THE CURRICULUM AND DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

(Requirements for all students entering the program after Spring 2003)

 Prerequisite Courses for Classified Standing

To attain Classified standing in the MPA Program; students need to document successful completion of three undergraduate courses:

• American Government (POLS 001, 101 or equivalent)
• Macroeconomics (ECON 1A or equivalent)
• Statistics (STAT 95 or equivalent) and
  Demonstrate competence with spread sheets

Students must finish the prerequisites before completing 12 hours of MPA courses. They must complete statistics and economics before taking PADM 212 or PADM 218.

  36 Required Units (12 Courses)

The 36 units required for graduation include 15 units of core courses, 9 units of advanced seminars, and 9 units of electives and either thesis or project work. If students elect to write a thesis, they enroll in PADM 299 for 3 or 6 units. Alternativley they may enroll in PADM 298 to reach the total 36 units, students select from among additional advanced MPA seminars, or approved graduate courses offered in other departments, or approved upper-division courses offered in political science or other departments. Students who have not had substantial administrative work experience are required to take an additional 3-unit internship course, for a total of 39 units.

  Five Required Core Courses

All students need to complete Five courses:

• PADM 210 - Introduction to Public Administration
• PADM 212 - Administrative Research Methods
• PADM 213 - Public Policy Analysis and Evaluation
• PADM 214 - Introduction to Public Management
• PADM 218 - Public Budgeting

We strongly advise students to complete these five core courses as soon as possible. Students must complete core courses before enrolling in course PADM 298 or beginning a thesis.

  Three Advanced Seminars From Among The Following

• PADM 202 - Power and Politics in the Silicon Valley
• PADM 215 - Public Personnel Administration
• PADM 217 - Organization Theory
• PADM 219 - Advanced Financial Administration
• PADM 223 - Law and Public Administration
• PADM 228 - Urban/Community Development
• PADM 295 - Topics in Public Administration (as approved)

  Electives

Electives may include additional MPA courses or approved 100- to 200-level courses in Political Science or other departments. This may include:

• PADM 202 - Power and Politics in the Silicon Valley
• PADM 223 - Law and Public Administration
• PADM 228 - Urban/Community Development
• PADM 295 - Topics in Public Administration

  Plans A and B

• Plan A: Thesis
  
  A thesis demonstraing competence in original research and acceptable to the Department must be submitted to the Department eight weeks before the date on which the degree is awarded. The thesis must conform to Unifersity standards and be approved by Graduate Studies.
  
• Plan B: A Thesis Quality Applied Research Paper (3 Units)
  
  In lieu of a thesis, a student may complete a thesis quality research project by enrolling in PADM 298, Special Problems. In PADM 298, the student will complete the substantial paper under faculty supervision.

For more information contact Frances Edwards, MPA Director at (408) 924-5559 or Email:KC6THM@yahoo.com. The mailing address is: Master in Public Administration Program, Dept. of Political Science, San Jose University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192-0119.