Executive MPA Curriculum
The executive MPA curriculum has three major components:
The executive MPA program is a professional degree designed for advancing careers in the public and nonprofit sectors. The program employs a problem-solving approach to public management issues and the analysis of public policy. It is designed to broaden your understanding of economic, political, methodological, legal, and social issues related to public management and policy.
Our 36-credit, 100% online executive MPA program is designed to offer the flexibility needed by working public service professionals. Classes are delivered in a mix of asynchronous and synchronous formats. Asynchronous classes require students to complete modules independently within broad time frames. Synchronous classes meet virtually one evening per week. Most semesters, executive MPA students take two courses: one synchronous, the other asynchronous.
This is a cohort-based program, with groups of students starting and finishing together. Cohorts are admitted roughly even two years in fall semesters (August). However, it is possible that some groups may be launched in spring semesters (January). Please contact the MPA Director to confirm the next cohort’s starting semester.
Applicants interested in the executive MPA should contact the MPA Director (Dr. Casey Fleming – flemingca17@ecu.edu) for a preliminary resume review prior to submission of a formal admissions application via the ECU Graduate School.
- Core Curriculum (21 hours)
- Electives (12 hours)
- MPA Professional Paper/Capstone (3 hours)
E-MPA Requirements
Core Public Administration Courses
PADM 6100 Politics and Management in Public Agencies (Fall)
PADM 6101 Analysis for the Public Sector (Fall)
PADM 6102 Quantitative Methods for Public Administration (P: PADM 6101; Spring)
PADM 6110 Human Resource Management in Public Agencies
PADM 6120 Public Budgeting and Finance
PADM 6161 Applied Policy Analysis (P: 6101 & 6102; Fall)
PADM 6220 Leadership and Ethics in the Public Sector
With permission, students can complete PADM 6898 or 6899 for a maximum of 6 s.h. of credit for independent study. These courses must be completed under the direction of a public administration professor in the Department of Political Science and are open only to students who have completed a minimum of 12 s.h. of coursework. Both the faculty adviser and the MPA director’s written approval are required prior to registration.
Graduate Certificate Programs
As noted, students have the opportunity to complete a graduate certificate program with their MPA electives. Students may have to take an additional course or two, beyond the 12 required elective hours, to complete a certificate. They should also review the requirements for the certificate to see if any of the courses have prerequisites, which could lengthen the duration of the program. The requirements for certificate programs MPA students have found of interest in the past are detailed in the Graduate Catalog, which is linked below.
- Criminal Justice Education (18 s.h.)
- Development and Environmental Planning (12 s.h.)
- Economic Development (15 s.h.)
- Geographic Information Science and Technology (12 s.h.)
- Health Care Administration (15 s.h.)
- Security Studies (15 s.h.)
Other electives
With approval, courses from other departments may be substituted or counted as elective hours. Please note that some courses may have pre-requisites that will not count toward the degree and may require permission from the offering program prior to registration.
MPA Professional Paper – 3 s.h.
All students must enroll in PADM 6900 (P: 6101, 6102, & 6161) and complete an MPA professional paper in which they identify a public management problem or policy issue and develop a problem-resolution strategy. The completed paper must be presented to the MPA faculty and relevant stakeholders.