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Indiana University

MPA Core Curriculum | SPEA

SPEA would not be one of the best MPA programs without an astounding core curriculum.  SPEA’s MPA core ensures that each student acquires both the prerequisite analytical skills and an understanding of policy issues and governmental processes that compose the environment within which graduates will pursue their careers. These fundamental skills are transferable among a wide variety of professional fields. The core courses are:
  • Public Management (V502)
  • Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (V506)
  • Public Management Economics (V517)
  • Law and Public Affairs (V540)
  • Public Finance and Budgeting (V560)
  • Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (V600)

The final core course, Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs, is a culminating experience for the MPA program. Students usually work in groups for the capstone, which is a semester-long, detailed analysis of a policy or management issue, often undertaken for a real-world client in the public or nonprofit sector. Several capstone topics are offered each year. Some recent capstones include:

  • creation of an economic development strategy for the German state of Thuringen
  • green building design
  • developing fiscal management strategies for financially troubled nonprofits
  • pesticide reduction programs in preschool and daycare facilities
  • education policy in northwest Indiana
  • water quality issues resulting from improper sewage treatment in small communities
  • analysis of labor practices of public and nonprofit organizations