Master of Public Administration

The Master of Public Administration offered at Notre Dame de Namur University has long been recognized for our faculty's dedication to preparing professionals to work effectively in management positions within public, non-profit, and service-related organizations. Our Graduate Programs have been designed to meet the needs of those who want an environment that lets them develop their skills to be innovative, work closely with talented colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experience; all while learning in an intimate and scholarly environment that promotes collaboration. By default we know our Graduate students are high achievers. Therefore every aspect of your program is designed to encourage new ways of thinking to develop the knowledge and skills you need to be successful. The MPA program attracts professionals, including educational administrators, health care professionals, and government agency employees, from a breadth of work and educational settings. The diversity of interests among our students is brought together in core courses and expanded in the areas of specialization. The MPA program emphasizes broad study in functional areas of public administration and concentrated study in the fields of public affairs administration or human resources management.

Knowledge

The successful MPA student will develop a thorough understanding of social and political factors in addition to standard business, management, and human resource management principles. The non-profit context of many of our students' work provides real-world experiences that are discussed both inside and outside the classroom. The MPA students are able to take principles learned in the program and apply them to their work right away.

Skills

Besides the content knowledge, courses throughout the MPA program are constructed to encourage the development of professional skills recognized as essential to managers' success in today's environment. These include: interpersonal communications, organizational leadership and team building, assessment and analysis of quantitative information, strategic thinking, and working in diverse cultures.

Distinctions of the NDNU MPA:

• A working professional may complete the MPA program within two years and may begin the program in the Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters.
• Courses in the MPA program are conveniently scheduled in the evening on NDNU's Belmont campus.
• NDNU's location serves as an educational conduit of current and future practice and enables us to attract high-caliber students and faculty.
• The MPA program at NDNU considers the examination of the nature and traits of ethical organizational and public affairs practices to be essential in preparing future leaders and managers.
• The program prepares leaders and managers to think strategically about contemporary organizations.
• NDNU provides our MPA students the flexibility to take coursework in related areas within the overall graduate program or to customize an interdisciplinary course of study as an area of emphasis.
• Our students' communication skills (especially in the area of public presentations) are developed within the program, given the need for successful MPAs to brief and discuss issues within the public realm regularly.

MPA Curriculum

The MPA degree offers four areas of emphasis:

• Public Affairs Administration
• Human Resources Management, and
• General Emphasis

See the NDNU General Catalog for degree requirements and course descriptions.

Admission Process

NDNU admits students throughout the year for fall, spring, and summer semesters.  Please review the NDNU General Catalog for complete admission requirements.

NDNU'S School of Business and Management

Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, NDNU is a multifaceted university offering bachelor degrees in business and communications, in addition to the Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration, and Master of Science in Management degrees.

In early 2008, NDNU became a member of National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). We are actively seeking to align our graduate Master Public Administration (MPA) program with that of NASPAA’s criteria in order to ensure we offer excellence in educational and training for public service and to promote the ideal of public service.

 

For questions on the program, please contact:

Henry Roth , Director of Graduate Business Studies

(650) 508-3721, hroth@ndnu.edu

Patty Fox , Graduate Advising Analyst

(650) 508-3609, pfox@ndnu.edu

 

Graduate Admissions
Ralston Hall
Tel: (650) 508-3600
Fax: (650) 508-3426
E-mail: grad.admit@ndnu.edu
M – Th 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
F 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.