Unlock your potential with the University of Arizona's Master of Public Administration program. Our innovative curriculum is tailored to empower you with the leadership, strategy, and real-world skills needed to excel in the public service sector. Designed for today’s busy professionals, our evening courses and flexible online schedule will allow you to balance your career while advancing your education.
Whether you're aiming for leadership roles in government, nonprofits, or public agencies, our program gives you the cutting-edge expertise and confidence to drive change and make an impact. Prepare for a successful future in public administration!
Core Competencies
Students who graduate with an MPA will obtain the following core competencies to:
Curriculum
Our curriculum is developed and updated to make sure it is reflective of the student body we serve, as well as the challenges they may face as public administrators. The Master of Public Administration program aims to prepare students to successfully navigate an ever-changing public service environment. Graduates of our program learn to incorporate different leadership strategies that support organizational success and create positive, effective working environments. Our core courses, and electives taught within the department, are offered in the evenings on the Main Campus to accommodate our many students who wish to work full-time while pursuing their degree.
To further ensure our students’ success after graduation, our curriculum includes a Capstone Project that requires students to engage in administrative projects and evaluations, while remaining under the guidance of our extensive professional and academic faculty. The Capstone project takes place during the final semester of study to allow all classroom and internship knowledge to be incorporated into the experience. Our graduates are qualified to enter the nonprofit, government or public agency workforce, fully equipped for success!
Required Coursework
The two-year (full-time) course of study for the Master of Public Administration includes 42 required unit hours divided among four components: core, electives, internship, and capstone.
Core Courses (24 units)
This course focuses on micro-economic theory and applications for public policy.
This course focuses on understanding and analyzing interactions, effectiveness, and complexities of organization structures.
This course focuses on the various theories of how public policy is formulated.
This course focuses on techniques for evaluating processes and outcomes of public sector and non-profit programs.
This course focuses on financial management and budgeting in the public and nonprofit sectors, as well as techniques and organizational issues.
This course will examine leadership and ethical questions encountered by managers and leaders in the management of nonprofit and government organizations. The study of leadership and ethical principles will be combined through the examination of case studies regarding problems in the management of nonprofit and government organizations.
This course provides a graduate-level introduction to statistical and data analysis for public and nonprofit managers, which emphasizes both the practical and theoretical aspects of statistical analysis as it relates to the administration of public and nonprofit organizations.
The course covers basic statistical concepts such as descriptive statistics, probability theory, inference, sampling and distributions, hypothesis testing, and regression analysis.
The overarching goal of the course is to provide students with a set of decision-making tools to use throughout their careers as public administrators and nonprofit managers.
This course is designed to provide an overview of the human resource issues that affect managers in public and nonprofit organizations. It will also address strategies in which volunteer leaders, managers, and human resource professionals can use to manage their organizations within the constraints of state and federal laws.
Sample Course Plans
Please note that the following courses listed on each sample plan are listed according to the semesters in which they are typically taught to aid in planning. However, course availability is subject to change at departmental discretion.
Main Campus Sample Plans
2-Year Sample Plan 1.5-Year Sample Plan
Arizona Online Sample Plan
Elective Courses (12 units)
Explore specialized courses designed to deepen your expertise and broaden your impact in different areas of public administration.
Please note that all courses listed are 3 units each.
PA 506: Bureaucracy, Politics, and Policy
Explore how federal agencies influence the creation of policies.
PA 507: Conflict Management in the Public Sector
Available Fall 2025!Equip yourself with essential skills in conflict management resolution including negotiation, arbitration, mediation, and litigation.
PA 512: Local Government
Available Spring 2026!The examination of counties and municipalities, focusing particularly on local governments within the Western United States.
PA 513: Government, Business, and the Nonprofit Sector
Discuss the consequences of third-party management of public services, and develop skills in contracting, monitoring and measuring performance.
PA 518: Public Management Tools for the 21st Century
Available Fall 2025!An engaging and interactive course designed to explore effective strategies for managing public agencies.
PA 520: Advocacy Strategies & Community Participation
Available Summer 2025!Equip yourself with strategies for engaging citizens and consumers of social and human services in policy advocacy and community decision-making.
PA 521: Sustainable & Equitable Water Management (currently named Utility Management)
Available Spring 2026!Learn theoretical insights and practical applications regarding the fundamentals of water sustainability and utility management within local government.
PA 533: Nonprofit Management
Available Spring 2026!Become knowledgeable in fundraising, grantwriting, marketing, board relations, volunteer management, strategic management and leadership.
PA 551: Local Economic and Community Development
Available Spring 2026!Discover best practices in creating jobs, enhance living standards and quality of life, and encourage business investment within a region.
PA 572: Digital Research in Politics and Policy
This course emphasizes the remarkable work emerging in politics and policy due to recent technological advancements, and encompasses a wide range of applications, from health and defense to environmental and agricultural policy.
PA 581: Environmental Policy
Discover the role of government in the management of energy, natural resources and the environment, as well as the process and policy alternatives with special attention to the Southwest.
PA 597M: Public and Nonprofit Management Information Systems
Available Fall 2025!An introduction for future public and nonprofit managers to gain the techniques and critical-thinking skill necessary for managing organizations in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
PA 597W: Grantwriting
Available Fall 2025!Understand the elements of program development, fundraising, nonprofit management, funding research, proposal design, and the process involved in developing a successful funding proposal.
PA 620A: Collaborative Governance in Theory, Practice, and Research (online)
Available Fall 2025!Explore how government, nonprofits, and communities work together to tackle complex issues—blending theory, real-world case studies, and practical tools you can apply right away.
PA 622A: Institutional Design and Learning in Collaborative Governance (online)
Available Spring 2026!Gain an in-depth analysis of institutions involved in collaborative governance, focusing on key areas of structure, processes, innovation, and performance.
Please note that courses may not be offered every semester or academic year, and additional pre-approved courses can be found in D2L/Brightspace upon enrollment in the program.
Starting Fall 2025, no more than 6 units of elective coursework may be taken outside of the School of Government & Public Policy. Students who began the program prior to this policy update will remain on the previous policy of no more than 12 units outside of SGPP.
PA 513 - Government, Business, and the Nonprofit Sector
Discuss the consequences of third-party management of public services, and develop skills in contracting, monitoring and measuring performance.
PA 533 - Nonprofit Management
Available Spring 2026!Become knowledgeable in fundraising, grantwriting, marketing, board relations, volunteer management, strategic management and leadership.
PA 581 - Environmental Policy
Discover the role of government in the management of energy, natural resources and the environment, as well as the process and policy alternatives with special attention to the Southwest.
PA 597W – Grantwriting
Available Fall 2025!Understand the elements of program development, fundraising, nonprofit management, funding research, proposal design, and the process involved in developing a successful funding proposal.
PA 620A – Collaborative Governance in Theory, Practice, and Research
Explore how government, nonprofits, and communities work together to tackle complex issues—blending theory, real-world case studies, and practical tools you can apply right away.
While enrolling in ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍøcourses is preferred, MPA Online students are welcome to complete 6 units of non-±¬ÁϳԹÏÍøelective coursework towards their degree requirements. Additional pre-approved elective courses can be found in D2L/Brightspace upon enrollment in the program.
Internship (3 units)
All MPA students are required to complete a 3 credit/135 hour on-the-job internship experience (PA 593: Internship). Internship Waivers are available for career students with managerial experience, military affiliated students, and Coverdell Fellows/Peace Corps Service members. Students have been placed in internship positions at the municipal, state and federal government, with nonprofit organization and international agencies.
Capstone Course/Project (3 units)
The MPA capstone project is an opportunity for students to showcase what they have mastered in the program. The project is based on the needs of a community partner and is team-based (Main Campus) or solo- based (Arizona Online). The project plan typically includes an overall project goal, master's competencies addressed by the project, design implementation, evaluation assessment and milestones. The project contributes to the development and enforcement of the student's knowledge and skill sets in the field of public management and policy.
Please note the capstone course is available as a spring only course and should be one of the final courses completed in the program.
Enrollment requirements:
- Students should be in good academic standing for capstone enrollment.
- 6 of 8 core courses should be completed prior to enrollment in the Capstone Course.
Students must submit a Master's Plan of Study in GradPath and have it approved by all reviewers prior to enrollment in Capstone Course. See the Graduation Checklist for more information.