MPP and MPA Programs
University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance (Evans) - MPA
Program Comparison Highlights
Institutional Structure: The Evans School of Public Policy and Governance is one of 16 colleges and schools at the University of Washington.
Curriculum Design: The Washington Evans Master of Public Affairs (MPA) degree requirement of 18 semester-equivalent courses (18 4-credit quarter courses plus a required internship) is in the top decile of the programs reviewed. Our PEACO calculations below suggest that typical students take about 64% of their coursework in policy-oriented subjects and 36% in management-oriented subjects. Typical students take about 27% of their coursework in subjects with high math-economics content. This places the Washington Evans MPA in the "high course requirement, policy-oriented, higher math-economics content" curricular type, along with such programs as the Columbia MPA and the Harvard MPP. Among peers in its curricular type, the Washington Evans MPA has an average proportion of required courses, a relatively high number of program-specific courses on offer and a very high proportion of the coursework of a typical students is in program-specific courses taught within the school. The competency gap analysis below suggests that a Washington Evans MPA student taking the required courses and a random selection of listed electives would, on average, graduate with approximately 18 course-weeks of shortfall in the core-competency subject matter identified in MPP/MPA Core Competencies (the lowest of all the programs reviewed to date except for the Harvard MPP, which has 17), including shortfalls of 4 course-weeks in Leadership Skills and in Macroeconomic Policy and 3 course-weeks in each in Human Resource Management.
Professional Program Features: The Washington Evans MPA makes extensive use of current and former practitioners in its teaching. Students have access to professional development modules, career counselling services and co-curricular activities with a professional focus. Graduation requirements include both applied projects and an internship. Many of the faculty have an active practice-orientation in their research. The 10 centres and initiatives featured on the school's http://evans.uw.edu/centers-projects site are: Benefit-Cost Analysis Center; Marc Lindenberg Center; Nancy Bell Evans Center; West Coast Poverty Center; William D. Ruckelshaus Center; Consortium on Collaborative Governance; Electronic Hallway; Economic Opportunity Applied Research Project; EPAR (Policy Analysis & Research Group); and Seattle Minimum Wage Study.
Program Summary
Website: http://evans.uw.edu/
University: University of Washington
Location: Seattle, Washington
Degree: Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
Marketing Approach: "Over the past 50 years, the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance has built a reputation as one of the best public policy schools in the nation. The school is defined by a tradition of rigorous study, innovative research, and, most importantly, a commitment to public service. Our graduates and faculty provide the ideas, expertise, and leadership that guide government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private companies around the country and throughout the world...The Evans School Master of Public Administration (MPA) program emphasizes fundamentals in public policy and management, with specializations available in current public policy fields." (At http://evans.uw.edu/about, accessed 4 September 2015.)
Degrees Awarded per Year: Approximately 200 (based on the MPA student body in 2014-15 of 405, at http://evans.uw.edu/about/fast-facts, accessed 4 September 2015).
Academic Unit within University: The Evans School of Public Policy and Governance is one of 16 colleges and schools at the University of Washington.
Related Academic Units and Degrees: The Evans School offers a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management and an 18-month Executive Master in Public Administration.
Posted Tuition: MPA Program: $20,328 (resident); $35,619 (non-resident) per year, at http://evans.uw.edu/prospective-students/tuition-expenses, accessed 4 September 2015.
Concentration/Curriculum Overview:
MPA Degree Requirements
Summary: Students must complete 72 quarter credit hours of coursework, a 400-hour internship, and a capstone project or approved certificate program. The 72 quarter credit hours of required coursework includes core courses and electives, and must include a minimum of 60 quarter credit hours from within the Evans School. The Evans School 36-credit core curriculum provides MPA students with a solid base of knowledge from which they can pursue a wide range of academic courses and professional opportunities in public policy and management. The core courses introduce students to those analytical and managerial skills and perspectives most important in the public and nonprofit environments.
- Managing Politics and the Policy Process (PBAF 511)
- Managing Organizational Performance (PBAF 512)
- Public Budgeting and Financial Management (PBAF 522)
- Microeconomic Policy Analysis (PBAF 516)
- Microeconomic Management Analysis (PBAF 517)
- Quantitative Analysis I (PBAF 527)
- Quantitative Analysis II (PBAF 528)
- Public Policy Analysis (PBAF 513)
- Program Evaluation (PBAF 526)
Three to four elective credits must be used for an approved values elective course. The remaining elective credits can focus on one or more areas of specialization:
Duration: 2 years
Academic Prerequisite: All applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum 3.0 GPA during their last 90 undergraduate credit hours of a quarterly schedule (60 credit hours of a semester schedule).
Number of One-Semester-Equivalent Courses Required for Completion: 18 (72 credit hours, equivalent to 16 one-semester course + three-month internship counting as 2 one-semester equivalents)
Note 1: Washington uses a quarter rather than a semester system. We are using the an equivalency of one 4-credit hour Washington courses = 8/9 one-semester course equivalents (given that a full Evans course load appears to be 3 4-credit courses in each of 3 quarters each year and a full course load in semestered systems is typically 4 courses in each of two semesters per year).
Number of Required Courses: 11 one-semester course equivalents: 9 core courses (equivalent to 8 one-semester courses) plus a capstone project plus a 3-month internship (assigned a value of 2 one-semester course equivalents).
Number of Electives Typically Taken (difference between above two entries): 7
Number of Electives Offered within Program: x.
Comprehensive Examination: No
Thesis Required: No
Internship Required: Yes
International Study Required: No
Co-curricular Activities Supportive to Degree
Professional Development and Career Support: Yes, see Career Services website at http://evans.uw.edu/myevans/students/career-services.
Student-run Journal: The Evans School Review at http://depts.washington.edu/esreview/.
Applied Projects: Yes, see Career Services website at http://evans.uw.edu/myevans/students/career-services.
Pro Bono Consulting: Not referenced on program website.
Courses Offered: The full list of courses is found at http://evans.uw.edu/academic-programs/course-listings, accessed 4 September 2015.
Course Material Online: Brief course descriptions are available at http://www.washington.edu/students/crscat/pubaff.html#pbaf511 but the syllabi are only available to registered users.
Instructional Distribution (PEACO Profile): The table below indicates the distribution of instruction offered, based on the course assignments to subjects in the Course Map below, weighted by estimated enrolment determined by the PEACO Algorithm.
|
Curricular Type Parameters |
|
|
Number of Courses Required for Graduation |
18.0 |
|
Math-Economics Subjects (EA, QM, Macro, Fin Markets) |
27.1% |
|
Policy-Oriented Subjects |
64.2% |
|
Management-Oriented Subjects |
35.8% |
|
|
|
|
Enrolment-Adjusted Course Distribution |
|
|
Analysis and Skill Subjects |
47.7% |
|
- Policy and Management Analysis |
16.1% |
|
- Economic Analysis |
12.6% |
|
|
- Quantitative and Analytic Methods |
14.6% |
|
- Leadership and Communication Skills |
4.3% |
|
Institutions and Context Subjects |
14.1% |
|
- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process |
8.0% |
|
- Ethics, Rights and Accountability |
2.0% |
|
- Socioeconomic, Political, and Global Contexts |
4.1% |
|
Management Function Subjects |
19.7% |
|
- Public Financial Management |
7.3% |
|
- Evaluation and Performance Measurement |
6.3% |
|
- Other Management Functions |
6.1% |
|
Policy Sector Subjects |
18.5% |
|
- Macroeconomic Policy |
1.0% |
|
- International Development |
4.2% |
|
- Health |
0.5% |
|
- Other Policy Sectors |
12.9% |
|
Total |
100% |
|
|
|
|
Competency Gap Analysis (in Course-Weeks of Instruction) |
|
|
Course-Weeks in Core Subjects taken by Typical Student |
175 |
|
Surplus or Shortfall Relative to Core Competency Requirement |
|
|
- Policy and Management Analysis (CCR = 18 course-weeks) |
17 |
|
- Economic Analysis (CCR = 12) |
15 |
|
- Quantitative Methods (CCR = 12) |
15 |
|
- Analytic Methods (CCR = 6) |
-2 |
|
- Leadership Skills (CCR = 9) |
-4 |
|
- Communication Skills (CCR = 3 courses) |
1 |
|
- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process (CCR = 18) |
-1 |
|
- Ethics, Rights and Accountability (CCR = 6 courses) |
-2 |
|
- Socioeconomic and Political Context (CCR = 6) |
1 |
|
- Global Context (CCR = 3) |
-1 |
|
- Public Financial Management (CCR = 6) |
10 |
|
- Evaluation and Performance Measurement (CCR = 6) |
8 |
|
- Human Resource Management (CCR = 3) |
-3 |
|
- Information and Technology Management (CCR = 3) |
-2 |
|
- Macroeconomic Policy (CCR = 6) |
-4 |
|
- Environment and Sustainability (CCR = 3) |
6 |
|
Subject-Matter Shortfall for Typical Student (Sum of Shortfalls) |
-18 |
|
|
|
|
Additional Parameters |
|
|
Total Courses Listed |
103 |
|
Courses Designated as Required (inc. Specialization Reqs) |
11.8 |
|
Archetypal Public Affairs Subjects (P&MA, EA, QM, DI&PP) |
49.4% |
|
Archetypal International Affairs Subjects (GC, ID, DS&FR) |
5.8% |
|
|
|
|
Courses Required and Offered |
|
|
Courses Required to Graduate |
18.0 |
|
Required Courses |
11.8 |
|
Elective Courses Taken by Typical Student |
6.2 |
|
Elective Courses Listed |
89.5 |
|
Enrolment Weight of Elective Course |
0.08 |
|
Total Courses Listed |
103 |
Source: At http://evans.uw.edu/ and related sites (accessed 4 September 2015).
Page Created By: Ian Clark on 4 September 2015, last updated 5 September 2015.
Washington Evans MPA Course Map
Courses Offered, listed by Public Policy and Management Subject