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Overview | EMPSA Curriculum

EMPSA Curriculum
Overview | Track Options | Course Descriptions | Sample Degree Plans

Overview

The Executive Master of Public Service and Administration (EMPSA) degree is a 39 graduate credit hour, non-thesis, executive degree program offered online with a total of two required weeks in residence at Texas A&M University in College Station (one week, two separate times during the program).

The executive program delivers high quality and high impact coursework for individuals who continue to pursue their full-time professional careers while further developing in-depth, advanced skills in public service leadership, critical investigative and evaluative proficiencies, and decision making expertise within the public sector context.

Students must have at least five full-time years cumulative experience in public service. Three years at the middle-to-upper level is required. Also, experience will be preferably in one of the three curricular track areas of Homeland Security, Nonprofit Management, or Public Management.

  • 39 Credit Hours, Non-thesis Master’s Program
  • Completely Online with Two Separate One-Week Residency Periods
  • Culminating Applied Capstone Project to Analyze a Current Problem
  • Three Tracks to Choose From: Homeland Security, Nonprofit Management, or Public Management
  • Five Full-Time Years of Public Service Experience Required; Track-related experience and and three years at the middle-to-upper level is required.
  • In 2020, the Bush School was named the no. 1 ranked “best value” in executive online MPSA programs by Value College.

Download a PDF copy of the EMPSA Overview

Curriculum Overview

Required Core Courses For All EMPSA Majors
  • PSAA 601: Foundations of Public Service (Mostly online and includes one week on campus residency. Scheduled in the first fall or summer session.)
  • PSAA 611: Public Policy Formation
  • PSAA 621: Economic Analysis
  • PSAA 630: Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
  • BUSH 631: Quantitative Methods in Public Management I
  • PSAA 675: Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar (Mostly online and includes one week on campus residency. Typically scheduled in the summer or fall session prior to graduation.)
  • PSAA 676: Public Service and Administration Capstone Seminar II Note: Capstone II is only scheduled in fall or spring sessions. PSAA 675 and 676 must be taken back-to-back.
Required Courses for Homeland Security Track Students
  • PSAA 623: Budgeting in Public Service
  • PSAA 634: Public Management
  • PSAA 656: Fundamentals of Homeland Security
Elective Course Choices for Homeland Security Track Students
  • PSAA 604 Emergency Management and Homeland Security
  • PSAA 605: Homeland Security Policies, Strategies, and Operations
  • PSAA 608: Cybersecurity Policy, Issues and Operations – A Manager’s Guide
  • PSAA 620: Safeguarding the Nation’s Maritime Gateways
  • PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
  • PSAA 651: Homeland Security and Homeland Defense
  • PSAA 652: Protection of the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure
  • PSAA 653: Weapons of Mass Destruction
  • PSAA 654: U.S. Border Security: Policies, Strategies and Issues
  • PSAA 655: Domestic Intelligence Operations: Legalities, Policies and Procedures
  • PSAA 657: Terrorism in Today’s World
  • PSAA 658: Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
  • PSAA 668: U.S. Law and Homeland Security
  • INTA 659: Transnational Security Issues
Required Courses for Nonprofit Management Track Students
  • PSAA 632: Fiscal Management for Nonprofits
  • PSAA 643 :Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
  • PSAA 644: Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations
Elective Course Choices for Nonprofit Management Track Students
  • PSAA 602: Tools of Leadership in Public Service Organizations
  • PSAA 603: Nongovernmental Organization Management in International Settings
  • PSAA 616: Managing Workplace Diversity in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 631: Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 633: Philanthropy: Fundraising in Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 636: Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 648: Performance Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 649: Volunteer & Human Resources in Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 669: Legal Environment of Nonprofit Management
Required Courses for Public Management Track Students
  • PSAA 623: Budgeting in Public Service
  • PSAA 634: Public Management
  • PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
Elective Course Choices for Public Management Track Students
  • PSAA 602: Tools of Leadership in Public Service Organizations
  • PSAA 604: Emergency Management and Homeland Security
  • PSAA 608: : Cybersecurity Policy, Issues and Operations – A Manager’s Guide
  • PSAA 616: Managing Workplace Diversity in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 617: U.S. State and Local Government: Institutions and Policy
  • PSAA 636: Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 644: Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 648: Performance Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors INTA 659: Transnational Security Issues

How to Apply

Visit EMPSA Admissions for detailed application instructions.

Prospective students must have five years full-time experience in public service; three years of experience at the middle to upper level; and, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university.

Required items:
  • Application: 
  • Application Fee. A nonrefundable $89 application fee. International student application fee is $114
  • Official Transcripts and Records. Official transcripts for all 4-year colleges or universities attended sent to Texas A&M University’s Office of Graduate Admissions:
    • Graduate Admissions Processing
      Office of Admissions
      Texas A&M University
      P.O. Box 40001
      College Station, TX 77842-4001
  • Unofficial Transcripts: Texas A&M University GraduateCAS requires unofficial transcripts to be uploaded to the application in addition to ordering official transcripts. Applicants will be required to upload unofficial transcript(s) in the “Academic History” tab in order to submit their application.
  • Resume (professional experience must be included.)
  • Statement of Purpose
  • GRE scores are recommended for applicants with an undergraduate GPA less than 3.2. GRE scores are not required.
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit proof of English proficiency, which may be satisfied by
    • a minimum TOEFL score (from a test date within two years) of 550 for paper-based testing (p-BT) or 80 for Internet-based testing (i-BT), or
    • a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall band, or
    • a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall band,
    • a minimum PTE Academic score of 53,
    • a GRE Verbal Reasoning score of at least 146 (Subject to departmental approval),
    • a GMAT Verbal Score of at least 22 (Subject to departmental approval),
    • Completing all years of a Bachelor’s degree or higher at a U.S. accredited university. (Subject to departmental approval), or
    • Acquiring alternative verification from the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies via departmental request. An international graduate student holding a master’s degree from a U.S. accredited university qualifies for alternative verification.
    • See https://admissions.tamu.edu/international/graduate for more detailed information.

Questions?

Contact an Enrollment Advisor at bushschoolonline@tamu.edu or call 1-866-988-2874.