Please note: This information reflects our updated curriculum for students entering in Autumn 2010 and beyond. Students who began our program in 2009 or earlier should see our archived degree requirements.
To earn an Evans School Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree, you must complete 72 credit hours of course work and a three-month internship. The 72 credit hours of required course work includes:
Thirty-six credits of core courses that will help you develop fundamental policy and management skills. These courses are taken in sequence, mainly during your first year of study.
The core courses include:
- Microeconomic Policy Analysis (PBAF 516)
- Microeconomic Management Analysis (PBAF 517)
- Managing Politics & the Policy Process (PBAF 511)
- Managing Organizational Performance (PBAF 512)
- Public Budgeting & Financial Management (PBAF 522)
- Quantitative Analysis I & II (PBAF 527/528)
- Public Policy Analysis (PBAF 513)
- Program Evaluation (PBAF 526 or 536 )
Some core courses can be waived by examination.
Twenty-six elective credits: Students may focus on one or more of our areas of specialization
A degree project, worth eight credits, which involves working closely with a faculty member to research a topic of serious interest to you. There are two recommended ways to complete this project:
- A joint research project for a client with several students and a faculty member through one of our Public Service Clinics (PBAF 606 and 607)
- A professional research project that is issue-based or client-based that is completed in a Degree Project Seminar with peer review and faculty supervision (PBAF 608)
Students with scheduling or other issues in conflict with Public Service Clinics and Degree Project Seminars may request that a faculty member supervise them in a two quarter independent study to complete their project. (PBAF 605)
Students enrolled in the International Development Certificate, Nonprofit Management Certificate, or Environmental Management Certificate can complete their certificate in lieu of the Degree Project.
The three-month internship, totaling a minimum of 400 work hours for a government, nonprofit, or private organization, must be related to your professional goals and require you to use a substantial amount of analytic or managerial knowledge. (The internship requirement can be waived if you have at least two years of recent professional-level public service experience related to your degree and career goals.)
Please note: This information reflects our updated curriculum for students entering in Autumn 2010 and beyond. Students who began our program in 2009 or earlier should see our archived degree requirements.
For more information, contact the Evans School Student Services office at evansrec@u.washington.edu or 206.543.4900.