Public Administration
Public Administration Director: Mengzhong Zhang, Ph.D.
INTRODUCTION Public Administration involves the study of the management of governmental and not for profit entities. It is the who, when, where and how policies are formulated, implemented, and evaluated. It is where campaign promises are carried out (or not). Gannon University’s Master of Public Administration Program provides students with the tools they need to be able to be successful as a public administration professional and can be completed on a full or part time basis. Public administration is a rapidly changing field where new ways of doing things are continually proposed and where politics and values are always in flux. Public administrators are held to high standards to be accountable, to be ethical, to be efficient and effective, and to be responsive to their constituents. Recent dramatic changes in the worlds of politics, government, international relations, not-forprofits, and the private sector have cast a new light on the importance of leadership within the public sector. The urgency for leadership studies and development has never been greater. A commitment to instilling qualities of leadership in students lies at the heart of a Gannon University education. That long-standing focus on leadership has become even more intense through development of new academic programs and scholarships that will uniquely position Gannon graduates to take leadership roles in fields that will be most in demand in the next century. Governments, agencies, foundations, and authorities are seeking highly motivated individuals with communication, critical analysis, marketing, finance, strategic planning abilities, grant writing experience, program development capabilities, organizational skills, and the ability to solve problems creatively. Gannon is a student-oriented, value-centered teaching university. This philosophy guides our approach to teaching, advising, and designing our curriculum. We work closely with students on an individual basis, challenging students to grow while ensuring they meet their personal objectives. Courses are rigorous and challenging by design, but we work with students to build the skills they need for the world of the new millennium.
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What are the origins of public administration? How has public administration evolved and changed? What motivates human behavior? What are the differences and similarities between public, private, and nonprofit management? What are the various theories of organization? What is the science of “muddling through”? How are policies formulated and implemented? What is strategic planning and how is it done? How are budgets and financial statements created? How do we evaluate programs? What role do ethical considerations play in public administration and what tools exist to help “good people make tough choices”? These are some of the questions that students will grapple with during time studying the field of public administration at Gannon. Our central location to city, county, state, and federal government offices makes Gannon University a virtual public administration laboratory. Our close proximity allows for continuous interaction with government and agency leaders who visit classes on a regular basis and often serve as instructors themselves. This is a program in which real world case studies are often the focus of seminar deliberations and class projects. In addition, internship opportunities abound. This practical experience adds balance to academic life.
MISSION OF THE MPA PROGRAM Gannon’s MPA program: • Prepares its graduates to be competent administrators, professionals and leaders in public and nonprofit organizations, domestically and internationally. • Educates socially responsible world citizens through civic and community engagement and innovation and develops a worldview by infusing international perspectives and activities into the curriculum. • Is dedicated to emphasizing public service values such as public interest, efficiency, effectiveness, democratic representation and participation, equity, diversity, sustainability, and accountability.
OUTCOMES OF MPA PROGRAM As the basis for its curriculum, the program will adopt a set of required competencies related to its mission and public service values. The required competencies will include five domains: the ability • to lead and manage in public governance; • to participate in and contribute to the policy process; • utilize quantitative methods to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions; • to articulate and apply a public service perspective; • to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS • A Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited college or university • A completed application for admission • Transcripts from all prior institutions attended
