Master of Public Administration

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MPA Concentrations

For Current Students

For Prospective Students

MPA Program Overview

Evergreen's MPA program has undergone a major redesign, the first since the program began in 1980.


We now offer three areas of concentration:

  • Public and Nonprofit Administration
  • Public Policy
  • Tribal Governance

The MPA program has been designed to meet the needs of our students by giving them greater choice not only in the area of concentration, but also in the length of time to complete the program. Students can enroll full-time and complete the program in two years, or they may choose to attend part-time and spread their studies out over three or four years. Classes typically meet in the evening, although some will be offered on Saturdays and in intensive weekend formats.

The program consists of 60 quarter-credit hours, including:

Core Programs (26 credits)

Year one: Foundations of Public Administration (Foundations of Public Administration - 6 credits; Doing Public Administration - 4 credits; Doing Democracy - 4 credits) = 14 per year

Year two: Analytical Techniques for Public Service - 4 credits per quarter = 12 per year

Two core programs are required, one during the first year in the program and the other during the second. Each class admitted for the upcoming fall will begin the core programs as a group, or cohort, and continue together for the first two years. During the first year, the core will examine the foundations of public administration, the economic and political context of the public sector, concepts of democratic governance, and the practical knowledge and skills needed to run an organization in the public, nonprofit or tribal sectors. The second year will focus on analytic concepts and techniques, including research methods, policy analysis and budget analysis. The core programs will be team taught by MPA faculty. We've eliminated our economics prerequisite and instead incorporated economics into the fall quarter coursework of the first year core program, so now the fall quarter first year core course is a six credit course. Four credits will be earned in each remaining quarter of first year core (winter and spring) and in each quarter of the second year core program (fall, winter and spring), for a total of 26 credits for the completion of both core programs.

Concentration Areas

The work that people do in the public service is vast. To meet this need, the MPA program offers three areas of concentration so students can tailor their learning to meet their particular requirements. The concentrations offered by the program are

  • Public and Nonprofit Administration--Students will prepare for, or advance in, careers as administrators in public or nonprofit organizations. Coursework covers the critical elements of administration--budgeting, strategic planning, human resources and information systems, public law, leadership and ethics, multicultural competencies, and more--as well as the unique nature and needs of nonprofit and government organizations.
  • Public Policy--Students will prepare for, or advance in, positions as policy analysts, budget analysts, or evaluators. Students in this concentration will complete Foundations of Public Policy, a course that examines models of the policy process, policy analysis techniques, an advanced discussion of the relationship between policy and politics, implementation and evaluation issues. A second required course is Advanced Research Methods, in which students will learn the research design, analysis, and statistical techniques needed to work successfully in this arena. Elective courses will be offered in a variety of policy areas including health policy, poverty policy, education policy, environmental policy, and possibly others. Students with an interest in other policy areas may study them thorough individual learning contracts with MPA faculty.
  • Tribal Governance--The goal of this program is to develop administrators who can assist both tribal governments and the public agencies with which the tribes interact. Students in this concentration complete five 4-credit courses focusing on issues of critical importance to tribes, including sovereignty issues, intergovernmental relations, regulatory policy, and economic development. Other MPA students can enroll in these Tribal concentration courses as electives.

A new cohort of the Tribal Governance concentration will begin in Fall 2008.

Electives

Electives offer students opportunities to increase in their intellectual growth. A variety of different courses will be offered during the regular academic year as well as in the summer. In addition, students may design their own courses through independent learning contracts and internships, or opt to do a thesis. Students may choose elective courses from the MPA or Master in Environmental Studies offerings. Course offerings change annually.

Electives may include courses such as: Grant Writing, Political Advocacy and Organizing, International Administration, Conflict Resolution, The Political Context of State Government, Persuasive Speaking, Issues in Growth Management & Land-Use Regulation, Women and the Global Economy, Issues in State and Local Economic Development Policy, Project Management, and Contemporary Labor and Employment Issues.

Capstone Seminar (4 Credits)

The required four-credit capstone seminar gives students the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned in the program. They will enhance their skills in organizational analysis, collaboration and problem solving through an experiential project with a government or nonprofit organization. Students must complete a minimum of 40 credits before taking the capstone.

Affiliations and Accreditation

Evergreen's MPA program is a member of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and subscribes to NASPAA's Code of Good Practice.

The Evergreen State College is accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Universities. Accreditation of The Evergreen State College occurs every 10 years. The last self study report for accreditation was completed in 1998.

The Spring 2003 Interim Report for Reaffirmation of Accreditation describes Evergreen's progress towards recommendations that were made by the Northwest Commission Accreditation Committee in 1998. See the Provost's Office website for other related documents.