MPA Program Mission

The mission of the MPA progam is "to provide a high quality generalist and practitioner-oriented program that educates and prepares women and men for careers in the public service, meets the needs of a diverse student body, and serves the community and profession through teaching, research, service, and outreach activities."  In an effort to meet this broad program goal, the MPA faculty have identified three objectives which are pursued on a continuous basis and by which we evaluate the effectiveness of our program.  

Program Objective 1: To enhance the student's values, knowledge and skills to act ethically and effectively in the management of public service organizations and programs.

Program Objective 2:  To provide students with an appreciation of the changing political, legal, economic, and social environment in which public servants work.

Program Objective 3:   To prepare students to find fulfilling jobs in their chosen area and sector.

The joint MPA-MCJ degree tailors the objectives of the MPA program stated above to focus on preparing students for administrative positions in government and nonprofit agencies developing, implementing, and/or evaluating law enforcement or criminal justice policies.  Similarly, the joint MPA-MA in history degree focuses on preparing public historians for professional positions in governmental and nonprofit organizations administering programs and recommending policy action related to the collection, preservation and promotion of history.