Pittsburgh GSPIA

Institutional Structure: The School of Public and International Affairs is one of 16 Schools and Colleges at the University of Pittsburgh (at http://www.pitt.edu/academics/schools-colleges, accessed 23 June 2015).

Curriculum Design: The Pittsburgh GSPIA MPA is similar to the Columbia SIPA MPA in that it is one of the few MPA degrees that is offered by a school that also specializes in international affairs. With an 18-course degree (including the attribution of 2 for the required internship), the GSPIA MPA has a relatively high course requirement and offers a large number of courses (128) within its program. Our PEACO calculations below suggest that typical students in the Public and Nonprofit Management (PNPM) major take about 63% of their course work in policy-oriented subjects and 37% in management-oriented subjects and about 22% of their course work in subjects with high math-economics content, while typical students in the Policy Research and Analysis (PRA) major take about 71% of their course work in policy-oriented subjects and 29% in management-oriented subjects and about 29% of their course work in subjects with high math-economics content. This places the Pittsburgh MPA in the "high course requirement, highly policy-oriented, higher math-economics content" curricular type, along with such programs as the Michigan MPP and the Berkeley MPP (see MPP/MPA Curricular Types). The Pittsburgh MPIA and MID programs have similar characteristics, with more emphasis on policy-oriented subjects, and in particular of "archetypal international affairs" subjects. The competency gap analysis below suggests that a Pittsburgh MPA student taking the required courses and a random selection of listed electives would, on average, graduate with approximately 28 course-weeks of shortfall in the core-competency subject matter identified in MPP/MPA Core Competencies, including shortfalls of 8 course-weeks in Leadership Skills, 5 course-weeks in Socioeconomic and Political Context and 3 course-weeks in Ethics, Rights and Accountability. On the other hand, these students would graduate with substantially more than the minimum training in other core competencies such as Policy and Management Analysis; Economic Analysis; Public Financial Management; and Evaluation and Performance Management.

Professional Program Features: The GSPIA makes extensive use of current and former practitioners in its teaching. Students have access to professional development modules, an Office of Career Services, including GSPIA Connections, a career management system for students and alumni.career counselling services and co-curricular activities with a professional focus. There is a Fund for Student Initiatives. There are 10 research centres and initiatives listed at Centers, Institutes and Initiatives: The Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies; The Ford Institute for Human Security; The Center for Metropolitan Studies; Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership; Center for Disaster Management; The Roscoe Robinson Jr. Memorial Lecture Series; The Philanthropy Forum; International Political Economy Colloquium (IPEC); The Governance Group; and the Symposium on Political Violence.

Program Summary

Website: http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/

University: University of Pittsburgh

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Degree: MPA, MPIA, MID

Marketing Approach: "GSPIA is a professional school with a diverse, cosmopolitan community of faculty, staff, students and alumni. Believing in our ability to make the world a better place, GSPIA hones the passion of its students into purposeful direction and action. As part of the University of Pittsburgh, we’re a leader in education, a pioneer in research and a partner in regional development—as well as one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Throughout its 50-year history, GSPIA has created a legacy that inspires graduates to make public institutions better, create a higher quality of government and promote social responsibility throughout the world." (At http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/AboutGSPIA/tabid/59/Default.aspx, accessed 23 June 2015.) "LOCAL-TO-GLOBAL DISTINCTION: GSPIA is one of only 3 comprehensive schools of public and international affairs—the other two are the Maxwell School at Syracuse and the Humphrey School at Minnesota—that offer both an International Affairs program distinguished enough for full membership in APSIA (the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs) and a top-20 program in City Management and Urban Policy (US News, 2012)." (At http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/AboutGSPIA/GSPIAFacts/tabid/63/Default.aspx, accessed 23 June 2015.) 

Degrees Awarded per Year: 175 new students admitted to all the programs each year (at http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/AboutGSPIA/GSPIAFacts/tabid/63/Default.aspx, acceded 23 June 2015).

Academic Unit within University: The School of Public and International Affairs is one of 16 Schools and Colleges at the University of Pittsburgh (at http://www.pitt.edu/academics/schools-colleges, accessed 23 June 2015).

Related Academic Units and Degrees: There are three main Master’s degree programs at GSPIA: the Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of Public & International Affairs (MPIA) and Master of International Development (MID).  (For mid-career professionals there is also the Master of Public Policy & Management (MPPM) degree that can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study.) There is also a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in public and international affairs requiring three to four years of full-time study. (At http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/Academics/DegreePrograms/tabid/87/Default.aspx, accessed 23 June 2015.)

Posted Tuition: $21,442 per year for Pennsylvania Residents and $34,660 for Non-Residents for 2014-15 (at http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/ProspectiveStudents/TuitionFees/tabid/78/Default.aspx, accessed 3 June 2015).

Concentration/Curriculum Overview: 

MPA, MPIA and MID Degree Requirements

Summary: Each of the three degree programs are 48 credits (16 one-semester course equivalents) plus a 300-hour internship counted for purposes of the Atlas as 2 one-semester course equivalents. All three degrees share an 18 credit GSPIA Core. The MPA program has five majors: Energy and Environment, Public & Nonprofit Management, Urban Affairs & Planning, Governance & International Public Management or Policy Research & Analysis. The MPIA program has three majors: International Political Economy, Human Security, or Security & Intelligence Studies. The MID program has five majors: Energy & Environment, Human Security, Nongovernmental Organizations & Civil Society, Urban Affairs & Planning, or Governance & International Public Management. Students from any of the three degrees may also pursue a minor consisting of a 9-credit sequence of courses within a chosen subject area in any of these fields, or in any of the following fields offered by GSPIA’s other degree programs: Civil Security & Disaster Management, Energy & Environment, Non-governmental Organizations & Civil Society, Public & Nonprofit Management, Policy Research & Analysis, Governance & International Public Management, or Urban Affairs & Planning. MPIA students are eligible to combine their Master’s degree with a graduate certificate from the University Center for International Studies, specializing in Africa, Asia, western Europe, eastern Europe, the European Union, Latin America, or Russia.

Duration: Degrees are completed in 20 months of full-time study or may be completed on a part-time basis. There are two opportunities to apply to GSPIA each year. Students may begin any of the master’s degree programs in either the fall or spring terms. Applications to the doctoral program are for the fall term only. Applications to the MPPM and non-degree programs are accepted for the fall, spring, or summer terms.

Academic Prerequisite: All applicants must have at least a bachelor’s degree, and must complete GSPIA’s online application.

Number of One-Semester-Equivalent Courses Required for Completion: 18 (16 plus a mandatory internship assigned the value of 2 course-equivalents) 

Number of Required Courses: 6 for GSPIA Core plus 3 for the degree core plus one or two specified requirements for the major.

Number of Electives Typically Taken (difference between above two entries): 4-5

Number of Courses Offered within Program: 128

Comprehensive Examination: No

Thesis Required: Choice of thesis or capstone (worth 1 course-equivalent)

Internship Required: Yes, prior to graduation, students must complete a 300-hour internship with an approved public, private, or nonprofit organization anywhere in the world. Pittsburgh itself is home to nearly 3,000 nonprofit organizations, including important international relief agencies, refugee relocation services, and charities that maintain an important presence in global environmental preservation and human rights (at https://www.gspia.pitt.edu/Academics/DegreePrograms/MasterofPublicAdministration/tabid/88/Default.aspx, accessed 24 June 2014). 

International Study Required: No

Co-curricular Activities Supportive to Degree

Professional Development and Career Support: Yes.

Student-run Journal: Not referenced on program website.

Applied Projects: Yes.

Pro Bono Consulting: Not referenced on program website.

Courses Offered: The list of GSPIA Core Courses can be found at https://www.gspia.pitt.edu/Portals/0/AcademicPDFs/DocLib/MPA%20-%20PNM.pdf; the Fall 2014 Major Courses are at http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/Portals/0/AcademicPDFs/Fall_2014_Major_Courses.pdf and the Spring 2015 Major Courses are at http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/Portals/0/AcademicPDFs/Spring_2015_Major_Courses.pdf (accessed 23 June 2015).

Course Material Online: There do not appear to be any course descriptions beyond the course name available to the public online. 

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. The calculations have been done for the MPA with Public and Non-profit Management (PNMP) major and the MPA with Policy Research and Analysis (PRA) major. Calculations for the MPIA assume that students take the four courses required for their major from those listed in the Course Map under Defence, Security and Foreign Relations and the calculations for the MID assume that students take the four courses required for their major from those listed in the Course Map under International Development.

		MPA-PNPM	MPA-PRA	MPIA	MID
Curricular Type Parameters
	Number of Courses Required for Graduation	18.0	18.0	18.0	18.0
	Math-Economics Subjects (EA, QM, Macro, Fin Markets)	22.4%	29.2%	28.0%	28.0%
	Policy-Oriented Subjects	62.6%	70.8%	81.8%	81.8%
	Management-Oriented Subjects	37.4%	29.2%	18.2%	18.2%
Enrolment-Adjusted Course Distribution
	Analysis and Skill Subjects	45.9%	47.1%	40.4%	40.4%
	- Policy and Management Analysis	21.2%	15.1%	14.2%	14.2%
	- Economic Analysis	14.2%	14.4%	17.1%	17.1%
	- Quantitative  and Analytic Methods	9.9%	16.8%	8.6%	8.6%
	- Leadership and Communication Skills	0.6%	0.7%	0.4%	0.4%
	Institutions and Context Subjects	12.5%	13.6%	16.7%	10.2%
	- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process	9.0%	9.5%	8.1%	8.1%
	- Ethics, Rights and Accountability	1.2%	1.4%	0.7%	0.7%
	- Socioeconomic, Political, and Global Contexts	2.3%	2.8%	7.9%	1.4%
	Management Function Subjects	22.7%	16.8%	2.1%	2.1%
	- Public Financial Management	7.3%	7.4%	0.5%	0.5%
	- Evaluation and Performance Measurement	6.7%	6.7%	0.2%	0.2%
	- Other Management Functions	8.7%	2.8%	1.4%	1.4%
	Policy Sector Subjects	18.9%	22.5%	40.8%	47.3%
	- Macroeconomic Policy	0.9%	1.0%	3.8%	3.8%
	- International Development	3.5%	4.2%	2.1%	34.6%
	- Health	0.3%	0.3%	0.2%	0.2%
	- Other Policy Sectors	14.2%	17.0%	34.7%	8.7%
	Total	100%	100%	100%	100%
Competency Gap Analysis (in Course-Weeks of Instruction)
	Course-Weeks in Core Subjects taken by Typical Student	175	167	135	121
	Surplus or Shortfall Relative to Core Competency Requirement
	- Policy and Management Analysis (CCR = 18 course-weeks)	28	15	13	13
	- Economic Analysis (CCR = 12)	19	19	25	25
	- Quantitative Methods (CCR = 12)	4	18	3	3
	- Analytic Methods (CCR = 6)	0	1	-3	-3
	- Leadership Skills (CCR = 9)	-8	-8	-8	-8
	- Communication Skills (CCR = 3 courses)	-3	-3	-3	-3
	- Democratic Institutions and Policy Process (CCR = 18)	1	2	-1	-1
	- Ethics, Rights and Accountability (CCR = 6 courses)	-3	-3	-4	-4
	- Socioeconomic and Political Context (CCR = 6)	-5	-5	-6	-6
	- Global Context (CCR = 3)	1	2	14	0
	- Public Financial Management (CCR = 6)	10	10	-5	-5
	- Evaluation and Performance Measurement (CCR = 6)	8	8	-6	-6
	- Human Resource Management (CCR = 3)	11	-2	-3	-3
	- Information and Technology Management (CCR = 3)	-2	-2	-3	-3
	- Macroeconomic Policy (CCR = 6)	-4	-4	2	2
	- Environment and Sustainability (CCR = 3)	-1	-1	-2	-2
	Subject-Matter Shortfall for Typical Student (Sum of Shortfalls)	-28	-28	-42	-42
Additional Parameters
	Total Courses Listed	128	128	128	128
	Courses Designated as Required (inc. Specialization Reqs)	13	12	15	15
	Archetypal Public Affairs Subjects (P&MA, EA, QM, DI&PP)	51.7%	52.7%	46.5%	46.5%
	Archetypal International Affairs Subjects (GC, ID, DS&FR)	13.1%	15.6%	40.5%	40.5%

Source: At http://www.gspia.pitt.edu/ and related sites (accessed 24 June 2015).

Page Created By: Ian Clark on 24 June 2015.