Virginia Tech

CPAP Blacksburg, Alexandria, and Richmond

Masters of Public Administration

The Masters of Public Administration degree requires either 39 or 42 semester hours of credit (depending upon the student's choice of non-course optional elements -- see below). To receive the degree, the student must satisfactorily complete 12 courses: 9 required and 3 elective. Ideally the student will use elective courses to produce a coherent specialty or "track," such as financial management, organizational development, urban planning, policy systems management, or the management of non-profit organizations.

Required Courses (27 Hours):

Public Management

• PAPA 5315: Governmental Administration I; Behavioral Skills for Managers
• PAPA 5316: Governmental Administration II; System Skills for Managers
• PAPA 6314: Public Budgeting Processes and Their Policy Implications
• PAPA 6324: Public Personnel Processes and Their Policy Implications

Public Policy

• PAPA 6224: Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Public Policy Programs
• PAPA 6514: Public Administration and Policy Inquiry
• PAPA 6214: Public Policy Processes and Analytical Approaches

Public Service

• PAPA 6414: Normative Foundations of Public Administration
• PAPA 5014: Concepts and Approaches in Public Administration

Electives (9 Hours)

• Non-Course Elements (3-6 Hours) Students choose among three options:
  1. PAPA 5954: Internship
  2. PAPA 5904: Professional Paper
  3. PAPA 5994: Thesis Option

CPAP Policy Guide