Master of Public Affairs

MPA Program Competencies

MPA Competencies

  1. Analyze the theoretical and practical underpinnings, knowledge base and complexities of public affairs (as defined by the Hauptmann School)
  2. Justify responsibilities of professionals as citizens in a free and democratic society, and in the world
  3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of different sectors of society, how organizations are similar and different across sectors, and the contradictory expectations of managers and leaders in organizations
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical theory and the challenges involved in ethical reasoning and decision making, and show commitment to obligations as professionals in positions of authority
  5. Integrate theory/ conceptual knowledge with practice, so that practice tests theory and theory informs practice
  6. Demonstrate development of key leadership skills, including interpersonal and cross-cultural communication and teamwork
  7. Explain fundamental epistemology, including the benefits and limitations of various research designs and statistical methods
  8. Demonstrate ability to use skeptical inquiry and analytical skills to assess information and research findings

Public Management Competencies

  1. Apply the core concepts of management to professional work
  2. Compare and contrast the roles and responsibilities of public organizations at the municipal, county, state and federal levels
  3. Identify the internal and external environments of any public organization
  4. Perform a basic evaluation of a public organization
  5. Perform a comparative analysis of public organizations in the United States and their counterparts in developed and developing countries

Government–Business Relations /Economics and Global Strategy Competencies

  1. Describe the role of business firms in society and in the American democracy
  2. Analyze ethical problems in management
  3. Differentiate the private enterprise system in the United States from other economic systems, and identify theoretical roots of the private enterprise system
  4. Distinguish between macroeconomic issues and microeconomic issues and their related impacts and consequences

Nonprofit and Community Service Management Competencies

  1. Distinguish among the nonprofit/philanthropic organizations and government and business organizations in terms of legal definitions, mission, social purpose, and impact, and define the relationship between these sectors
  2. Demonstrate a knowledge and awareness of the role of philanthropy and voluntary action in the nonprofit sector
  3. Define and have the ability to exercise the fundamental management practices in nonprofit organizations and the functions of governing boards and executive leadership
  4. Evaluate the role of individual responsibility and community mobilization in addressing social needs in terms of American democracy and from a comparative international perspective
  5. Critically analyze past and current social policy, such as social welfare, health, mental health, employment, advocacy, community development, and civil rights, in order to improve future social policy

Management of Information Systems Competencies*

  1. Describe and apply the core concepts and principles of managing organizational data resources
  2. Use software engineering methods and tools to successfully lead a team in development of an information system
  3. Analyze an organization's security level in regard to networks, information systems, communications, and online transactions in order to provide technological solutions and policies to minimize threats and risks to an organization
  4. Manage the projects and changes in organizations resulting from introducing or revising information systems
  5. Communicate effectively, ethically, and professionally in a team environment

Health Care/Health Services Management Competencies*

  1. Given a case study in healthcare leadership, describe, in writing, the fundamental dilemmas of management and leadership in the health care industry, and compare possible approaches and solutions.
  2. Given an ethics case study, analyze an ethical issue in managed care or other healthcare area, and detail a best practices approach to managing the ethics issues.
  3. Given a case study or issue in healthcare finance, describe at least three approaches to health care financing, and evaluate the pros and cons of each.
  4. Given case studies in healthcare involving legal issues, analyze, and evaluate the legal parameters and implications, and make recommendations for appropriate leadership action.
  5. Perform a comparative analysis of health care costs, accessibility, and quality between the United States and four other industrialized nations, and recommend a best practice for improvement in a country of choice.
  6. In all exercises above, demonstrate, in writing, all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy in addressing the issues including: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation
  7. In all of the exercises above, demonstrate research, documentation, assimilation, and integration of relevant research, philosophy, and current thinking of experts in the field into their work.

Disaster and Emergency Management Competencies

  1. Anticipate natural and technological hazards, and evaluate governmental and non-governmental strategies for emergency and disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery
  2. Analyze techniques for development of disaster-related public policies
  3. Assess the differential impacts of emergencies and disasters on vulnerable or marginalized populations, communities, regions, and nations
  4. Predict the types of disaster myths commonly encountered and formulate leadership activities that accurately communicate risks associated with hazards and anticipated behavioral responses to hazard events
  5. Create coherent decision making procedures based upon inclusive democratic principles
  6. Demonstrate that emergency management policy development and implementation may lead to potential ethical dilemmas and develop approaches that resolve ethical conflicts

Computer and Network Security Competencies*

  1. Design a network and computer infrastructure for an organization while considering security issues and controls.
  2. Examine security incidents and implement remedies, controls, and fixes using appropriate technologies and policies.
  3. Design security remedies, controls, and fixes for next generation network services such as Voice over IP (VoIP), video, presence, multi protocol label switching (MPLS), and Instant Messaging (IM) services.
  4. Address application security issues affecting the areas of data management, programming, operating systems, and Web applications/services.

*Students are no longer admitted to these concentrations in the MPA program.