Curriculum

Required Core Courses (22–23 credits)
PA 5011 — Management of Organizations (3)
PA 5012 — Politics of Public Affairs (3)
PA 5021 — Economics for Policy Analysis and Planning I (3)
PA 5022 — Economics for Policy Analysis and Planning II (3)
PA 5031 — Empirical Analysis I (4)
PA 5002 — Introduction to Policy Analysis (1.5)
PA 5003 — Introduction to Financial Analysis and Management (1.5)

Two of the following:
PA 5032 — Intermediate Regression Analysis (2)
PA 5033 — Multivariate Techniques (2)
PA 5035 — Survey Research and Data Collection (1.5)
PA 5036 — Regional Economic Analysis (2)
PA 5037 — Regional Demographic Analysis (2)

You may be exempted from selected core course requirements if you have relevant prior coursework. In that case, you can take additional concentration or elective credits to meet the 45-credit requirement.

Concentrations (9 credits in one of the following areas)
You can select a focus in an established area of concentration or self-design a concentration with your advisor and with the approval of the director of graduate studies. All concentrations require at least nine semester credits. You can take concentration and elective courses at the Humphrey School and from other University departments.

Electives (to bring total degree credits to at least 45)

Professional Paper
Your professional paper applies the methods, approaches, and perspectives studied in the curriculum to a real-world policy or management problem. The resulting professional paper includes an analysis of the issues and policy recommendations or discussions of the implications of the analysis. You may complete the professional paper through a Capstone Workshop (PA 8081), Workshop Group (PA 8082), Master's: Professional Paper (PA 8921)or . You are welcome to read some completed professional papers.

Program Planning Worksheet
The Program Planning Worksheet (PPW) helps current students plan their degrees from start to finish. Students must submit a completed and approved PPW before graduating.

Dual Degree Opportunities
By choosing a dual-degree, you can complete a Humphrey School degree and another University of Minnesota graduate or professional degree in less time (typically one year less) than it would take to complete the two degrees separately.

We offer dual degrees with the University of Minnesota Law School, the School of Social Work, the School of Public Health and the Carlson School of Management.