The Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Lead. Serve. Transform.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) at UH Mānoa is a 36–39 credit professional degree that prepares students for leadership roles across government, nonprofit, and community organizations. Through an applied and interdisciplinary curriculum, students build the knowledge, analytical capacity, and ethical foundation required to address complex public challenges and drive meaningful change.

With a cohort typically consisting of 20–25 students, the program emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. Courses focus on management, leadership, policy, budgeting, and research approaches—equipping graduates to make an impact in Hawai‘i, the Asia-Pacific region, and beyond.

The MPA program’s blend of academic rigor and practical application fosters both professional advancement and public service excellence.

UH Students

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Program Requirements

In addition to the requirements listed below, students must understand and meet all Graduate Division requirements. Students are encouraged to review the MPA timelines and learning outcomes.

Core Coursework (24 credits)

The required courses are highly interdisciplinary and integrate perspectives and skills important to effective work in public service.

  • PUBA 601: Program Evaluation for Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3)
    Introduces research approaches for conducting and evaluating the effectiveness of programs and applying performance data to improve public and nonprofit management.
  • PUBA 602: Introduction to Public Administration (3)
    Explores the foundations of public administration, including leadership, decision-making, budgeting, and technology in government.
  • PUBA 603: Organizations: Theory and Change (3)
    Examines how organizations function and evolve, focusing on structure, culture, and strategies for managing change in public service settings.
  • PUBA 604: Leadership and Ethics (3)
    Applies leadership and ethical frameworks to real-world governance, emphasizing critical thinking and moral reasoning in decision-making.
  • PUBA 606: Public Administration Personnel Management (3)
    Covers human resource management in the public sector, including diversity, labor relations, performance, and legal compliance.
  • PUBA 607: Public Administration Research Methods (3)
    Introduces research design and analysis for public administrators, linking data-driven insights to effective management and policy.
  • PUBA 608: Public Budgeting (3)
    Analyzes institutions and processes of public budgeting and finance, emphasizing fiscal responsibility and policy implications.
  • PUBA 609: Policy Analysis and Implementation (3)
    Develops policy design and evaluation skills, focusing on how social, political, and economic factors influence policy outcomes.

Elective Coursework (9 credits)

Electives allow each student to design a program of study built around a theme of their personal and professional interests. Students select PUBA course electives (PUBA 600+) in consultation with their faculty advisors.

Practicum (3 credits)

Most MPA candidates must complete a 120-hour, advisor-approved practicum with a public sector agency or nonprofit organization. A culminating practicum analysis paper is required.

  • PUBA 690: Practicum (3)
    Prerequisites: 602, 603, 604 with a minimum grade of B in each course

Capstone (3 credits)

The capstone serves as the culminating experience and must be taken as the final degree requirement. All coursework must be completed or taken concurrently with the final capstone class.

  • PUBA 696: Capstone Seminar (3)
    Prerequisites: 602, 603, 607, 690 with a minimum grade of B in each course, and a GPA of 3.0 or better

Advising

At the beginning of the first semester in the program, students are assigned a temporary advisor. Students can choose to continue with their temporary advisor or select a new permanent advisor during that first semester. Advisor change requests are typically granted but depend on faculty workload policies. Faculty advisors assist in many aspects of the program, including:

  • Selecting elective courses
  • Setting up the practicum
  • Guiding program progress and success
  • Providing professional and career advice

Additional Notes

We offer a variety of funding opportunities to current students.