The Master of Public Administration
Welcome and Mission Statement
The mission of the Public Administration Program is to develop and enhance the knowledge and skills of managers in government, nonprofit, and health care organizations.
The educational philosophy of the MPA program at CSU, Chico is to create ethical and knowledgeable graduates who are well educated in public and health care administration and are capable of being current and future leaders in public, nonprofit, and health care organizations.
Degree and Options Offered
The MPA degree is a 42 unit professional degree. All course work is taken at the 600 or graduate level. The degree consists of a 21 unit core which all students take, 3 to 6 units of culminating experience consisting of either a professional paper or a thesis, and an additional 15 to 18 units of work. A student may select their own electives or may choose one of two options: health administration or local government management. Each option consists of 15 units of specialized work. Pre-service students are encouraged to complete an internship.
The health administration option prepares students for management and staff positions in health care organizations in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Course work covers policy, management, finance, and law for health and mental health organizations.
The local government management option prepares students for management and staff positions in local governments, and focuses on governments in rural and small urban areas.