Overview
Combining Theoretical Knowledge with Real-World Experience to Prepare Students for their Careers
The Pace University Master of Public Administration program is designed to impart to students an in-depth knowledge of the theoretical principles behind public administration while at the same time exposing them to many of the practical, real-world situations they are likely to face upon embarking on their careers in the field. Throughout the program, qualitative and quantitative skill sets are emphasized and students learn to apply this knowledge within a field that is ever-changing.
Students learn about the in-depth workings of the institutional, social, legal, and economic contexts that define the professional situations that comprise the career of a public administrator in the fields of government, health care, nonprofits, and the environment. A heavy emphasis on general management and communication skills is also presented throughout the student's foray into the program, an acknowledgement of the importance of these skill sets in all professional undertakings.
For students with little work experience in the field, an adviser will assist with the identification of appropriate internship opportunities that will expose the student to the practical situations necessary for their full educational development. This is in keeping with the emphasis on both classroom and hands-on experience in the field that is the key to the Pace University MPA program.
Fundamentals and Specialized Learning Combine to Create a Comprehensive Public Administration Program at Pace University
The curriculum of Pace's Master of Public Administration program is designed to stress the fundamentals of public administration so that students receive a strong foundation in the subject matter. Students can then choose a specific track and elective courses that focus on a particular area within the overall public administration field.
During the core classes, students develop administrative, managerial, quantitative, financial, and analytical skills that are generally prerequisites for the public administration field. Thereafter, specialized classes allow students to delve into specialized areas. These classes supplement and complement the core courses that all students experience and assist the student in developing the specific knowledge and skills required for their careers in public administration.
Regular Conferences and Extracurricular Opportunities Provide Students with Knowledge Outside of the Classroom
The public administration master's program at Pace University, along with the Michaelian Institute, conducts a regular series of conferences in health care and social issues facing nonprofit organizations and local governments. These conferences offer yet another opportunity for students in the MPA program to experience first-hand the topics and issues that face the types of organization for which they will work after graduation.
Students may attend all of the conferences for free, and the conferences generally provide an excellent networking opportunity for students. Conferences are always timely and focus on a particular issue or issues that are facing government, nonprofit, and health care organizations at the time. In this way, students are continuously kept abreast of the real-world issues that affect their chosen field.
Internship Opportunities Abound for Students in the Pace University MPA Program
In keeping with the program's focus on a blend of classroom and theoretical learning with real-world experience for students, there are a number of internship opportunities regularly available to students.
In the health care management track, students without prior experience in the field are strongly encouraged to complete an elective internship that can cover a semester or be extended further for more advanced hands-on learning opportunities. Internships for the health care management track are completed under the supervision of a faculty adviser, who will work with the student and the management within the health care institution in which the student will intern to create a viable program.
During the internship process, students must complete a research project that is to be evaluated by both the facility with which the student is completing the internship and the faculty adviser. The capstone project, a key element of the MPA, can then be based on the experience and materials accumulated during the internship. Students regularly intern at area hospitals and health care institutions, and there are a wide variety of opportunities for students.
As with the health care management track, the government and nonprofit tracks also provide internship opportunities for students, and students regularly work in local government offices and nonprofit organizations to complete their internships in these tracks.
