Degree Options
The Suffolk MPA offers numerous degree paths to help you achieve your career goals.
With a strong curriculum rooted in theory and practice, seven certificates, four concentrations to choose from, and four dual degree options, the Suffolk MPA will equip you to reach your potential.
Core Curriculum
Certificates
Core Curriculum
Required MPA Courses: 8 courses (24 credits)
Foundation in Public Service Courses
PAD 711 Foundations of Public Service & Administration
PAD 712 Information Based Management
PAD 715 Quantitative Analysis (PAD 712 is the prerequisite for this course)
Managing Public Service Organizations Courses
PAD 713 Managing Financial Resources
PAD 716 Public Service Human Resource Management
PAD 717 Organizational Change
PAD 718 Leadership Strategies for an Interconnected World
Capstone Course
PAD 890 Strategic Management
MPA Elective Courses: 6 courses (18 credits)
Students with no professional public service management experience are required to take PAD 859 (Internship). This 3-credit course will count as one of your six electives.
Students may take up to two (2) elective courses in another Suffolk University graduate degree program with prior permission from their academic advisor.
Concentrations
Community Health Concentration
Master of Public Administration Concentrations
Students choosing to graduate in one of the three concentrations below must complete the 8 core MPA courses and the MPA capstone to earn their MPA degree. Students will use 12 of their elective course offerings to meet the concentration requirements.
Please send an e-mail to mpa@suffolk.edu if you would like to declare a concentration.
Community Health
This concentration focuses on preparing nonprofit and public service managers for positions in community healthcare, community advocacy organizations, and government health agencies to manage and lead in a dynamic and changing healthcare environment.
Required Course:
HLTH 701 Introduction to the U.S. Healthcare System
Choose 9 credits1 worth of courses from the list below:
HLTH 702: Health Economics
HLTH 808: Managing Healthcare Organizations
HLTH 824: Healthcare Accounting
HLTH 825: Legal Environment of Healthcare
HLTH 826: Healthcare Financial Management
HLTH 830: Healthcare Operations Management
HLTH 831: Healthcare Performance Improvement & Patient Safety
HLTH 832: Health Policy
HLTH 842: Global Health
HLTH 841: Global Health Policy
HLTH 838: Organizational Change in Healthcare
HLTH 850: Health Information Systems
HLTH 838: Organizational Change in Healthcare
HLTH 827: Advanced Healthcare Financial Management
HLTH 836: Advanced Health Marketing and Communication
HLTH 807: Innovation, The Future of Healthcare
PAD 815: Nonprofit Management PAD 847: Nonprofit Financial Management
PAD 819: Grant Writing & Management
1 Many of the Healthcare electives are 1.5 credits per course. You must complete 9 credits of electives from this list to graduate with a concentration in Community Health.
State & Local Government Concentration
Master of Public Administration Concentrations
Students choosing to graduate in one of the three concentrations below must complete the 8 core MPA courses and the MPA capstone to earn their MPA degree. Students will use 12 of their elective course offerings to meet the concentration requirements.
Please send an e-mail to mpa@suffolk.edu if you would like to declare a concentration.
State & Local Government
This concentration prepares state and local government managers and officials to function as effective leaders able to respond to the changing climates of government.
Required Course:
PAD 817: Administrative Strategies of State & Local Government
Choose three (3) courses from the list below (9 credits)
PAD 810: Public Sector Administrative Law
PAD 814: Collaborative Public Management
PAD 818: Public Sector Labor/Management Relations
PAD 819: Grant Writing & Management PAD 822: Public Management Information Systems
PAD 827: Financing State & Local Government
PAD 828: Public Service Communication
PAD 831: Civic Innovation & Citizen Engagement
PAD 838: Ethics in Public Service
PAD 839: Leadership & Decision Making in Action
PAD 842 Workplace & Labor Law
Nonprofit Management Concentration
Master of Public Administration Concentrations
Students choosing to graduate in one of the three concentrations below must complete the 8 core MPA courses and the MPA capstone to earn their MPA degree. Students will use 12 of their elective course offerings to meet the concentration requirements.
Please send an e-mail to mpa@suffolk.edu if you would like to declare a concentration.
Nonprofit Management
This concentration covers the field of public service with special attention given to the additional intricacies of nonprofit management.
Required Courses:
PAD 815: Nonprofit Management
PAD 847: Nonprofit Financial Management
PAD 848: Nonprofit Law & Ethics
PAD 849: Revenue Strategies for Nonprofits
Information Systems, Performance Management, and Data Analytics Concentration
Master of Public Administration Concentrations
Students choosing to graduate in one of the three concentrations below must complete the 8 core MPA courses and the MPA capstone to earn their MPA degree. Students will use 12 of their elective course offerings to meet the concentration requirements.
Please send an e-mail to mpa@suffolk.edu if you would like to declare a concentration.
Information Systems, Performance Management, and Data Analytics
This concentration focuses on how public sector and non-profit organizations are moving toward new management and performance systems. This concentration will focus on how to apply these various methods of performance management.
Required Courses:
ISOM 801: Solving Business Problems with Excel
ISOM 845: Business Intelligence and Data Analytics
PAD 816: From Data to Policy (will become P.AD 861 in Spring 2019)
PAD 822: Public Management Information Systems Management
Dual Degrees
MPA/MS in Political Science
MPA/MS in Political Science
Students in one of the three dual-degree programs with the College of Arts and Sciences need to be especially careful not to take courses that are not required for their degree program (for example: PAD 715 is not required for an MPA/MSCJS). Students also need make sure not to take too few PAD electives. Each dual-degree program offers a specific number of electives that students must take in EACH program, these are not interchangeable. Students should meet with their faculty advisor in both programs when registering for courses.
Students in a dual-degree program must complete 30 credit hours in the Suffolk University Institute for Public Service. This means you may not waive or transfer credits that would reduce your program below 30 credit hours.
MPA/MS Political Science: 18 courses (54 credit hours)
MPA Requirements: 10 courses (30 credit hours)
PAD 711: Foundations of Public Service& Administration
PAD 713: Managing Financial Resources
PAD 715: Quantitative Analysis1
PAD 716: Public Service Human Resource Management
PAD 717: Organizational Change
PAD 718: Leadership Strategies in an Interconnected World
PAD 810: Public Sector Administrative Law
PAD 890: Strategic Management
Two (2) PAD Electives (6 credits)
Students must take GVT 777 prior to PAD 715
Students with no professional experience must take P.AD-859 (Internship) as an elective. Students who take GVT-723 do not need to take P.AD-859 and can take an additional MPA elective.
MSPS Requirements: 8 courses (24 credits)
Professional Politics Track:
GVT 723: Graduate Internship
GVT 747: Seminar in Legislation & Lobbying
GVT 755 Seminar in Campaigns & Elections
GVT 765: Global Public Policy
GVT 777: Writing for Policy Professionals
Choose any three (3) Government Electives
International Relations Track:
GVT 723: Graduate Internship
GVT 761: Seminar: International Relations Theory
GVT 763: International Political Economy
GVT 765: Global Public Policy
GVT 777: Writing for Policy Professionals
Choose any three (3) Government Electives
MPA/Juris Doctorate
MPA/Juris Doctorate
The MPA/JD is designed for students interested in integrating professional education in law with public administration. Students have a choice of two curriculum tracks to follow and should contact the Institute for Public Service (mpa@suffolk.edu) for assistance selecting the right track to fit their schedule. Full-time students may register for a maximum of 15 combined credits per semester.
Admission Requirements
Students applying to this program must meet the admission requirements for both the MPA and the JD programs.
Curriculum Requirements
The requirements for the MPA/JD program are determined by the respective schools. The MPA/JD degree will be granted upon completion of 110-credit semester hours of work: 80-credit hours are completed in the Law School and a minimum of 30-credit hours are completed in the Sawyer Business School’s MPA curriculum.
All summer credits applied to the final semester of the dual degree program have been determined based on the semester credits of each individual program so as not to permit students to enroll in fewer than two credits in the final semester.
All dual degree candidates are subject to II (G) of the Rules and Regulations limiting credit for ungraded activities to two credits per semester. Any student who is not in good academic standing is disqualified from the dual degree programs. Law School Regulation VII (E) states that a dual degree candidate, who is academically deficient (as defined in the Law School regulations) within the Law School curriculum, shall be disqualified from the joint degree program.
Programs of Study
Specific programs and course selections are arranged through each respective School. Curricula requirements are arranged by year according to the following schedule.
Please contact your Law School faculty advisor for information on Law School program of study.
MPA Curriculum (For Full-Time Students)
Students may follow one of two academic tracks, either completing their MPA requirements or their JD requirements first. Below are the MPA requirements for this program. Please contact the Suffolk Law School for more information on the required Law courses.
Fall Semester (15 Credits)
PAD 711: Foundations of Public Service & Administration
PAD 712: Information Based Management
PAD 713: Managing Financial Resources
PAD 716: Public Service Human Resource Management
PAD 717: Organizational Change
Spring Semester (15 credits)
PAD 715: Quantitative Analysis
PAD 718: Leadership Strategies in an Interconnected World
PAD 890: Strategic Management
Two (2) PAD Electives (6 credits)
MPA/MS in Criminal Justice
MPA/MS Criminal Justice
Students in one of the three dual-degree programs with the College of Arts and Sciences need to be especially careful not to take courses that are not required for their degree program (for example: PAD 715 is not required for an MPA/MSCJS). Students also need make sure not to take too few PAD electives. Each dual-degree program offers a specific number of electives that students must take in EACH program, these are not interchangeable. Students should meet with their faculty advisor in both programs when registering for courses.
Students in a dual-degree program must complete 30 credit hours in the Suffolk University Institute for Public Service. This means you may not waive or transfer credits that would reduce your program below 30 credit hours.
MPA/MS Crime & Justice Studies: 18 courses (54 credit hours)
MPA Requirements: 10 courses (30 credit hours)
PAD 711: Foundations of Public Service & Administration
PAD 713: Managing Financial Resources
PAD 716: Public Service Human Resource Management
PAD 717: Organizational Change PAD 718: Leadership Strategies for an Interconnected World
PAD 890: Strategic Management
Four (4) PAD Electives (12 credits)
Students with no professional experience must take P.AD-859 (Internship) as an elective. Students who take CJ 786 or CJ 787 do not need to take P.AD-859 and can take an additional MPA elective.
MSCJS Requirements: 8 courses (24 credits)
CJ 681: Crime & Communities
CJ 701: Seminar in Crime & Justice
CJ 702: Research Methods
CJ 709: Quantitative Analysis
Four (4) CJS Electives (12 credits) Refer to http://www.suffolk.edu/catalogs/graduatefor a complete list of CJS Electives.
MPA/MS in Mental Health Counseling
MPA/MS MHC
Students in one of the three dual-degree programs with the College of Arts and Sciences need to be especially careful not to take courses that are not required for their degree program (for example: PAD 715 is not required for an MPA/MSCJS). Students also need make sure not to take too few PAD electives. Each dual-degree program offers a specific number of electives that students must take in EACH program, these are not interchangeable. Students should meet with their faculty advisor in both programs when registering for courses.
Students in a dual-degree program must complete 30 credit hours in the Suffolk University Institute for Public Service. This means you may not waive or transfer credits that would reduce your program below 30 credit hours.
MPA/MS Mental Health Counseling: 20 courses (60 credits)
MPA Requirements: 10 courses (30 credit hours)
PAD 711: Foundations of Public Service & Administration
PAD 712: Information Based Management
PAD 713: Managing Financial Resources
PAD 715: Quantitative Analysis PAD 716: Public Service Human Resources Management
PAD 717: Organizational Change PAD 718: Leadership Strategies for an Interconnected World
PAD 890: Strategic Management
Two (2) PAD Electives (6 credits)
Students with no professional experience must take P.AD-859 (Internship) as an elective. Students who take COUNS 738 or COUNS 739 do not need to take P.AD-859 and can take an additional MPA elective.
MSMHC Requirements
18 courses (60 credits)
COUNS 712: Life Span Development
COUNS 713: Counseling: Theory& Practice
COUNS 715: Methods of Research
COUNS 716: Psychological Diagnosis
COUNS 717: Introduction to Psychological Testing
COUNS 727: Substance Abuse
COUNS 728: Ethical/Legal Obligations
COUNS 729: Human Sexuality Seminar
COUNS 733: Counseling Diverse Populations
COUNS 735: Group Counseling
COUNS 737: Counseling Skills Lab
COUNS 738: Mental Health Counseling Practicum I
COUNS 739: Mental Health Counseling Practicum II
COUNS 740/741: Counseling Internship
Three (3) Counseling Electives (12 credits)
Refer to http://www.suffolk.edu/catalogs/graduate for a complete list of electives
Public Safety Leadership and Management Certificate
The Moakley Center, in collaboration with community partners, provides affordable advanced educational opportunities for Massachusetts’ public service managers. Solid reputation and increasing demand in the community have expanded the Moakley Center’s certificate program offerings dramatically since their inception in 1999.
Partner: Various Law Enforcement Agencies
For more information on certificate program application and requirements, click here.
Home Care Management Certificate
The Moakley Center, in collaboration with community partners, provides affordable advanced educational opportunities for Massachusetts’ public service managers. Solid reputation and increasing demand in the community have expanded the Moakley Center’s certificate program offerings dramatically since their inception in 1999.
Partner: Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts (HCAM)
For more information on certificate program application and requirements, click here.
Leadership & Education in Neurological Disorders (LEND) Certificate
The Moakley Center, in collaboration with community partners, provides affordable advanced educational opportunities for Massachusetts’ public service managers. Solid reputation and increasing demand in the community have expanded the Moakley Center’s certificate program offerings dramatically since their inception in 1999.
Partner: Eunice Shriver Center
For more information on certificate program application and requirements, click here.
Local Government Leadership and Management Certificate
The Moakley Center, in collaboration with community partners, provides affordable advanced educational opportunities for Massachusetts’ public service managers. Solid reputation and increasing demand in the community have expanded the Moakley Center’s certificate program offerings dramatically since their inception in 1999.
Partner: Massachusetts Municipal Association
For more information on certificate program application and requirements, click here.
Community Health and Community Health Center Management Certificate
The Moakley Center, in collaboration with community partners, provides affordable advanced educational opportunities for Massachusetts’ public service managers. Solid reputation and increasing demand in the community have expanded the Moakley Center’s certificate program offerings dramatically since their inception in 1999.
Partner: Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers; Massachusetts Providers’ Council
For more information on certificate program application and requirements, click here.
Human Service and Leadership Management Certificate
The Moakley Center, in collaboration with community partners, provides affordable advanced educational opportunities for Massachusetts’ public service managers. Solid reputation and increasing demand in the community have expanded the Moakley Center’s certificate program offerings dramatically since their inception in 1999.
Partner: Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS)
For more information on certificate program application and requirements, click here.
Strategic Performance Management Certificate
Operated by the National Center for Public Performance (NCPP), the Strategic Performance Management Certificate is a professional development certificate designed for individuals in public and nonprofit organizations, and citizens interested in the functions of public sector performance measurement. Fall 2018 dates coming soon. To be notified when registration opens, email Mallory Sullivan.
For more information on certificate program application and requirements, click here.