Master of Public Administration - MPA

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) at Pacific McGeorge School of Law prepares students to capably manage the public sector processes and effectively implement public policy decisions.

Graduates will be ready to advance their careers or start a career in management and leadership positions in a wide range of public-focused organizations including:

Government agencies
International/Multilateral organizations
Non-profit organizations
Non-governmental organizations
Public Interest/Advocacy
Consulting

As the only MPA program offered by an accredited law school in California, special attention is given to statutes, regulations, and strategic use of legal processes. The 36-unit core curriculum is built around student engagement in spirited policy discussions with faculty, while learning about innovative management approaches from experienced professionals. Students may also choose to pursue a concentration consisting of two or more courses (6 units) in addition to the 36-unit core curriculum.

Courses emphasize:

Foundations of public action based in statutes and regulations
Importance of values for public action
Competencies in strategic leadership and systemic change
Analytical skills required for public management
Analysis, design, and implementation of public policies

As a hybrid program, approximately 50% of course contact hours in the program will be online with the rest in-person on the Sacramento campus. The exact amount of online instruction for an individual course will vary between 25% and 100% according to the unique characteristics of the class. Please contact the Public Policy Programs department for questions or for more information.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and students can enroll in Fall or Spring semester.

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Analytical Tools (8 units)

Economic Concepts & Tools (PUB 221, 4 units)
Public Manager Analytics (PUB 233, 4 units)

Law (6 units)

Intro to Law and Public Administration (LAW 201, 3 units)
Statutes & Regulations (LAW 517, 3 units)

Management and Leadership (15 units)

Professional Skills (PUB 218, 1 unit)
Leaders, Organization Behavior (PUB 241, 4 units)
Systemic Change (PUB 242, 3 units) or Enhancing Societal Capacity (PUB 213, 3 units)
Values, Roles & Skills (PUB 251, 3 units)
Capstone: Strategic Management (PUB 252, 4 units)

Public Policy (7 units)

Conflicted, Complex, & Uncertain (PUB 211, 4 units)
Budgets, Financial Management (PUB 214, 3 units) or Finance for Public Policies (PUB 222, 3 units)

For full course descriptions, visit the course catalog page.

MPA students must complete an additional 6 units to earn a concentration. For Concentration course requirements, visit the course catalog page.

Capital Policy Making
Environmental & Water Policy
Policy Change, Institutional Reform, Sustainability
Public & Non Profit Leadership

Graduates from the Master of Public Administration program will be able to:

Lead and manage in public governance.
Participate in and contribute to the public policy process.
Analyze and synthesize information in support of complex decision making.
Articulate and apply a public service perspective.
Communicate and interact productively with diverse public stakeholders.

Recommended Course Sequence

Students can enroll in Spring or Fall. This sample illustrates a two-year program and is the most common approach to completing the MPA. However, it is just one of the many ways students may organize their academic schedule. Some students complete the MPA in 16 months, and it could be completed in as many as five years by taking one course per semester. Course sequence reflects Fall start.

2-Year Course Sequence

Year One

Fall Semester (7 Units)

PUB 251 – Values, Roles & Skills (4)
LAW 201 – Introduction to Law and Public Administration (3)

Spring Semester (8 Units)

PUB 233 – Public Manager Analytics (4)
PUB 241 – Leaders, Organization Behavior (4)

Summer Semester (3 Units)

LAW 517 – Statutes and Regulations (3)

Year Two

Fall Semester (10 Units)

PUB 221 – Economic Concepts & Tools (4)
PUB 242 – Systemic Change, 1^st 8 weeks. (3)
PUB 214 – Budgets, Financial Management, 2^nd 8 weeks (3)

Spring Semester (8 Units)

PUB 252 – Capstone (4)
PUB 211 – Conflicted, Complex, Uncertain (4)

1 Year Full-Time
2 Years Part-Time

Evening & Weekend Hybrid Classes

Scholarships Awarded

ALUMNI NETWORK

Trey Hunter, MPA '19

Trey Hunter, '19, came to McGeorge School of Law from Austin, Texas to earn his MPA degree. In this video, he talks about what sets a McGeorge MPA apart from degrees at other institutions, and why McGeorge's location in Sacramento, California is such an added value to his graduate education.

ALUMNI NETWORK

Lacee Solis, '21

Lacee Solis, '21, took an interest in getting an MPA because she wanted to learn how to make a difference in her community effectively. She decided on McGeorge School of Law because she was impressed that an MPA was offered at an ABA-accredited law school and that it was built into the curriculum. Solis wanted to become an effective public servant and give back to her community.

Alumni Network

Max Huynh, MPA '21

In this video, Max Huynh discusses how earning an MPA degree from McGeorge School of Law helped him pursue the next steps in his career. Huynh, '21, refined practical skills through his coursework. He is a program analyst at a nonprofit organization called Physicians for a Healthy California.