Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
The Master of Public Affairs (MPA) is a 36 credit hour program consisting of a 24 credit hour common core plus a 12 credit hour specialization. (IWU reserves the right to move students to another date, location, or online if less than eight students are registered for any specialization.) With a strong emphasis on social responsibility and civic engagement, the MPA program at IWU gives students the skills necessary to effectively and compassionately confront the challenges of today’s metropolitan environment and its diverse populations.
The MPA program prepares students to assume leadership and management roles in local, state, and federal levels of government, and similar roles in community based non-profit organizations. The curriculum emphasizes the skills necessary for ethical and efficient public management—including planning, policy analysis, and decision-making—that best represents and promotes the public interest.
Credit may be transferred in from a regionally accredited institution (maximum of six hours) for any core or specialization course except for POL-526, POL-586, and any specialization course that is designated a 586 course (for example CRJ-586). The curriculum will be completed in the order established by Indiana Wesleyan University. Indiana Wesleyan University reserves the right to modify the curriculum as necessary.
The same courses offered in the classroom setting are also offered via the Internet. Details are available at Online-Delivery.
Admission and Graduation Requirements for the Public Services and Applied Sciences Department
MPA - Mission and Outcomes
With a strong emphasis on social responsibility and civic engagement, the MPA program at Indiana Wesleyan University gives students the skills necessary to effectively and compassionately confront the challenges of today’s metropolitan environment and its diverse populations. It prepares students to assume leadership and management roles in local, state, and federal levels of government, and similar roles in community based non-profit organizations. The curriculum emphasizes the skills necessary for ethical and efficient public management – including planning, policy analysis, and decision-making – that best represents and promotes the public interest.
Upon completion of the MPA program at Indiana Wesleyan University, students will be able to:
- Impart complex information in a clear, concise, and understandable manner.
- Incorporate analytical and critical thinking into the decision-making process.
- Demonstrate the ability to see patterns and classify information, concepts, and theories in public affairs.
- Demonstrate the ability to judge public policy and management evidence based on reasoned arguments.
- Articulate the importance of upholding the "public trust."
- Demonstrate ethical decision-making.
- Articulate a personal philosophy about public affairs and marshal evidence from the literature and from research to support that philosophy and defend it.
MPA - Program of Study
Core Courses
Specialization Courses - Criminal Justice
| CRJ-526 | Criminal Justice Policy | 3 |
| CRJ-534 | Criminal Justice Administration | 3 |
| CRJ-542 | Economic Analysis of Crime | 3 |
| CRJ-586 | Criminal Justice Leadership | 3 |
Capstone Experience
| POL-586 | Capstone in Public Policy and Affairs | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 36
MPA - Program Requirements
To complete the MPA program, all candidates must:
- Students must successfully complete POL-526 and POL-527 in order to continue in the program.
- Students must successfully complete all core courses except the capstone before starting the specialization courses.
- Students must successfully complete all program courses (core and specialization) prior to taking the capstone course.
