hours from two different graduation options: thesis or coursework. All students must take a comprehensive examination over the core and specialty areas. An oral defense of the thesis is required of those students who elect to undertake that option.
A 3 semester credit hour background course, PUA 600 (Seminar on American Political Institutions and Public Policies), is required of international students and others with limited academic backgrounds in American public administration.
PUA 500: Perspectives on Public Administration
PUA 501: Quantitative Methods
PUA 503: Research Methods and Policy Analysis
PUA 504: Organization Theory
PUA 505: Managerial Computer Applications
PUA 506: Human Resource Management in the Public Sector
PUA 605: Public Sector Economics
PUA 607: Budgeting in Government Agencies
The student must select and complete three specialty area courses at the 600 level in Public Administration (9 semester credit hours) in consultation with the student's advisor.
PUA 699: Internship in Public Administration
A thesis is a formal paper reflecting systematic research on a significant problem. It should represent a student's independent research, carried out under the supervision of the Public Administration faculty. A thesis may use primary data collected by the student and/or secondary data collected by governmental and non-governmental organizations. It must, however, provide evidence of originality, appropriate organization, clarity of purpose, critical analysis, and accuracy. Mere descriptions, cataloguing, compilation, and bibliographic reviews are not adequate. Approval of the Chairperson of the School of Public Administration is required prior to registration for the thesis option.
Students who select the coursework option must complete their final 9 semester credit hours from any 600 level courses. Approval of the student's advisor is required prior to registration for the coursework option.
I he specialty areas in the Master of Public Administration program offered by Kentucky State University address the human-resource needs in the public sector and the student's career