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The Department of Political Science was designated as an area of Political Science in September 1968 under the jurisdiction of the Department of Social Sciences. It achieved its departmental Status in September 1970. The name was changed to the Department of Political Science and Public Administration with permission from the Board of Trustees in May, 1994. Under the Consent Decree, the department developed a Master of Public Administration Degree program which was approved by the State Board of Trustees and its Board of Regents of Louisiana. This MPA program has been implemented since the fall semester of 1986. In July of 1997, the MPA program was accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). The Master of Public Administration program became the fourth graduate curriculum among HBCU’s to be accredited by NASPAA. It thus joined the company of such eminent institutions as Columbia University, University of Southern California and Southern University.
Departmental InformationFrom its inception in 1986, the mission of the MPA program was clear and understood. It was and still is to help the university educate minority students. The mission of the MPA program is, (1) to prepare individuals for administrative careers in federal, state, and local government service, as well as other organizations, in the public sector and non-profit arenas; (2) to provide graduate degree opportunities for individuals from diverse and multi-cultural backgrounds.
The Master of Public Administration Program is designed to contribute to the overall improvement of public service by offering a curriculum which familiarizes individuals with the theory and practice of public administration. The curriculum is in accordance with the guidelines of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration for professional master degree programs. The program offers opportunities for career as public administrators to advance in their profession and also for individuals who desire to continue toward a doctoral degree.
In order to earn a Master of Public Administration degree, the student must complete 45 graduate hours with a 3.0 Grade Point Average, pass written comprehensive examination, or if choosing the option, write a thesis.
| MPA COURSE REQUIREMENTS | ||
| CORE COURSE REQUIREMENTS |
18 hrs | |
| PA 500 | Public Administration Principles | 3 |
| PA 501 | Research Methods and Data Analysis | 3 |
| PA 502 | Organization Theory and Behavior | 3 |
| PA 503 | Statistics for the Public Sector | 3 |
| PA 504 | Public Personal Administration | 3 |
| PA 506 | Public Budgeting and Financial Management | 3 |
| GRADUATE WRITING PROSEMINAR |
3 hrs. | |
| HUM 507 | Proseminar | 3 |
| ADMINISTRATIVE INTERNSHIP |
6 hrs. | |
| PA 553 | Administrative Internship I | 3 |
| PA 554 | Administrative Internship II | 3 |
| AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION | MPA students chose one area of specialization | 12 hrs. |
| PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | 12 Hours Required | |
| PA 508 | Ethics and Accountability in Public Administration | 3 |
| PA 511 | Leadership Concepts in Public Management | 3 |
| PA 513 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| PA 515 | Intergovernmental Administration | 3 |
| PA 517 | Administrative Behavior | 3 |
| PA 520 | Public Policy and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PA 521 | Topical Seminar in Public Policy | 3 |
| ADMINISTRATION OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT | 12 Hours Required | |
| PA 510 | Administration of State and Local Government | 3 |
| PA 511 | Leadership Concepts in Public Management | 3 |
| PA 513 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| PA 514 | City Management | 3 |
| PA 515 | Intergovernmental Administration | 3 |
| PA 518 | Women and Minorities in State and Local Government | 3 |
| PA 521 | Topical Seminar in Public Policy | 3 |
| PA 531 | Fiscal Management for State and Local Government | 3 |
| HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | 12 Hours Required | |
| PA 508 | Ethics and Accountability in Public Administration | 3 |
| PA 511 | Leadership Concepts in Public Management | 3 |
| PA 521 | Topical Seminar in Public Policy | 3 |
| PA 524 | Labor Management and Collective Bargaining | 3 |
| PA 527 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| HEALTH SERVICE ADMINISTRATION | 12 Hours Required | |
| PA 540 | Introduction to Health Service Problems | 3 |
| PA 541 | Contemporary Health Service Issues | 3 |
| PA 542 | Public Health Management | 3 |
| PA 543 | Hospital Organization and Management | 3 |
| PA 546 | Special Topics in Public Health | 3 |
| PA 547 | Law and Public Health | 3 |
| ELECTIVE COURSES | 6hrs. | |
| PA 505 | Pro Seminar in American Government and Public Policy | 3 |
| PA 508 | Ethics and Accountability in Public Administration | 3 |
| PA 512 | Policy Formation, Implementation, and Evaluation | 3 |
| PA 519 | Computer Analysis for Public Management | 3 |
| PA 522 | Performance Appraisal | 3 |
| PA 523 | Graduate Writing Workshop | 3 |
| PA 544 | Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| PA 550 | Group Dynamics in Organizations | 3 |
| PA 552 | International Organization Administration | 3 |
| *All Specialization courses can be used as electives | ||
Department Resources:
- Political Science Computer Lab, Woodson Hall
- MPA Internship Programs with LSU Medical Facilities/New Orleans, Baton Rouge
- Political Science Club, Campus
- Public Administration Club, Campus
- MPAA, Campus
Contact Information:
Campus Mailing Address: P.O. Box 4266
Building & Room Number: 135 Woodson
Telephone number: (318) 274-2714 or 274-2310
Fax number: (318) 274-3427
