Curriculum

Self-designed Concentration (14 credits)
How will you answer the call to service? How will you combine your experience, education, and passion to make the kind of difference you know you can in the next phase of your career?

The concentration courses provide the knowledge base and skills you need and want to achieve your career goals. Your concentration can include courses from Public Affairs and from the 150+ graduate programs across the University of Minnesota. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

Core (required) Courses (16 credits)
The Master of Public Affairs core curriculum focuses on leadership abilities, critical thinking and analytic skills, systems thinking and an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving, and the ability to work and lead as part of a team.

12-credits of the core required courses (everything except the Capstone Workshop) can be completed in two distinct formats
• Traditional Classroom Learning Environment
• Cohort Learning Community

Final Capstone Workshop

Although no formal thesis is required for graduation, the Capstone Workshop, taken in or near the final semester, is a culmination of the student's learning through application to a community-based project. During the Capstone Workshop, students form into groups of 3-5 to serve as a consultant team for a community organization "client." Projects typically involve analyzing a public policy or management problem for a public, nonprofit, or private sector community client. The Capstone Workshop includes resarch, a written report, and a presentation to the client. Faculty, students, and the client contribute to evaluating the project deliverables and the quality of the team effort.