposeful Leadership 3 Credit(s)
• PA 506 - Budgeting and Human Resource Management 3 Credit(s)
• PA 508 - Ethical and Legal Environment of Public Service 3 Credit(s)

MPA Elective Courses (21 Credits)

• Complete seven elective courses 
• These courses may include offerings from the MPA program or designated alternatives from other graduate programs at Widener.  

MPA Capstone Exam (1 Credit)

Students must have completed at least 27 credits of coursework and three of the four core classes prior to registering for PA 698, provided that they are concurrently registered for the final courses in the exam semester.

• PA 698 - MPA Capstone Examination 1 Credit(s)

Specializations

MPA students may apply elective coursework toward completion of a specialization in one of the following areas:

1. Criminal Justice (4 courses)
2. Human Sexuality Studies (5 courses)
3. Local Government (4 courses) 
4. Nonprofit Leadership (4 courses)

Graduate Certificates

Non-matriculated students can complete a graduate certificate in either Local Government and Community Change or Nonprofit Leadership by completing four specified courses offered through the MPA program. Students can seamlessly transition completed credits into the full MPA program at completion without further steps in the application process.

Local Government and Community Change Certificate

The Local Government and Community Change certificate option is an ideal graduate-level starting point for individuals inspired by the notion of good governance and who have a commitment to helping bring about positive societal change in their community. The coursework especially suits individuals working at the county, city or municipality level; individuals working for nonprofit or civic organizations that work closely with local government partners; and all others with a keen interest in effective local government management and community-based change.

Nonprofit Leadership Certificate

Our certificate ensures you’ll learn to think like a leader and work effectively across a range of areas crucial to the nonprofit sector. We also make it easy for you to transition from the certificate to a master’s degree in public administration. By the time you finish, you’ll be ready to take any nonprofit organization to the next level.

Please Note

The program of study that appears here applies to students who were admitted for the summer session of this catalog year and later.  Students admitted prior to that term should select the appropriate catalog year of their admission.  Choose previous catalogs from the Home, Graduate, or Undergraduate Catalog Page at http://Catalog.widener.edu.