Public Administration: Human Rights Advocacy Concentration, (M.P.A.)

Program Overview

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is a professional degree that prepares students for management careers in public and nonprofit organizations. It is an ideal course of study for students who are committed to being public servants and strong leaders in public or nonprofit organizations, and who want to make a positive difference in the world. The MPA program at Adler University collaborates with Adler’s Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice, as well as community-based organizations that help train students to be future leaders, innovators, and managers in the public sector. MPA graduates are prepared by useful, professional experiences and the theoretical foundation needed to challenge and change today’s societal challenges. The program combines rigorous academic instruction with civic-engaged experiences that give students the opportunity for hands-on learning under the supervision of faculty and professionals in the field and offers the best features of traditional graduate education and training in public administration and service, coupled with Adler University’s emphasis on graduates being socially responsible professionals.

The MPA program provides students with the core knowledge and skills in policy implementation, organizational leadership, management, and program development and evaluation; all of which are necessary for work in the public arena, including national, state, and local governments, non-profit organizations, research and consulting firms, community action groups, and direct- service providers  in the United States and around the world. The core objectives of the MPA program include program development, evaluation, and management for organizations wanting strong, ethical leadership and efficient and effective systems of delivery. Core learning outcomes also include public financing; ethics and leadership; economic analysis and policy development; historical and theoretical foundations of the administrative state; organizational theory; and research and evaluation methods.

Students choose from one of the four areas of concentration in Community Health, Criminal Justice, Human Rights Advocacy, or Sustainable Communities. Concentrations are designed to aid students in becoming effective public administration professionals. Concentration courses help advance graduates’ abilities in leadership, advocacy and in the design of public programs and organizations that encourage the growth of a fair and just society. Learning to communicate and interact with diverse groups within a rapidly changing society is essential, as is the ability to articulate and contribute new perspectives in discussions on addressing social, economic, and environmental problems.

MPA Program Objectives

At the completion of this program, the student will be able to:

1. Apply public administration, management models, and organizational theory.
2. Lead, manage, and provide services within a diverse workplace and to a diverse citizenry.
3. Perform program evaluations and forecasting.
4. Apply concepts of social equity to public affairs, administration, and policy.
5. Work within the institutional, structural, and political contexts of policy implementation.
6. Prepare a budget reflecting policy and organizational priorities.
7. Understand the relationship between policy formation and public services.
8. Manage public-private partnerships.
9. Communicate effectively in both oral and written form tailored to the diverse audiences addressed in public service.

Human Rights Advocacy Concentration

The Human Rights Advocacy concentration focuses on providing students with the historical, theoretical, and technical tools necessary for advocacy and leadership positions in government, nonprofit agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. This concentration educates students on human rights laws, issues, and effective and efficient  implementation of policy solutions through a variety of culturally appropriate approaches.

The curriculum includes courses that provide students with a critical understanding of human rights issues, methods of analysis used to analyze human rights abuses, current policy and services, and impact assessments. The coursework’s outcome is for students to fully understand the operationalization of the right to health for all humans and the consequences when human rights are not considered. The goal is to produce graduates who have the skills to be strong leaders and advocates for change with the ability to do so in a just and fair manner.

Concentration Objectives

1. Explain the historical and theoretical perspectives of human rights, laws, issues, and effective and efficient implementation of culturally proper policies.
2. Apply technical tools and methods (needs assessments, community organizing, etc.) necessary for advocacy and leadership positions in government, nonprofit agencies, and nongovernmental organizations.

Social Justice Practicum (SJP)

The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, nonclinical and non-discipline specific experiential practicum that occurs during the fall and spring terms. The SJP is an anchor of student learning at Adler University, where our academic institution and community partners unite to educate and equip students with skills to become agents of social change. The purpose of this practicum is twofold: (1) to assist community agencies in their work toward equity for all members of our community, and (2) to enable students to gain knowledge, skills, and perspectives around social justice strategies needed to build a more equitable society.

The SJP is designed to help students learn how to work alongside communities, and it serves as a catalyst for students to develop their own strengths and understand their lifelong responsibility in making a contribution toward social change and social equity.

During this practicum, students gain, maintain, and strengthen connection to community by developing critical problem solving skills necessary to be socially responsible practitioners.

Students must complete their practicum by the last day of spring term. SJP requirements include: (1) completion of a minimum of 200 hours; (2) attendance at a monthly Campus Community Engagement workshop; and (3) a formal SJP presentation at the Annual Community Engagement Symposium. Students must also receive a grade of “Pass” for the midterm and final evaluation to receive credit for completing the SJP.

The SJP may not be waived and life credit is not admissible to meet this requirement.

Instruction Modality

The MPA program is designed to support working students with courses being offered during evening hours in fall and spring semesters and during summer terms, evenings and one weekend class per summer session. Full-time students complete the degree in one year taking four classes during fall, spring, and summer semesters. Part-time students complete the program in two years taking two courses during fall, spring, and “summer semesters.

Minimum Admission Requirements

Applicants to this program must have:

• A baccalaureate degree earned from a college or university regionally accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or an equivalent degree from an international college or university.
• A minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate and graduate coursework. Exceptions may be made for applicants who demonstrate outstanding academic performance or academic ability in other ways.

For approved applicants, an invitation is extended for a personal interview with the department’s Program Director as the final step in the application process.

Graduation Requirements:

• Satisfactory completion of all required credit hours, including all required courses
• Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 200 hours of a social justice practicum
• Successful completion of an applied research project
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and no more than two grades or six credit hours of C
• Submission of completed Graduation Application and full payment of all outstanding tuition and fees
• Successful completion of Social Justice Practicum I and II
• Faculty approval for graduation and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for the conferral of the Master of Public Administration