CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

The Graduate Certificate in City Management is based on the International City/County Management Association's inventory of 17 Practices for effective local government management and is a 15-credit (5-course) program.

Required courses: (3 courses):

• MPA 8500: Effective City Management
• MPA 8550: Urban Politics and Government
• MPA 8031: Financial Management 

Elective courses: (6 credits)

Students choose six credits of electives from the following courses:

• MPA 8400: Strategic Planning (3 credits)
• MPA 8800: Managing Public Networks (3 credits)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Land-Use and Zoning (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Performance Measurement (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Economic Development Strategies (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Labor Relations (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Program Evaluation (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Effective Public Affairs (1 credit)
• MPA 8012 and MPA 8013 (Individual Research I and II) may also be considered for the certificate with the permission of the MPA Director.

The Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management was designed based on best practices in nonprofit education as well as through consultations with students, alumni, and nonprofit professionals and is a 15-credit (5-course) program.

Required courses (3 courses):

• MPA 8031: Financial Management
• MPA 8600: Effective Nonprofit Management
• MPA 8700: Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations

Elective courses (2 courses):
Students choose six credits of electives from the following courses:

• MPA 8041: Human Centered Management
• MPA 8100: Policy Analysis
• MPA 8199: Cultural Competency
• MPA 8200: Strategic Communication
• MPA 8300: Leadership Ethics
• MPA 8400: Strategic Planning
• MPA 8800: Managing Public Networks
• MPA 8900: Public Policy
• MPA 8299 Topic: Land-Use and Zoning (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Leading Social Innovation (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Economic Development Strategy (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Program Evaluation (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Effective Public Affairs (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Performance Measurement (1 credit)
• MPA 8299 Topic: Marketing in the Cultural Sector (1 credit)

In addition to the above electives, students may select one of the following Political Science courses:

• PSC 8310: Comparative Political Economy
• PSC 9050: International Organizations
• MPA 8012 and MPA 8013 (Individual Research I and II) may also be considered for the certificate with the permission of the MPA Director.

Any current MPA student interested in pursuing a Certificate in Nonprofit Management or City Management must complete and submit the Certificate Intent Form for review by the Department and Office of Graduate Studies.

Upon finishing the courses for the certificate, the Department will verify completion of the appropriate courses as well as GPA and then forward to the Office of Graduate Studies for processing. Certificates will be mailed directly to the students at the conclusion of each semester: September 1, December 31 and May 31.