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Master of Public Administration

College of Arts and Sciences
This program focuses on teaching you management and decision-making skills; knowledge you need to become a successful leader in the public sector.
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Kaplan University | Academic Programs | College of Arts and Sciences | Master of Public Administration
The public sector needs strong, educated leaders who can make decisions that make a difference. Kaplan University’s Master of Public Administration is designed to help practicing and aspiring administrators develop the skills and techniques needed to provide leadership in a wide variety of public service fields.* The program focuses on teaching you management and decision-making skills; knowledge to help you become a successful leader in the public sector.
Intensive Study Areas | Curriculum | Tuition and Fees

Program Highlights

The core curriculum teaches you how to evaluate, implement, and manage policy and spans diverse topics including public administration and management, ethics and leadership, budgeting and the administration of public funds, strategic planning, and applied research. Additionally, the program offers you the flexibility to pursue a general Master of Public Administration or to focus on an intensive study area in health care management, governmental management, fire science and emergency services, or criminal justice.

The Master of Public Administration emphasizes:

  • Public Value: Apply knowledge of practice in public administration to make effective decisions that create public value in diverse and dynamic situations
  • Ethical Decision Making: Evaluate the social and ethical implications of decisions made in the public interest
  • Innovation: Innovate to address issues and opportunities in the public sector
  • Knowledge Base: Evaluate theoretical foundations, current knowledge, and trends in public administration and public service
  • Finance: Apply financial knowledge to make sound and ethical decisions in the public interest
  • Diversity: Assess cultural, individual, and role differences of constituents and stakeholders
  • Leadership: Apply principles of leadership to shape change and improve the governance and management of public policy

What are the Career Opportunities?

When you graduate with a Master in Public Administration you may qualify to serve in a variety of leadership roles in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, nongovernmental organizations, public sector organizations, and nonprofit and voluntary sectors.*

Intensive Study Areas for the Master of Public Administration

To further develop your expertise, you may choose electives that focus on one of the following intensive study areas:
Explore the fundamental concepts and practices of budgeting and financial management, the interaction of political and economic forces, administrative law, and public policy analysis.
Explore theories and practices related to justice management, critical legal issues facing the criminal justice field, and employment and policy law.
Study current administration issues that affect first-response organizations and their strategic operations. Develop skills and techniques in the areas of strategic planning, leadership, and emergency services management.
Explore the organization, function, and interaction within state governments. Examine American local, state, and federal legislative institutions and the processes used to enact new legislation. Study to gain an understanding of how administrative agencies produce administrative rulings and supporting memoranda.
Explore the roles and relationships between federal and state governments in the delivery of health care services. Study federal statutes related to Medicare, Medicaid, Stark, and HIPAA and the contractual, legal, and procedural aspects of the relationship of professionals to health care institutions.
Close

Curriculum for the Master of Public Administration Applied Research Track

Course # Course Title Credits
LS 504 APPLIED RESEARCH IN LEGAL STUDIES 5
APPLIED RESEARCH IN LEGAL STUDIES
In the first of two courses in applied research in legal studies, students will be introduced to applied research within the profession, which encourages adoption of the role of a reflective practitioner who seeks to simultaneously understand and change the professional setting. Students will examine the history of applied research and the intersection of applied research and experimental research. This study allows participants to develop an understanding of the processes and how they can impact their own professional setting.
PP 500 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 5
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
The course explores the theory and development of the field of public administration and the function of management. It will cover a wide range of topics further explored in the Master of Public Administration program. These topics may include federalism and intergovernmental relations, ethics and administrative leadership, personnel, and resource management. Students will study management processes in the context of a political environment and policy implementation.
PP 510 LEADERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 5
LEADERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Students will study leadership within the public sector and the application of ethical and leadership principles to decision making, actions, and interactions within public administration. Topics covered may include: organizational behavior, interest-based negotiation, leading networks, mediation, and leadership style.
PP 520 FINANCE AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS 5
FINANCE AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS
This course examines the methods, processes, and challenges in the administration and budget­ing of public funds. Students will examine the budgeting of public revenues, revenue generation, forecasting, cost control, and fiscal management. The importance of managing control issues and transparency will be addressed.
PP 530 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 5
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Students will examine the political and institu­tional environment of public human resource management. Topics will include the analyses of theories and practices in terms of organizational effectiveness, and ongoing operational issues and how they are shaped and constrained by political considerations. Outsourcing, NGOs, and private/public partnerships will also be explored in resource strategy.
PP 698 APPLIED RESEARCH 5
APPLIED RESEARCH

Students experience the art and science of research while they develop the tools of reflective inquiry and collaborative practice. Students will engage in analysis of current issues and challenges to explore and practice research methods as a logical extension of professional practice. Integral to this process is the examination of both informal and systematic ways to ask and answer questions. Students will design a research plan for their own applied research project.
Course # Course Title Credits
CJ 503 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 5
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
This course presents an in-depth analysis of the various dynamics facing criminal justice organizations in the context of professional practice, including, but not limited to, the theoretical concepts underlying organizational behavior, management and leadership of human resources, and design and structural processes. The scope includes fiscal accountability; personnel deployment; implementation of change; motivation and retention of personnel; the hiring, assignment, and promotion of personnel; organizational communication; professional development; and fundamental legal issues as they pertain to agency operations.
CJ 511 EMPLOYMENT AND POLICY LAW 5
EMPLOYMENT AND POLICY LAW
This course involves the study of specialized topics in substantive and procedural criminal law with a special emphasis on employment law, and how these legal issues impact ethics and leadership in criminal justice organizations. This course is well suited for command-level personnel in response to a variety of potential agency and personal liability issues.
CJ 515 THEORETICAL APPLICATIONS OF JUSTICE MANAGEMENT 5
THEORETICAL APPLICATIONS OF JUSTICE MANAGEMENT
This course provides students with a knowledge base for the practical application of social and psychological principles to the day-to-day administration of criminal justice agencies. It presents an overview of the scope and historical development of organizational psychology, including the virtual workplace and employee. Topics include psychological testing as it relates to employment selection; performance appraisal; training and development; leadership and motivation; job satisfaction and involvement; organizational structure; safety, violence, and health; and stress and occupational health psychology. Future issues in the field are also discussed.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Choose one of the following courses:
CJ 500 CRITICAL LEGAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 5
CRITICAL LEGAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This course involves the study of recent legislation and case law, both state and federal, that impact criminal justice professionals and the administration of criminal justice in the context of professional practice. The topics will depend upon current legal developments, but will include such areas as law enforcement, criminal procedure, civil and criminal liability, civil rights, employment law, substance abuse, corrections, and judicial review of administrative decisions.
CJ 505 CRITICAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 5
CRITICAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This course will address critical issues affecting the major tenets of the criminal justice profession, including, but not limited to, homeland security, training and education, ethics and morality in professional practice, and community-based law enforcement and corrections programs. Other current trends and any other critical issue facing the fields of policing, private security, and corrections are addressed as needed.
Course # Course Title Credits
FS 500 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES 5
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
Students will study the concepts and principles of management practices regarding the operation and delivery of public sector fire and emergency services. Topics explored include: organizing and logistics for response, crisis management and planning, risk assessment, agency coordination, and financial administration.
HM 502 RISK, VULNERABILITY, AND CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT METHODS 5
RISK, VULNERABILITY, AND CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT METHODS
The course examines the concepts of risk-based planning and risk management. The assessment and management of vulnerability and risk associated with terrorist and other disaster events are examined. Topics explored include: objectives of and methods for vulnerability and risk assessment for natural disasters, technological hazards, and terrorist threats; concepts of risk perception, risk communication, and risk mitigation; and the requirements and methods of critical infrastructure protection from terrorism, technological disasters, and natural disasters. Students will examine the question and make decisions regarding, "Who or what should be protected and how?"
HM 503 PLANNING AND OPERATIONS IN CRISIS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 5
PLANNING AND OPERATIONS IN CRISIS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
This course examines comprehensive strategic planning for crisis and emergency management. The theory and value of strategic planning are explained and students learn how to develop a comprehensive strategic plan.
Choose one of the following courses:
HM 510 MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS ISSUES FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 5
MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS ISSUES FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
This course will explore hazard mitigation and its role in disaster management. In addition, students will study the planning process, program development, and training methods for responses to man-made and natural emergencies/disasters. Topics include government and private sector programs, new approaches, and mitigation of issues/events.
HM 540 CRISIS INTERVENTION 5
CRISIS INTERVENTION
This course introduces the basic theories and principles of crisis intervention. The emphasis in this course is on identifying and demonstrating appropriate and differential techniques for intervening in various types of disaster and emergency management crisis situations. This course will review empirically validated approaches to crisis intervention. The course will explore the role of law enforcement in crisis situations as well as civilian and public safety personnel behavior under emergency and disaster crisis situations. In addition, assessment and diagnosis of psychological issues commonly found in crisis situations will be examined.
Choose one of the following courses:
PP 612 PROGRAM EVALUATION 5
PROGRAM EVALUATION
In this course, students will learn how to evaluate the models and principles of program evaluation including the analysis of data collection techniques and research principles to conduct a needs analysis. Tools used in program evaluation, including the logic model and the results-based accountability model, will be covered to teach students how to define objectives, benchmarks, and indicators of a program evaluation plan. Additionally, students will develop a program evaluation plan and learn how to analyze the strengths of a plan, as well as the political and ethical implications, and will develop the ability to interpret data and make program recommendations and action steps based on an evaluation plan.
PP 650 PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS 5
PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
The course focuses on the analysis of public policy and approaches to problem solving. Students will study the quantitative and qualitative methods of policy analysis that help public policy and program analysts systematically value decisions and inform the decision-making process. Students will also examine current policy issues from the perspectives of local, state, and federal governments.
Course # Course Title Credits
PP 600 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW 5
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
This course examines the fundamental legal concepts regarding administrative law and the administrative process, and how administrative agencies exercise policy and actions. Students will examine the intergovernmental relations and the political and practical constraints that influence administrative policy.
PP 610 BALANCING THE BUDGET--BUDGETARY PROCESS 5
BALANCING THE BUDGET--BUDGETARY PROCESS
Students will study the fundamental concepts and practices of budgeting and financial management. The budget process and preparation, cost analysis, and budget reform will be covered in detail. Crisis management and balancing the budget are also addressed.
PP 640 POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FORCES 5
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FORCES
Students will explore the interaction of political and economic forces that impact public administrators in governmental and nonprofit sectors. The course will cover fundamental concepts such as marginal analysis, optimization and suboptimization, and ceteris paribus reasoning. Students will use economic reasoning to better explain this interaction between political entities and economic forces including governments' behavioral effects on markets, the role of competition in the provision of public goods, resource allocation, and market failure and government failure.
PP 650 PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS 5
PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
The course focuses on the analysis of public policy and approaches to problem solving. Students will study the quantitative and qualitative methods of policy analysis that help public policy and program analysts systematically value decisions and inform the decision-making process. Students will also examine current policy issues from the perspectives of local, state, and federal governments.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Course # Course Title Credits
LS 605 ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF STATE GOVERNMENT 5
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF STATE GOVERNMENT
This course will explore the organization of state governments, the function of each primary area, and how they interact. Students will examine functional and dysfunctional government structures and analyze what works and why. In addition, they will examine innovative practices in large bureaucratic structures and best practices and the use of technology tools to improve functioning.
LS 606 LEGISLATIVE PROCESS 5
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
This course examines American legislative institutions at the local, state, and federal levels and the processes that are used to enact new legislation. Legislative bodies pass, on an annual basis, laws that regulate or affect all of our lives. This course will familiarize students with legislative materials. Cases will be used to explore the judicial role in the legislative process.
LS 607 GUBERNATORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS 5
GUBERNATORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS
In this course, students will engage in the hands-on process of conceptualizing and developing a ruling from an administrative agency. The course will begin with an intensive study of the executive branch of government at the state level and the role of administrative agencies. The instructor and students will work together as if both were actually in roles in a state administrative agency. They will develop a policy issue, review it in light of the goals of the governor's agenda, the relationship to the legislature, and the existing state law, and at the end of the course produce an administrative ruling with supporting memoranda.
PP 650 PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS 5
PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
The course focuses on the analysis of public policy and approaches to problem solving. Students will study the quantitative and qualitative methods of policy analysis that help public policy and program analysts systematically value decisions and inform the decision-making process. Students will also examine current policy issues from the perspectives of local, state, and federal governments.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Course # Course Title Credits
LS 620 HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS AND FINANCE 5
HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS AND FINANCE
The health care industry is one of the nation's fastest-growing and largest industries. Health care executives, managers, and professionals must possess basic financial competence to govern effectively. This course will introduce students to the foundations of financial literacy to enable them to fulfill their roles.
LS 621 FEDERALISM AND THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM 5
FEDERALISM AND THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM
In this course, students will learn about the role of the federal government and the relationship between the federal and state governments in the delivery of health care services. Students will engage in an intensive study of federal statutes, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Stark, and HIPAA, and through that process will gain an understanding of the shared responsibilities in delivering health care. The instructor and students will select a health delivery issue and work through the legal, political, and health care issues involved in resolving that issue.
LS 622 PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS 5
PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS
In this course, students will study the contractual, legal, and procedural aspects of the relationship of professionals to health care institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, surgical centers, and drop-in clinics among others. The instructor and students will work through these relationships by simulating the role of a physician seeking hospital privileges, developing a contract between a health care provider and a managed-care organization, and analyzing the roles of health care delivery personnel in a drop-in clinic. The students and instructor will be involved in the development of supporting documents associated with these roles.
PP 620 PUBLIC POLICY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 5
PUBLIC POLICY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
This course examines important and current health care policies facing health care administra­tion in the United States. Students will identify the strategic questions facing delivery and financing of health services including policy, funding, management, and delivery.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Total Program Requirements 55
Total Program Requirements

Curriculum for the Master of Public Administration Comprehensive Exam Track

Course # Course Title Credits
LS 504 APPLIED RESEARCH IN LEGAL STUDIES 5
APPLIED RESEARCH IN LEGAL STUDIES
In the first of two courses in applied research in legal studies, students will be introduced to applied research within the profession, which encourages adoption of the role of a reflective practitioner who seeks to simultaneously understand and change the professional setting. Students will examine the history of applied research and the intersection of applied research and experimental research. This study allows participants to develop an understanding of the processes and how they can impact their own professional setting.
PP 500 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT 5
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
The course explores the theory and development of the field of public administration and the function of management. It will cover a wide range of topics further explored in the Master of Public Administration program. These topics may include federalism and intergovernmental relations, ethics and administrative leadership, personnel, and resource management. Students will study management processes in the context of a political environment and policy implementation.
PP 510 LEADERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 5
LEADERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Students will study leadership within the public sector and the application of ethical and leadership principles to decision making, actions, and interactions within public administration. Topics covered may include: organizational behavior, interest-based negotiation, leading networks, mediation, and leadership style.
PP 520 FINANCE AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS 5
FINANCE AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS
This course examines the methods, processes, and challenges in the administration and budget­ing of public funds. Students will examine the budgeting of public revenues, revenue generation, forecasting, cost control, and fiscal management. The importance of managing control issues and transparency will be addressed.
PP 530 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 5
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Students will examine the political and institu­tional environment of public human resource management. Topics will include the analyses of theories and practices in terms of organizational effectiveness, and ongoing operational issues and how they are shaped and constrained by political considerations. Outsourcing, NGOs, and private/public partnerships will also be explored in resource strategy.
PP 602 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM CAPSTONE 5
COMPREHENSIVE EXAM CAPSTONE
As a final step in the Master of Public Administration, students may choose the nonthesis option and successfully complete a comprehensive exam. This comprehensive exam incorporates the program outcomes of the program. This exam is designed to carefully assess a student’s overall learning in the program. Successful completion of the exam allows both student and faculty to measure and acknowledge a successful learning experience for the student.
Course # Course Title Credits
INTENSIVE STUDY AREA COURSES 25
INTENSIVE STUDY AREA COURSES
    
Course # Course Title Credits
CJ 503 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 5
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
This course presents an in-depth analysis of the various dynamics facing criminal justice organizations in the context of professional practice, including, but not limited to, the theoretical concepts underlying organizational behavior, management and leadership of human resources, and design and structural processes. The scope includes fiscal accountability; personnel deployment; implementation of change; motivation and retention of personnel; the hiring, assignment, and promotion of personnel; organizational communication; professional development; and fundamental legal issues as they pertain to agency operations.
CJ 511 EMPLOYMENT AND POLICY LAW 5
EMPLOYMENT AND POLICY LAW
This course involves the study of specialized topics in substantive and procedural criminal law with a special emphasis on employment law, and how these legal issues impact ethics and leadership in criminal justice organizations. This course is well suited for command-level personnel in response to a variety of potential agency and personal liability issues.
CJ 515 THEORETICAL APPLICATIONS OF JUSTICE MANAGEMENT 5
THEORETICAL APPLICATIONS OF JUSTICE MANAGEMENT
This course provides students with a knowledge base for the practical application of social and psychological principles to the day-to-day administration of criminal justice agencies. It presents an overview of the scope and historical development of organizational psychology, including the virtual workplace and employee. Topics include psychological testing as it relates to employment selection; performance appraisal; training and development; leadership and motivation; job satisfaction and involvement; organizational structure; safety, violence, and health; and stress and occupational health psychology. Future issues in the field are also discussed.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Choose one of the following courses:
CJ 500 CRITICAL LEGAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 5
CRITICAL LEGAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This course involves the study of recent legislation and case law, both state and federal, that impact criminal justice professionals and the administration of criminal justice in the context of professional practice. The topics will depend upon current legal developments, but will include such areas as law enforcement, criminal procedure, civil and criminal liability, civil rights, employment law, substance abuse, corrections, and judicial review of administrative decisions.
CJ 505 CRITICAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 5
CRITICAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
This course will address critical issues affecting the major tenets of the criminal justice profession, including, but not limited to, homeland security, training and education, ethics and morality in professional practice, and community-based law enforcement and corrections programs. Other current trends and any other critical issue facing the fields of policing, private security, and corrections are addressed as needed.
Course # Course Title Credits
FS 500 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES 5
PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
Students will study the concepts and principles of management practices regarding the operation and delivery of public sector fire and emergency services. Topics explored include: organizing and logistics for response, crisis management and planning, risk assessment, agency coordination, and financial administration.
HM 502 RISK, VULNERABILITY, AND CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT METHODS 5
RISK, VULNERABILITY, AND CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT METHODS
The course examines the concepts of risk-based planning and risk management. The assessment and management of vulnerability and risk associated with terrorist and other disaster events are examined. Topics explored include: objectives of and methods for vulnerability and risk assessment for natural disasters, technological hazards, and terrorist threats; concepts of risk perception, risk communication, and risk mitigation; and the requirements and methods of critical infrastructure protection from terrorism, technological disasters, and natural disasters. Students will examine the question and make decisions regarding, "Who or what should be protected and how?"
HM 503 PLANNING AND OPERATIONS IN CRISIS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 5
PLANNING AND OPERATIONS IN CRISIS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
This course examines comprehensive strategic planning for crisis and emergency management. The theory and value of strategic planning are explained and students learn how to develop a comprehensive strategic plan.
Choose one of the following courses:
HM 510 MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS ISSUES FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 5
MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS ISSUES FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
This course will explore hazard mitigation and its role in disaster management. In addition, students will study the planning process, program development, and training methods for responses to man-made and natural emergencies/disasters. Topics include government and private sector programs, new approaches, and mitigation of issues/events.
HM 540 CRISIS INTERVENTION 5
CRISIS INTERVENTION
This course introduces the basic theories and principles of crisis intervention. The emphasis in this course is on identifying and demonstrating appropriate and differential techniques for intervening in various types of disaster and emergency management crisis situations. This course will review empirically validated approaches to crisis intervention. The course will explore the role of law enforcement in crisis situations as well as civilian and public safety personnel behavior under emergency and disaster crisis situations. In addition, assessment and diagnosis of psychological issues commonly found in crisis situations will be examined.
Choose one of the following courses:
PP 612 PROGRAM EVALUATION 5
PROGRAM EVALUATION
In this course, students will learn how to evaluate the models and principles of program evaluation including the analysis of data collection techniques and research principles to conduct a needs analysis. Tools used in program evaluation, including the logic model and the results-based accountability model, will be covered to teach students how to define objectives, benchmarks, and indicators of a program evaluation plan. Additionally, students will develop a program evaluation plan and learn how to analyze the strengths of a plan, as well as the political and ethical implications, and will develop the ability to interpret data and make program recommendations and action steps based on an evaluation plan.
PP 650 PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS 5
PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
The course focuses on the analysis of public policy and approaches to problem solving. Students will study the quantitative and qualitative methods of policy analysis that help public policy and program analysts systematically value decisions and inform the decision-making process. Students will also examine current policy issues from the perspectives of local, state, and federal governments.
Course # Course Title Credits
PP 600 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW 5
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
This course examines the fundamental legal concepts regarding administrative law and the administrative process, and how administrative agencies exercise policy and actions. Students will examine the intergovernmental relations and the political and practical constraints that influence administrative policy.
PP 610 BALANCING THE BUDGET--BUDGETARY PROCESS 5
BALANCING THE BUDGET--BUDGETARY PROCESS
Students will study the fundamental concepts and practices of budgeting and financial management. The budget process and preparation, cost analysis, and budget reform will be covered in detail. Crisis management and balancing the budget are also addressed.
PP 640 POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FORCES 5
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FORCES
Students will explore the interaction of political and economic forces that impact public administrators in governmental and nonprofit sectors. The course will cover fundamental concepts such as marginal analysis, optimization and suboptimization, and ceteris paribus reasoning. Students will use economic reasoning to better explain this interaction between political entities and economic forces including governments' behavioral effects on markets, the role of competition in the provision of public goods, resource allocation, and market failure and government failure.
PP 650 PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS 5
PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
The course focuses on the analysis of public policy and approaches to problem solving. Students will study the quantitative and qualitative methods of policy analysis that help public policy and program analysts systematically value decisions and inform the decision-making process. Students will also examine current policy issues from the perspectives of local, state, and federal governments.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Course # Course Title Credits
LS 605 ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF STATE GOVERNMENT 5
ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF STATE GOVERNMENT
This course will explore the organization of state governments, the function of each primary area, and how they interact. Students will examine functional and dysfunctional government structures and analyze what works and why. In addition, they will examine innovative practices in large bureaucratic structures and best practices and the use of technology tools to improve functioning.
LS 606 LEGISLATIVE PROCESS 5
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
This course examines American legislative institutions at the local, state, and federal levels and the processes that are used to enact new legislation. Legislative bodies pass, on an annual basis, laws that regulate or affect all of our lives. This course will familiarize students with legislative materials. Cases will be used to explore the judicial role in the legislative process.
LS 607 GUBERNATORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS 5
GUBERNATORIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS
In this course, students will engage in the hands-on process of conceptualizing and developing a ruling from an administrative agency. The course will begin with an intensive study of the executive branch of government at the state level and the role of administrative agencies. The instructor and students will work together as if both were actually in roles in a state administrative agency. They will develop a policy issue, review it in light of the goals of the governor's agenda, the relationship to the legislature, and the existing state law, and at the end of the course produce an administrative ruling with supporting memoranda.
PP 650 PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS 5
PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS
The course focuses on the analysis of public policy and approaches to problem solving. Students will study the quantitative and qualitative methods of policy analysis that help public policy and program analysts systematically value decisions and inform the decision-making process. Students will also examine current policy issues from the perspectives of local, state, and federal governments.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Course # Course Title Credits
LS 620 HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS AND FINANCE 5
HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS AND FINANCE
The health care industry is one of the nation's fastest-growing and largest industries. Health care executives, managers, and professionals must possess basic financial competence to govern effectively. This course will introduce students to the foundations of financial literacy to enable them to fulfill their roles.
LS 621 FEDERALISM AND THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM 5
FEDERALISM AND THE HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM
In this course, students will learn about the role of the federal government and the relationship between the federal and state governments in the delivery of health care services. Students will engage in an intensive study of federal statutes, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Stark, and HIPAA, and through that process will gain an understanding of the shared responsibilities in delivering health care. The instructor and students will select a health delivery issue and work through the legal, political, and health care issues involved in resolving that issue.
LS 622 PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS 5
PROFESSIONALS AND HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS
In this course, students will study the contractual, legal, and procedural aspects of the relationship of professionals to health care institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, surgical centers, and drop-in clinics among others. The instructor and students will work through these relationships by simulating the role of a physician seeking hospital privileges, developing a contract between a health care provider and a managed-care organization, and analyzing the roles of health care delivery personnel in a drop-in clinic. The students and instructor will be involved in the development of supporting documents associated with these roles.
PP 620 PUBLIC POLICY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION 5
PUBLIC POLICY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION
This course examines important and current health care policies facing health care administra­tion in the United States. Students will identify the strategic questions facing delivery and financing of health services including policy, funding, management, and delivery.
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE 5
500/600-LEVEL: LEGAL STUDIES ELECTIVE
Total Program Requirements 55
Total Program Requirements

You Could Save Time and Money on Your Kaplan University Degree

Credit for Prior Learning

If you already earned course credits at another institution, you may qualify for transfer credit that can be applied toward your program requirements at Kaplan University. Qualifying transfer credit may reduce your total costs for graduate programs. Refer to the University Catalog for our transfer of credit policy.

Students in the Military

Kaplan University is proud to support our military and veterans in their educational pursuits by offering significantly reduced tuition. Undergraduate program tuition is reduced up to 55 percent for active-duty servicemembers and up to 38 percent for veterans. In addition, Kaplan University participates in the Yellow Ribbon program for all of our graduate programs, and both active-duty servicemembers and veterans are eligible for special tuition rates for these programs. A 10 percent tuition reduction is also available to spouses of active-duty servicemembers. For more information, call 866.583.4412 (Toll Free) to speak to a military Admissions Advisor or visit the Kaplan University military site.

Tuition and Fees

Cost per credit hour $368.00
Total program requirements Master of Public Administration Applied Research Track 55
Total cost of tuition $20,240.00
Cost per credit hour $368.00
Total program requirements Master of Public Administration Comprehensive Exam Track 55
Total cost of tuition $20,240.00
This program requires a $100 technology fee per term. A nonrefundable application fee, depending on your program and as described in the Tuition and Fees Supplement, may be required at the time of enrollment. We encourage you to explore the availability of financial aid and scholarships. For more information, contact an Admissions Advisor.

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*Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
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