Overview

In the Public Administration program from Rutgers University, students become competent at defining pu­­­blic problems, analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, developing and communicating creative solutions, and implementing ethical and practical courses of action.

Public administration is an academic field that addresses the implementation of public policies at all levels of government (federal, state, local, special districts) and in sectors related by virtue of their quasi-governmental structure, degree of regulation, or financial and contractual relationships to governments, such as, the nonprofit sector. The MPA degree combines contexts of public policy making with understanding of urban environments and knowledge and skills needed for operational management of government and nonprofit organizations and networks.

Capstone Project

The Capstone Project serves as a culminating experience in the MPA program. It provides students with an opportunity to integrate learning from various courses with applied analysis of real-world issues. Students work individually under the guidance of a faculty member to develop a research design, carry out data collection and analysis, evaluate their findings, and provide conclusions and recommendations.