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Academics < Masters Degree < Degrees < MPA

Master of Public Affairs


SPEA's Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program is an integrated course of study providing knowledge and experience used by the professional in various roles within a changing society. Unlike a theory-based or research degree, the MPA degree has an applied focus that teaches students to address society's complex problems from an interdisciplinary perspective. Thus, students are taught by faculty members with backgrounds in political science, economics, policy analysis, management science, law, international affairs, environmental policy, and other significant public policy areas.

The MPA is a two-year, 48-credit-hour program consisting of three components:

  1. A core curriculum of management, statistics, microeconomics, law, and budgeting courses.
  2. A concentration area.
  3. An internship or research program.

The MPA program is designed to produce graduates who have the skills needed to be successful and take on leadership roles in an ever-changing job market. Our degree programs produce graduates who can work well with teams of professionals and can effectively communicate and work with colleagues in a wide variety of disciplines. Our graduates leave with strong problem-solving skills and a sound interdisciplinary context, which allow them to hit the ground running as they enter their new careers.

The Core Curriculum


The MPA core is designed to ensure 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 have included:

  • creation of an economic development strategy for the German state of Thuringen
  • green building design
  • developing fiscal management strategies for financially troubled nonprofits
  • case studies of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
  • 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

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Concentration areas


Concentrations give students educational experiences in a substantive area of interest. The course of study in each concentration area is determined in conjunction with an advisor. Many of our students choose to pursue more than one concentration. The public affairs concentration areas are:


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Experiential Requirement


Each MPA student must obtain professionally relevant experience through one of the following options: an approved internship; an independent or group research project (V590 or V601); or the award of credit for prior professional experience or volunteer service. The internship is the most frequently selected option and usually takes place during the summer. SPEA’s Office of Career Services assists students with the internship process.

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Faculty Expertise


Master of Public Affairs students interact with top-notch faculty through classroom experiences, advising relationships, and assistantship opportunities. SPEA boasts more than 35 full-time MPA faculty, and the school also has more than a dozen environmental science faculty teaching in the Master of Science in Environmental Science program. The large size of the faculty and its breadth of expertise and experience provide unmatched diversity and the opportunity for students to explore many topics in great depth.

In addition to being excellent teachers, our faculty are engaged around the world in applied research and service which has resulted in significant impacts on both the public and nonprofit sectors. Through their publications and activities, faculty members in SPEA have contributed to improvements in personnel management, the implementation and impact of environmental policy, aviation safety, the ethics and legal aspects of health care, the quality and process of economic development, the practice and impact of public finance and budgeting, the process and product of managing nonprofit organizations, the effectiveness of urban service delivery, the quality of community policing, the emergence of democratic government in the former Soviet Union and across the globe, and development policies and practices of the World Bank and the Agency for International Development. Yet, this is but a small sample of the extensive impacts of the faculty's activities at all levels of government and management. Their wide-ranging research and service activities provide a practical grounding in the classroom, where they educate students in not only the theories of public affairs, but their practical and professional applications.

Profiles of our Public Affairs faculty may be viewed here

Admission


Applications for admission are processed on a rolling basis. Students wishing to receive priority consideration for financial aid should apply by February 1. Each application is considered on an individual basis to determine whether the applicant is well-prepared to enter the MPA program. No specific prerequisite courses are required; however, college level math and statistics are strongly recommended. Other recommendations are familiarity with basic computer applications, government, and microeconomics. Prospective students are welcome to contact the Graduate Program Office with any questions about their academic preparedness.

Further information about the application process can be found here.

Financial Aid


SPEA offers financial assistance for qualified students. Aid in the form of stipends and tuition remission are awarded on a competitive basis and determined by merit. Awards for new and continuing students include teaching and research assistantships as well as special SPEA Service Corps internships with local agencies. SPEA also affords special financial aid opportunities to qualified returning Peace Corps, Teach For America, and AmeriCorps volunteers.

Last year approximately 45 percent of the incoming class received some form of merit-based financial aid from SPEA. Several other students received outside funding through direct hiring by faculty members for research work or from other departments on campus.

Students may apply for need-based federal aid through the university’s Office of Student Financial Assistance. Other sources of funding may be found here.

Joint Degree Programs


Joint degree programs allow students to combine the Master of Public Affairs with other graduate degrees offered by Indiana University. These programs are designed to provide students with the benefits and credentials of both degrees in a more compressed timeframe than if the two degrees were pursued separately.

Many students who are interested in both environmental policy and science take advantage of SPEA’s signature joint program, the MPA/MSES, which combines the MPA with SPEA’s Master of Science in Environmental Science program.

Students interested in both public affairs and law may opt for the joint MPA/JD program offered in conjunction with the School of Law.

A number of area studies joint programs enable students to combine the MPA with a Master of Arts degree in the language and culture of a specific world region. Joint MPA/Area Studies programs are currently available with African American and African Diaspora Studies, Central Eurasian Studies, East Asian Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Russian and East European Studies, and West European Studies.

SPEA also offers joint degree programs with Journalism, Information Science, and Library Science. Please see the joint degree page for a complete list of joint degree programs offered by SPEA.

For further information about any of the programs described here, please contact the Graduate Program Office.

Comparative and International Affairs


The Comparative and International Affairs concentration opens two distinctive perspectives for the master’s student.

First, the comparative dimension of the concentration will allow you to put your own system and experiences into a greater context. Through the process of comparing U.S. public policy with that of other countries, we are better able to see the underlying principles and historical processes, and thus, may have a clearer idea of what we can learn from others and how to go about usefully sharing our experiences with them.

The international dimension of the concentration emphasizes the fact that we do not operate in a vacuum: the public sector is increasingly subject to forces that do not originate in the United States. Certainly, decisions you will make as a professional in the public sector related to trade or emissions, for example, will have an impact far beyond our country’s borders.

The world into which you are going will likely be almost unrecognizable by the time you are at the height of your career. The Comparative and International Affairs concentration in the Master of Public Affairs program can help assure that you are ready to meet that world.

Curriculum for the Comparative and International Affairs Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Comparative and International Affairs concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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 Comparative and International Affairs concentration builds on this foundation with three required courses. The first of these courses — Introduction to Comparative and International Affairs (V578) — surveys the broad range and variety of concerns in political economy, trade, conflict, and the environment.

A second course, Economic Development, Globalization, and Entrepreneurship (V669), examines the forces of globalization and economic integration as they impact local- and regional-scale actors and institutions.

A third course, Comparative Public Management and Administration (V575), illuminates the wider context for public management and administration in the United States through the use of comparative methods and case material.

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. With the approval of a Comparative and International Affairs advisor, students may select from many elective options, including the following:

  • Vector-based Geographic Information Systems (E518)
  • Application of Geographic Information Systems (E529)
  • Environmental Risk Analysis (E560)
  • Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (V507)
  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Database Management Systems (V519)
  • Management Science for Public Affairs (V539)
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (V541)
  • Public Program Evaluation (V562)
  • Seminar in Revenue Theory and Administration (V609)
  • Seminar in Government Budget and Program Analysis (V610)
  • Seminar in Urban Economic Development (V622)
  • Environmental Economics and Policy (V625)
  • Seminar in Public Capital and Debt Theory (V667)
  • International Environmental Policy (E535)
  • Intergovernmental Systems Management (V518)
  • Environmental Management in the Tropics (V574)
  • Approaches to Development (V576)
  • International Economic Strategies and Trade Policy (V577)
  • Democratization and Transition in Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States (V589)
  • Global Health Issues and Management (V592)
  • Sustainable Development (V596)
  • Civil Society in Comparative Perspective (V524)
  • Government Regulation in Market Economies (V510)
  • Area studies and/or language studies courses

Students may satisfy one of the electives with an overseas study experience. Overseas Study Experiences include individualized experiences that students develop independently or any of the numerous overseas programs currently administered by Indiana University area studies programs and the Office of International Programs in cooperation with SPEA, including programs in Africa, Asia, Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Latin America.

Students may also elect to complete an Individualized Internship for credit. Individualized Internships include internships performed in academic, governmental, or professional organizations overseas. Relevant internships completed at U.S.-based organizations may also qualify, for example, internships in U.S. offices of international organizations or in international affairs offices of state or federal government agencies.

For complete details of the Comparative and International Affairs curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships


Each year, the United States Department of Education awards Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships to universities to promote the graduate training of students who intend to make their careers in college or university teaching, government service, or other employment where knowledge of foreign cultures is a prerequisite for success. These fellowships are especially attractive to students pursuing the Comparative and International Affairs concentration or one of SPEA’s joint degree programs in area studies. Approximately 800 FLAS Fellowships are distributed nationally, and generally five Indiana University programs—African Studies, East Asian Studies, the Russian and East European Institute, Central Eurasian Studies, and Western European Studies—apply to Washington for institutional FLAS funding. A FLAS application and further information are available at http://www.indiana.edu/~flas.

Special arrangements for fulfillment of course requirements will be made for FLAS fellowship students, in consultation with the student's academic advisor and the Graduate Program Office.

International Internship-Study-Research Scholarship


The SPEA Scholarship for International Internship-Study-Research offers awards of up to $2,500 on a competitive basis for master's students seeking support to pursue relevant international experiential and/or academic opportunities that will enhance their degree programs in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Scholarships are funded by SPEA and support student-directed off-campus international activities in areas that do not duplicate opportunities or coursework available through the applicant's home campus. Upon return to SPEA, the recipient is required to share with the SPEA community his or her experience made possible, in part, by the award. Only current SPEA master’s students are eligible. For further information, please contact the Graduate Program Office.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of comparative and international affairs and publish in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of policy and management tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants to a broad range of activities on the local, state, national, and international levels. Please see SPEA's Global Initiatives to learn more.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Comparative and International Affairs and other concentrations offered by SPEA—such as Economic Development or Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management—offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
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Economic Development


The Economic Development concentration focuses on the strategic management of places: neighborhoods, villages, cities, rural regions, states, countries, or even groups of countries. While the geographic and political dimensions may vary, there is a common policy concern: how to manage and develop assets and resources to improve the quality of life and standard of living in a sustainable manner. The context may vary between developed and less developed or rural and urban areas, but the policy focus on creating positive and sustainable change is the same.

In this concentration you'll learn the theory and the tools, as well as the practical skills, that enable you to pursue a career in economic development. You'll also learn about economic development policy across a broad range of contexts and settings, taking advantage of case studies and insights provided both locally and globally. In the Economic Development concentration, you'll learn what works and what doesn't, and how the context makes a difference.

This concentration provides a great basis for launching careers involving economic development. Such career opportunities are abundant at virtually every level of government. In addition, the Economic Development concentration also provides a platform for careers in the private sector, since many companies partner with economic development agencies. Examples of organizations that hire economic development specialists include:

  • Indiana Economic Development Council
  • Monroe County Economic Development Commission
  • State Rural Economic Development Office
  • Council of Great Lakes Governors
  • Science, Technology and Economic Policy Board of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences
  • Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

Curriculum for the Economic Development Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Economic Development concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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 concentration includes three required courses which provide the fundamental theories and tools of economic development:

  • Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (V507)
  • Seminar in Urban Economic Development (V622)
  • Economic Development, Globalization and Entrepreneurship (V669)

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. For example, while some Economic Development students will pursue a concentration focusing on the strategic management of U.S. cities, other students will focus more on rural regions. With the approval of an Economic Development advisor, students may select from many elective options, including the following:

  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (V541)
  • The Planning Process (V563)
  • Urban Management (V564)
  • Public Financial Administration (V567)
  • Management of Urban Government Services (V568)
  • Introduction to Comparative and International Affairs (V578)
  • Analytical Methods in Planning and Policy Analysis (V593)
  • Seminar in Revenue Theory and Administration (V609)
  • Seminar in Government Budget and Program Analysis (V610)
  • Seminar in Public Capital and Debt Theory (V667)

For complete details of the Economic Development curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of economic development and publish in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of economic development tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants to a broad range of economic development activities on the local and state levels, as well as internationally.

Institute for Development Strategies


The Institute for Development Strategies is a valuable resource and focal point for students choosing the Economic Development concentration. The Institute for Development Strategies, sponsored by the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, the Office of Research, and the University Graduate School, is a university-wide research program linking faculty resources from various departments and campuses and integrating them with external projects and research being undertaken elsewhere in this country and in other countries.

The institute is interdisciplinary and focuses on research to promote economic development at the city, regional, national, and international levels. A particular focus of the institute is on the links between globalization, entrepreneurship, and the strategic management of regions to promote economic development. The Institute also serves as the editorial office of one of the leading scholarly journals on entrepreneurship and economic development policies, Small Business Economics: An International Journal.

The Institute for Development Strategies has a series of Visiting Research Scholars, organizes conferences and seminars, and interacts with a wide spectrum of research partners located throughout the world. Examples of major research projects undertaken by the Institute for Development Strategies were sponsored by:

  • The Southern Indiana Business Alliance to evaluate the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division
  • The World Bank to analyze the impact of technological diffusion in Mexico
  • The National Academy of Sciences to evaluate the impact of the Small Business Innovation Research Program
  • The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development to analyze the links between entrepreneurship and economic development
  • The National Research Council to evaluate the prospects of a technology park at the Ames NASA site in California

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Economic Development and other concentrations offered by SPEA - such as Comparative and International Affairs or Local Government Management - offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
Top of page


Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management


Environmental Problem-Solving

Today, the world confronts many of the same major environmental problems it did in the early 1970s when Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) opened its doors. But while we remain a country—and planet—challenged by environmental problems, we are advancing our knowledge of what causes them and our means for combating them.

Developing the skills to better understand and manage environmental problems is the core concern of the Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management concentration within the Master of Public Affairs program at SPEA. The concentration is about applied problem-solving; it is neither a survey of different environmental problems nor a series of abstractions about policy-making and management. Our instructors are leading scholars and practitioners in their fields. They conduct applied research and service activities in locations small and large around the globe. They are serving clients as varied as urban planners in Bloomington and environmental agencies in Europe and Asia, and tackling problems as diverse as the monitoring of PCBs in surface water and the negotiation of international agreements on forest management.

Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management is a rigorous course of study that integrates skill-based courses in public policy, management, and environmental affairs with training in the environmental sciences. The concentration includes coursework in data analysis and modeling, environmental economics and policy, environmental resource management and policy, and environmental law. These courses are complemented by more specialized policy and management coursework such as environmental risk analysis, geographic information systems, benefit-cost analysis, intergovernmental systems management, and other policy analysis and tool-based courses. Additionally, students develop a core area of knowledge in a particular environmental or natural resource-based sub-discipline, such as lake and watershed management, forest ecology, environmental chemistry, hazardous materials, or other environmental or resource-based media.

Careers in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management


Graduates with the Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management concentration assume management positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in local and state agencies, federal government, corporations, consulting firms, international and intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental and community-based organizations. Here is a sampling of recent placements:

  • Associate, ICF Consulting, Fairfax, VA
  • Senior Environmental Officer, Agency for International Development, Washington, DC
  • Public Utilities Specialist, Bonneville Power Administration, Vancouver, WA
  • Project Scientist, TRC Consulting, Chicago, IL
  • Energy Policy Analyst, City of Portland, Portland, OR
  • Environmental Specialist, Science Applications International Corporation, Reston, VA
  • Ecoassociate, Environmental Careers Organizations, Washington, DC
  • Assistant Project Manager, International City/County Management Association, Washington, DC
  • Urban Program Manager, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Soil and Water Division, Fredericksburg, VA
  • Program Analyst, Booz Allen Hamilton, Washington, DC
  • Environmental Policy Analyst, Government Accountability Office, Washington, DC
  • Research Fellow, Resources for the Future, Washington, DC
  • Wind Energy and Environmental Dispute Resolution Specialist, Resolve, Incorporated, Washington, DC
  • Environmental Scientist, Safety Kleen Corporation, Boulder, CO

Curriculum for the Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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 concentration includes two required courses which introduce students to the fundamentals of environmental policy and natural resource management:

  • Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (V507)
  • Environmental Economics and Policy (V625)
  • Natural Resource Management and Policy (V643)
  • Environmental Law (V645)

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. With the approval of a Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management advisor, students may select from many elective options, including the following:

  • Environmental Risk Analysis (E560)
  • Government Regulation in Market Economies (V510)
  • Public Policy Process (V512)
  • Intergovernmental Systems Management (V518)
  • Management Science for Public Affairs (V539)
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (V541)
  • Law, Public Management, and Public Policy (V640)
  • Environmental Chemistry (E536)
  • Aquatic Chemistry (E539)
  • Hazardous Materials (E542)
  • Environmental Engineering (E552)
  • Fisheries and Wildlife Management (E460)
  • Fisheries and Wildlife Management Laboratory (E461)
  • Applied Ecology (E527)
  • Forest Ecology and Management (E528)
  • Ecosystem Structure and Function (BIOL L575)

For complete details of the Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of environmental policy and natural resource management and publish in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of policy and management tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants to a broad range of environmental activities on the local, state, and national levels.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management and other concentrations offered by SPEA—such as Nonprofit Management or Comparative and International Affairs—offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
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Information Systems


The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) was one of the country's first schools of public administration to offer an Information Systems concentration in its Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program. Designed to address the growing gap between the demand for and supply of graduates with information systems skills, the concentration focuses on the application of information technology to complex problems in organizational and environmental affairs.

According to U.S. government projections, the deficit between the demand for information systems specialists and the supply is estimated conservatively at 250,000 positions—a figure that is expected to dramatically increase in the new millennium.

The Information Systems concentration prepares students for a variety of positions in both the public and private sectors:

  • chief information officers
  • systems analysts
  • systems designers
  • database administrators
  • Webmasters
  • e-commerce and e-service providers
  • end-user support managers
  • project managers

Students are encouraged to broaden their educational experiences and gain a competitive edge in the job market by integrating Information Systems with other concentrations in the MPA program in order to strengthen their technical skills in a variety of applied areas.

Curriculum for the Information Systems Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Information Systems concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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 concentration includes three required courses which provide the fundamental theories and tools of information systems as applied to the public sector:
  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Database Management Systems (V519)
  • a course in Geographic Information Systems (either E518 or V550)
SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. Within the Information Systems concentration, electives are divided into four broad categories addressing various applications of information technology. Elective options include:

Group A: Geographic Information Systems

  • Vector-based Geographic Information Systems (E518)
  • Applied Remote Sensing of the Environment (E519)
  • Application of Geographic Information Systems (E529)
  • Topics in Public Affairs (GIS only) (V550)

Group B: Decision Support and Analysis

  • Topics in Environmental Science: Computing Methods for Environmental Science (E555)
  • Environmental Risk Analysis (E560)
  • Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (V507)
  • Management Science for Public Affairs (V539)
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (V541)

Group C: Design and Management of Information Systems

  • Strategic Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (V602)
  • Design of Information Systems (V611)
  • Implementation of Information Systems (V613)

Group D: Networking and Telecommunications

  • Foundations of Business Telecommunications (BUS S515)
  • The Information Industry (SLIS L561)
  • Computerization in Society (SLIS L564)
  • Information Architecture for the Web (SLIS L571)

Graduate courses that address issues in information technology, such as programming and the digital economy, are offered in other campus units such as the Department of Computer Science, the School of Informatics, the Kelley School of Business, and the School of Library and Information Science. Students may choose to take one of these electives with the approval of an Information Systems advisor.

For complete details of the Information Systems curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of information systems. In addition to their extensive academic credentials, they have significant practical experience as consultants for public and private sector organizations. Some of their areas of expertise are geographic information systems (GIS), database management systems, decision support systems, and collaborative computing.

Technology Resources


One of only a handful of labs in the U.S. capable of multiple-user training, the GIS Laboratory at SPEA features the most advanced technology to manage, analyze, and display spatial data for scientific and policy research. The lab is operated by the Midwestern Regional Center for Global Environmental Change. Also available exclusively to SPEA graduate students is a well-equipped lab in the SPEA building with networked computers, printers, and other hardware. Other general access labs with networked computers loaded with up-to-date software packages are available to students both at SPEA and around the campus. Free e-mail accounts, access to the Web, easy access from home, and discounted prices on popular software applications (Microsoft Office, for instance, may be downloaded for free) are some of the other technology resources available to all IU students.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Information Systems and other concentrations offered by SPEA—such as Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management or Public Financial Administration —offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
Top of page


Nonprofit Management


Designed for individuals who have or wish to assume leadership positions in nonprofit organizations, the Nonprofit Management concentration serves as an excellent graduate option if you aspire to serve in the nonprofit sector, a government agency that deals extensively with nonprofits, or the philanthropy field.

In the nonprofit concentration, you'll gain the skills, knowledge, and contacts most relevant for a professional career in the nonprofit sector. The core requirements for the MPA degree provide a strong management and policy base. The concentration addresses the distinctive features and practices of nonprofit organizations and emphasizes management techniques helpful to nonprofit leaders.

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) also offers a 15-credit-hour nonprofit management certificate designed to serve individuals who would like exposure to the nonprofit sector and management issues but who do not wish to pursue a degree. The certificate program is offered in a traditional format as well as an online version.

Outstanding Assets


The MPA in Nonprofit Management offers these outstanding assets:

  • A large number of nationally recognized faculty who are involved in closely related research and service areas such as community development, environmental management, international affairs, civic leadership, arts management, arbitration, fundraising, compensation, motivation, liability, city management, and organizational development.
  • School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) faculty who have earned international reputations for their research, teaching, and consultation with world, national, state, and local leaders.
  • High-profile players from the public and private sectors who enrich SPEA’s programs through colloquia and appointments as adjunct faculty.
  • Affiliation with the Center on Philanthropy. The Center, established in 1987, is the nation's most comprehensive academic resource dedicated to education, research, and public service in philanthropy.
  • Ability to pursue a professional certificate through The Fund Raising School, a premier institution offering workshops for fund development practitioners. SPEA's fund development course is accepted by The Fund Raising School as satisfying one of the certificate requirements.
  • Through faculty contacts, exposure to a national and international network of both individuals and associations in the nonprofit sector, an ideal source for internship, job contacts, and professional affiliation.
  • There's a distinctive opportunity to develop strengths in specialized fields by completing a double concentration in nonprofit management and such other areas as environmental policy and natural resource management, comparative and international affairs, policy analysis, and financial administration.

Curriculum for the Nonprofit Management Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Nonprofit Management concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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 concentration includes two required courses which introduce students to the fundamentals of nonprofit management:

  • The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (V521)
  • Management in the Nonprofit Sector (V525)

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. With the approval of a Nonprofit Management advisor, students may select from many elective options, including the following:

  • Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations (V522)
  • Civil Society and Public Policy (V523)
  • Civil Society in Comparative Perspective (V524)
  • Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (V526)
  • Fund Development for Nonprofits (V558)
  • Strategic Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (V602)
  • Legal Aspects of Philanthropy (EDUC C595)
  • Special Topics: History of Philanthropy in the West (offered in Indianapolis) (HIST H509)
  • Seminar in U.S. History: History of American Philanthropy (HIST H750)
  • Public Relations in Nonprofits (JOUR J531)
  • Seminar in the Nonprofit Corporation (LAW L794)
  • Ethics of Philanthropy (REL R770)
  • International Economic Strategies and Trade Policy (V577)
  • Seminar in Urban Economic Development (V622)
  • Museum Management (AADM Y525)
  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (V541)
  • Public Program Evaluation (V562)
  • Managing Interpersonal Relations (V569)

For complete details of the Nonprofit Management curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of nonprofit management and publish in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of nonprofit management tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants to a broad range of nonprofit management activities on the local, state, and national levels.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Nonprofit Management and other concentrations offered by SPEA – such as Economic Development or Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management – offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
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Policy Analysis


Policy analysts assist the public choice process by providing accurate and actionable research and information designed to address society's complex political, social, and technical problems. The intent of policy analysis is not to produce "correct" solutions for society's problems, but to improve decision-making through effective management of information.

Policy analysts or policy "wonks" address complex problems by breaking them into components and applying a full range of quantitative and qualitative analytic techniques, including operations research, benefit-cost analysis, and program evaluation. The policy analysis portfolio consists of a working knowledge of the policy process, analytic techniques, policy design, and at least one substantive issue area.

Policy analysis preparation in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) is problem-focused, action-oriented, and interdisciplinary. Students who choose the Policy Analysis concentration will acquire a diverse set of "tools skills" that can be applied in a variety of fields such as social welfare policy, environmental policy, regulation, and international policy. Students learn which methodologies are appropriate for various situations, how to design applied studies, and how to develop action-oriented plans and guidelines. Students trained in policy analysis, therefore, have the ability to change the substantive content of their jobs over the life of their careers.

Careers in Policy Analysis


Policy analysis careers are defined and developed in two basic ways. One choice is to become a producer of policy analysis in the form of special studies and formal research projects designed to collect, analyze, and summarize findings from primary data collection. Individuals who produce policy analysis might pursue careers in:

  • Policy and planning offices of public and nonprofit agencies
  • Think tanks
  • Consulting firms
  • University institutes
  • Legislative oversight bodies

SPEA policy analysis alumni are now pursuing such careers as:

  • Social Science Analyst, National Institute of Justice
  • Social Policy Analyst and Budget Information Management Specialist, U.S. Office of Management and Budget
  • Analyst, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Research and Legal Analysts, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Transportation Policy Analyst, U.S. Government Accountability Office
  • Human Resource Development Manager, U.S. Government Accountability Office
  • Systems Analyst, Exxon
  • Senior Policy Analyst, Council of Great Lakes Governors
  • Senior Telecommunications Analyst, Indiana Public Utilities Commission
  • Senior Associate, Decision Analysis Corporation
  • Policy Analyst, U.S. Mint
  • Operations Research Analyst, Energy Information Administration

Other policy analysis alumni are consumers of policy analysis and research. A rich assortment of career choices is available in the broad field of applying and communicating policy information as part of the policy process. SPEA graduates are employed in a variety of jobs attached to policy-making institutions and agencies that dispense policy information:

  • Deputy Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Professional Staff, National Security Committee, U.S. House of Representatives
  • Professional Staff, Wisconsin Legislature
  • Congressional Liaison, Federal Aviation Administration
  • Executive Director, Water Infrastructure Financing Authority
  • Commercial Officer, Airport Authority of Hong Kong
  • Vice President Southeast, National Wildlife Federation
  • Director, Ministry of Transportation, South Korea
  • Legislative Advocate, California Public Interests
  • Section Chief, Ministry of Environment, South Korea

Curriculum for the Policy Analysis Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Policy Analysis concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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)

To further develop students’ analytical skills, the concentration includes a required course in advanced quantitative analysis (V507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs). Students also select two of the following three skills courses:

  • Management Science for Public Affairs (V539)
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (V541)
  • Public Program Evaluation (V562)

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective policy courses to meet individual objectives. In effect, students design their concentrations bearing in mind their own substantive policy interests and the sorts of career opportunities they hope to capture. With the approval of a Policy Analysis advisor, students may select from many elective options, including the following:

  • Government Regulation in Market Economies (V510)
  • The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (V521)
  • Management Science for Public Affairs (V539)
  • Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (V541)
  • Negotiation and Dispute Resolution for Public Affairs (V547)
  • Topics in Public Affairs (V550)
  • Public Program Evaluation (V562)
  • Environmental Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice (V565)
  • International Economic Strategies and Trade Policy (V577)
  • Seminar in Urban Economic Development (V622)
  • Environmental Economics and Policy (V625)
  • Law, Public Management, and Public Policy (V640)
  • Economic Development, Globalization, and Entrepreneurship (V669)

For complete details of the Policy Analysis curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of public policy and publish in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of analytical tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants on a broad range of policy issues on the local, state, national, and international levels.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Policy Analysis and other concentrations offered by SPEA – such as Comparative and International Affairs or Information Systems – offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
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Public Financial Administration


Preparing Leaders for Success in Public Financial Administration

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) is a global leader in public finance education, research, and government service. Students concentrating in Public Financial Administration enjoy the advantages of this leadership position as they embark on their professional careers, whether in the United States or in other countries, in national or subnational government, or in the public or private sectors.

Education. The School offers undergraduate, professional master's, and doctoral specializations in public financial administration and its faculty participate in government finance training programs for in-career professionals working for both American and foreign governments. The education forms a strong base for development and acceleration of careers in government finance and budgeting, applied program and policy analysis, and management in public, private, and nonprofit organizations throughout the world. The professional distinction of our faculty, the great success of our alumni, and the hands-on nature of our professional degree programs ensure a high demand for our graduates.

Research. SPEA's faculty are undertaking leading-edge research in a wide range of government finance areas and publishing that research in the best public finance journals. Indeed, the leading journal in the field, Public Budgeting and Finance, is currently edited at Indiana. Current faculty research projects include work with new performance budgeting, property and sales taxation in domestic and international settings, government finance in the states of the former Soviet Union, environmental finance, and the finance of economic development.

Professional Service. School faculty regularly accept government service assignments, foreign and domestic, sometimes on leave from their university assignments and sometimes along with their university activities. These practical experiences, sometimes done with the assistance of advanced public finance students, enrich their work with students and ensure the relevance of what they teach to the world of practice.

Careers in Public Financial Administration


SPEA prides itself in graduating students who can become productive finance and budgeting employees immediately, without a long learning period. That is the result of the applied and experiential nature of our advanced courses. Students learn how government finance is done, not just the theoretical concepts that might be implemented under certain conditions. Our graduates are beginning professionals, not students, by the end of the degree program. That is because our faculty, along with being serious and productive scholars, are in the field, applying their ideas to governmental practices throughout the world. SPEA’s public finance graduates are employed in a wide array of positions. These include the usual Federal suspects (GAO, OMB, CBO, Treasury, agency budget shops), state and local budget agencies (executive and legislative), city management, state revenue departments, international organizations (IMF, World Bank, UNDP, etc.), foreign governments, investment banks, rating agencies, and Big Five accounting firms. Recent placements include:

  • Fiscal Analyst, Arizona Legislative Budget Office
  • Municipal Bond Analyst, State Farm
  • Program Analyst, Government Accountability Office
  • Program Examiner, U.S. Office of Management and Budget
  • Budget/Tax Analyst, Indiana State Budget Agency
  • Financial Analyst, H.J. Umbaugh & Associates
  • Director of Policy Research, Indiana Department of Revenue
  • Bank Examiner, Central Bank of Haiti
  • Heritage Finance Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy
  • Director of Tax Review, Indiana State Board of Tax Commissioners
  • Government Affairs Specialist, Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
  • Financial and Administration Coordinator, City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs


Curriculum for the Public Financial Administration Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students concentrating in Public Financial Administration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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 core courses address many of the fundamental tools of public financial administration. However, a public finance practitioner needs much more than this, and the advanced courses offered by SPEA build on that core foundation. Public Financial Administration students take one of two skills courses (either V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies or V542 Governmental Financial Accounting and Reporting) and also select three of the following courses:

  • Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (V507)
  • Seminar in Revenue Theory and Administration (V609)
  • Seminar in Government Budget and Program Analysis (V610)
  • Seminar in Public Capital and Debt Theory (V667)

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. With the approval of a Public Financial Administration advisor, students may select from many elective options, including the following:

  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Public Program Evaluation (V562)
  • Public Sector Labor Relations (V570)

For complete details of the Public Financial Administration curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Dual Concentrations


Our graduates have found that a double concentration with Public Financial Administration affords them improved entry into careers of their choice. Dual concentrations with other concentrations offered by SPEA, for example – Comparative and International Affairs, Policy Analysis, or Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management – provide unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public policy. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of their student programs.

Special Fellowship Opportunities for the Public Finance Concentration


In addition to other financial aid opportunities provided by SPEA, public finance students are eligible to be considered for the Eads Fellowship. The Eads Fellowship provides financial assistance and support for graduate students in SPEA who are United States citizens and who are concentrating in public financial administration. Preference will be given to students expressing a high degree of interest in pursuing a career in the public sector. Prospective recipients will satisfy the following criteria:

  1. S/he should express an interest in concentrating in public financial administration in the Master of Public Affairs program in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Bloomington
  2. S/he should express a strong interest in a career in public service
  3. S/he should be a citizen of the United States
  4. S/he should possess a superior academic record

For further information about the availability of and the criteria for an Eads Fellowship, please contact the Coordinator of Graduate Recruitment, Tom Sparrenberger, at tsparren@indiana.edu.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
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Public Management


The Public Management concentration gives students the knowledge, skills, and experiences appropriate for management positions in a variety of public, private, and nonprofit settings. Students will develop skills in strategic thinking, planning, and management, personnel relations, technology, and the design, operation, and evaluation of successful work systems.

Careers


The Public Management concentration prepares students for a variety of careers. The following are a few examples of positions held by our graduates:

  • Assistant Administrator, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
  • Dispute Resolution Coordinator, American Bar Association
  • Town Manager, Avon, Indiana
  • Budget Director, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Senior Health Policy Analyst, U.S. Government Accountability Office
  • Registrar, Oberlin College
  • Executive Director of Labor Relations, University of California
  • Special Assistant to the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury
  • Legislative Services Analyst, State of Maryland
  • Director of Public Works, Fort Wayne, Indiana
  • Vice President, Goldman Sachs & Co.
  • Distance Learning Director, U.S. Customs
  • Executive Director, Naval Undersea Warfare Center
  • Management Consultant, Booz Allen & Hamilton Inc.

Curriculum for the Public Management Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Public Management concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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)

Students build on this core foundation by taking three of the following advanced courses in public management:

  • Public Organizations (V504)
  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Topics in Public Affairs: Public Program Management and Contracting (V550)
  • Topics in Public Affairs: Managing Workforce Diversity in Public Organizations (V550)
  • Strategic Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (V602)

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. With the approval of a Public Management advisor, students may select from many elective options, including the following:

  • Intergovernmental Systems and Management (V518)
  • Negotiation and Dispute Resolution for Public Affairs (V547)
  • Public Human Resources Management (V561)
  • Public Program Evaluation (V562)
  • Public Sector Labor Relations (V570)
  • Seminar in Government Budget and Program Analysis (V610)
  • Law, Public Management, and Public Policy (V640)
  • Seminar in Accountability and Performance (V662)

For complete details of the Public Management curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of public management and publish in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of management tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants to a broad range of nonprofit management activities on the local, state, and national levels.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Public Management and other concentrations offered by SPEA – such as Information Systems or Public Financial Administration – offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
Top of page


Sustainable Development


The MPA concentration in sustainable development focuses on the balancing of human needs with the protection of the natural and social environments so that these needs can be met in the present and also into the indefinite future. Future generations ought not to be made worse off because of actions taken in the present.

As the Brundtland Commission (formally, the World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) envisioned the concept, sustainable development is development that “meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The logical components of a sustainable development strategy encompass environmental, economic, social, and political elements.

Students who complete the concentration are expected to work for governments, private businesses, and special interest organizations that seek to sustain and improve both current and future conditions for life on earth. The concentration seeks to provide them with both skills and perspectives that will serve the development of their own rewarding careers in this field.

Careers in Sustainable Development


Careers in this field will be found in all sectors: from public to private and from city, state, national or international perspectives. Some possible career options may include jobs at:

  • The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and similar such departments in other countries
  • Departments of natural resources in the different states in the US
  • City and state departments of sustainability and environmental management
  • Private agricultural and resource management firms
  • A major non-profit organization such as World Resources International, World Watch, World Wildlife Fund
  • A major think tank such as Resources for the Future, Competitive Enterprise Institute, or The Carter Center
  • International organizations, such as the World Bank or United Nations (focusing on water, agriculture, resources, food, energy)
  • Financial markets focusing on carbon permits and other pollutants.

Curriculum for Sustainable Development Concentration


The 18 credit hour concentration includes four components:

Required Courses (9 hours):
  • Sustainable Development (V596)
  • Natural Resource Management and Policy (V643)

    And either V622 Seminar in Urban Economic Development OR V669 Economic Development, Globalization, and Entrepreneurship.

Analytical Tools (3 hours):
  • Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (V507)
  • Benefit – Cost Analysis (V541)
  • Vector-based Geographical Information Systems (E518)
  • Application of Geographical Information Systems (E529)
  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Database Management Systems (V519)
  • Public Program Evaluation (V562)

The Natural Environment (3 hours):
  • Applied Ecology (E527)
  • Introduction to Applied Ecology (E532)
  • Hazardous Materials (E542)
  • Fish and Wildlife (E460)
  • Forest Ecology (E528)
  • Environmental Risk Analysis (E560)

Specialization Options (3 hours):
  • International Environmental Policy (E535)
  • Environmental Management in the Tropics (V574)
  • Introduction to Comparative and International Affairs (V578)
  • Environmental Law (V645)
  • Global Health Issues and Management (V592)
  • Environmental Economics (V625)
  • Approaches to Development (V576)
  • Environmental Management (E543)

    Or other relevant course identified by the student and the academic advisor, according to the specific career plans of the student.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of public policy analysis, economic development, environmental science, and natural resource management and publishes in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of policy and management tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants to a broad range of environmental activities on the local, state, and national levels.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Sustainable Development and other concentrations offered by SPEA—such as Economic Development, Policy Analysis, and Public Financial Management —offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
Top of page


Local Government Management


In both American and international society, some of the greatest challenges to quality of life remain posed in the world's urban areas. The needs in these population centers require a creativity and vitality in approach and action that are distinguished by strategic effectiveness, integrity, and the highest level of professionalism. Local Government Management prepares tomorrow's leaders to address those challenges.

Because careers in the public sector often require the mastery of a complex set of management, leadership, analytical, and quantitative skills, the curriculum for the Local Government Management concentration emphasizes a wide set of proficiencies recognized as necessary for success in local government management:

  • Management and delivery of urban services: basic knowledge of delivery systems and performance criteria to measure effectiveness
  • Policy issues and analyses: helping elected officials, community leaders, and citizens develop a policy agenda to achieve common community goals
  • Management skills: budget and program analysis, human resource management, modern technology utilization, community and strategic planning, environmental issues, and community development
  • Effective communication: internal and external communication methods and techniques, means of developing public support, and methods of inclusion of all segments of the urban publics
  • Nonprofit management: management in the nonprofit sector, discussion of the third sector, and intergovernmental systems management
  • Values and ethics: need for urban professionals and elected officials to possess and demonstrate integrity in all personal, professional, and organizational activities

Careers in Local Government Management


The MPA degree with the Local Government Management concentration offers flexible career opportunities at the federal, state, and local levels as well as in nonprofit organizations. The following examples include positions achieved by recent graduates:
  • Village Manager, Wilmette, IL
  • Assistant to City Manager, Laramie, WY
  • Planner, Department of Metropolitan Development, Indianapolis, IN
  • Director, Urban League, Kokomo, IN
  • Planner, City Planning Department, San Francisco, CA
  • Management Analyst, Charlottesville, VA
  • Management Analyst, Lexington, MA
  • Neighborhood Coordinator, Indianapolis, IN
  • City Manager, Ames, IA
  • Director of Public Works, Indianapolis, IN
  • Assistant to the City Manager, Austin, TX

Curriculum for the Local Government Management Concentration


Like all students in the Master of Public Affairs program, students in the Local Government Management concentration begin building their skills in the 18-hour MPA core. 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 concentration includes five required courses which introduce students to the fundamentals of local government management:

  • Public Management Information Systems (V516)
  • Government Financial Accounting and Reporting (V542)
  • Public Human Resource Management (V561)
  • Management of Urban Government Services (V568)
  • Seminar in Urban Management (V623)

Additionally, all Local Government Management students enroll in a Professional Development Seminar (V550) during their second year of study. In conjunction with this seminar, students attend the annual conference of the International City/County Management Association.

SPEA also offers a wide range of elective courses to meet individual objectives. This broad range of possibilities enables you to focus your concentration on those aspects that you wish to pursue and to develop career-enhancing capabilities. With the approval of a Local Government Management advisor, students may select from many elective options in the following subject areas:

  • Planning
  • Personnel/Labor Relations
  • Operations Management
  • Analysis and Information Systems
  • Government Finance
  • Administrative Law

For complete details of the Local Government Management curriculum, please see the Graduate Bulletin.

Faculty Expertise


SPEA faculty are involved in meaningful research in numerous aspects of public affairs and publish in the leading scholarly journals. In addition to their academic accomplishments, our faculty bring a rich set of management tools based on real-world, hands-on experiences. They frequently serve as consultants to a broad range of public, private, and nonprofit sector activities on the local, state, and national levels.

Dual Concentrations


Dual concentrations with Local Government Management and other concentrations offered by SPEA – such as Economic Development or Public Financial Administration – offer unique advantages for those wanting to make a difference in particular areas of public affairs. Our faculty work to accommodate these specialized professional interests in the design of student programs.

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
Top of page


Specialized


A student whose educational and professional goals are not satisfied by pre-established concentrations may design, in concert with faculty advisors, a specialized concentration that better suits his/her needs. Specialized concentrations must be approved by two faculty advisors to ensure high standards of rigor, depth, and breadth.

A Specialized Concentration form which specifies the courses to comprise the concentration must be signed by the student, the student's advisor and the Graduate Program Director. This form is available in the SPEA Records Office, Room 253. To ensure approval of a specialized concentration, it is advisable to return completed Specialized Concentration forms to the Records Office prior to enrolling in relevant courses. Specialized concentrations must be declared within the first 24 credit hours of a student’s program.

Although no specific guidelines exist for the courses to be included, students are encouraged to take SPEA courses whenever possible. As a general rule, specialized concentrations should include no more than two courses from outside SPEA. JD/MPA and JD/MSES concentrations require a minimum of fifteen credit hours. All other specialized concentrations involve a minimum of eighteen credit hours.

Although students must name Specialized Concentrations, these names will not appear on IU transcripts. Instead, after "Major" the word "Specialized" will appear.

Examples of clusters of courses that may qualify as Specialized Concentrations are presented below:

Sample MPA Specialized Concentration

SPEA-E 542 Hazardous Materials
SPEA-V 566 Executive Leadership
SPEA-V 550 Topics in Public Affairs
SPEA-E 547 Applied Earth Science
SPEA-V 512 Public Policy Process
SPEA-V 645 Environmental Law

Sample MPA/MSES Specialized Concentration

SPEA-V 541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies
SPEA-V 625 Environmental Economics and Policy
SPEA-V 643 Natural Resource Management and Policy
SPEA-E 455 Limnology
SPEA-E 537 Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
BUS-K 520 Introduction to Operations Research
BUS-K 610 Topics Mathematical Programming

Sample MSES Specialized Concentration

SPEA-E 515 Fundamentals of Air Pollution
SPEA-E 520 Environmental Toxicology
SPEA-E 579 Readings in Environmental Science
SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis
SPEA-E 555 Topics in Environmental Science
SPEA-E 549 Environmental Planning
SPEA-E 542 Hazardous Materials

Comparative and International Affairs
Economic Development
Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management
Information Systems
Nonprofit Management
Policy Analysis
Public Financial Administration
Public Management
Local Government Management
Specialized
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Smart Policy. Strong Science. Stronger Communities
The School of Public and Environmental Affairs – Indiana University
1315 East Tenth Street – Bloomington, IN 47405
812-855-2840 – 800-765-7755
spea@indiana.edu

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