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MPSA Concentrations

Master of Public Service & Administration

Master of Public Service & Administration
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The following concentrations and descriptions, along with suggested elective courses to support them, are offered as elective concentrations. Students who choose a concentration must take a minimum of three courses from its list of options.

Additionally, a student may design an individualized concentration in consultation with his/her advisor and the PSAA department head. NOTE: Course offerings are subject to semester availability.

Concentration Topics:

Analytical Methods (AM)

Associated Faculty:
  • Lahey (coordinator), Bright, Casellas Connors, Cortes, L Taylor

Students must take two core Methods courses (including the core Quant. Methods II requirement) and at least two Methods electives. If the four core courses are not chosen to satisfy the requirement, then one of the electives may be technical and at least one of the electives must be practical. Note: Only one of the two core courses is problematic for “double counting”—the other satisfies your core track requirement.

Methods Core Courses (choose at least two, can choose more)

  • BUSH 632: Quantitative Methods in Public Management II
  • BUSH 633: Qualitative Methods for Public Service
  • BUSH 635: Quantitative Methods II: Policy Analysis Emphasis
  • PSAA 630: Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations

Technical Methods Electives (choose no more than one)

  • ECON 459: Games and Economic Behavior
  • ECON 440: Experimental Economics
  • MATH 411: Mathematical Probability
  • STAT 656: Applied Analytics

Practical Methods Electives (choose at least one unless all four core courses are chosen)

  • ECON 471: Data Science for Future Decision Makers
  • INTA 616: Economic Development in China (must choose empirical option)
  • INTA 625: International Trade Policy Analysis
  • INTA 630: International Economic Development
  • INTA 632: Advanced Economic Development
  • GEOG 660: Applications in GIS
  • ECMT 475: Economic Forecasting
  • EPSY 640: Statistical Analysis in Education Research
  • HLTH 632: Health Program Evaluation
  • EPSY 637 or SOCI 624: Qualitative Methods (credit cannot be given for these and PSAA Qualitative course)
  • PHEB 603: Biostatistics II
  • PHPM 655: Survey Design for Public Health Research and Practice (credit cannot be given for both PHPM 655 and BUSH 632)
  • STAT 624: Databases and Computational Tools Used in Big Data
  • STAT 654: Statistical Computing with R and Python

With the AM coordinator and advisor’s approval, more advanced methods theory courses from ECON, POLS, or STAT (or selected other programs) can be included as technical electives, as can practical methods courses with a significant empirical component.

Cybersecurity Policy and Management (CPM)

Associated Faculty:
  • Davis (coordinator), DeBree, Reilly, Haase, G Brown

This concentration is designed to allow Bush School students to conduct focused study on a topic that has application across both public and private enterprises. The three course combination is designed to help students develop both theoretical and practical cybersecurity knowledge, skills, and abilities.

CPM Core (ONE REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 608: Cybersecurity Policy, Issues and Operations – A Manager’s Guide
CPM Electives (TWO REQUIRED):
  • INTA 690:  Cybersecurity Literacy for the Global Arena
  • INTA 706: Cyberspace Implications for National Security
  • INTA 712: A Non-Technical Introduction to Cyber Policy
  • INTA 713: Advanced Cyber Policy
  • CSCE 701/CYBR 601:  Foundations of Cybersecurity
  • CSCE 702/CYBR 602:  Law and Policy in Cybersecurity
  • CSCE 703:  Cybersecurity Risk
  • CSCE 704/CYBR 604: Data Analytics for Cybersecurity
  • ISTM 635:  Business Information Security
  • ISTM 645:  IT Security Controls
  • ISTM 655:  Security Management and Compliance
  • MATH 673:  Information, Secrecy, and Authentication I   

Education Policy and Management (EDPM)

Associated faculty:
  • Cortes (coordinator), Casellas Connors, Han, L. Taylor

This concentration examines the key institutions that make and administer education policy, the political and economic forces that shape education policy at all levels, and the implications of policy for educational equity, adequacy, accountability and administration.

EDPM Core (ONE REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 613: Immigration and Education Policy – OR – PSAA 618: Education Policy
EDPM Electives (TWO REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 613 or 618 (if not taken as EDPM core course)
  • PSAA 616:  Managing Workplace Diversity in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 636:  Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 642:  Ethics and Public Policy
  • EDAD 609:  Public School Laws
  • EDAD 610:  Higher Education Law
  • EDAD 611:  Higher Education Business and Finance
  • EDAD 612:  Policy Issues in the Administration of Higher Education
  • EDAD 639:  Foundations of Educational Administration
  • EDAD 652:  Politics of Education
  • EDAD 653:  Organizational Theory and Leadership in Education
  • EDAD 655:  Administration of Higher Education
  • EDAD 687:  Proseminar: Principles of Professional Practice in Education
  • EHRD 633:  Adult Literacy Education

Energy, Environment, and Technology Policy and Management (EETPM)

Associated faculty:
  • Vedlitz (coordinator), Bowman, Cheong, Lewis

This concentration studies the key institutions for making and administering policy, as well as the political, economic, and technological forces that shape agenda setting and policy formation. Also discussed are obstacles to effective policy implementation and management, analytical tools that can be used to evaluate policy, and critical issues and how they are interrelated.

EETPM Core (TWO REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 606: Environmental Policy and Management   – OR-
  • PSAA 640: Energy and Security Policy   – OR –   
  • PSAA 671: Science and Technology Policy  
EETPM Electives (ONE REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 606, 640, or 671 (If not used as an EETPM core course)
  • PSAA 624:  Water Policy and Management
  • PSAA 625:  Urban Sustainability and Management
  • PSAA 636:  Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 663/AGEC 604: Natural Resource Economics
  • PSAA 664: Climate and Sustainability
  • LDEV 661:  Development and the Environment
  • LDEV 671:  Sustainable Development
  • MGMT 632:  Technology Commercialization
  • MARS 676:  Environmental Policy
  • PLAN 634:  Environmental Health Policy and Planning
  • PLAN 641:  Problems of Environmental Planning Administration
  • PLAN 642:  Planning for Coastal Sustainability and Resiliency

Health Policy and Management (HPM)

Associated faculty:
  • Dague (coordinator), Compton, Lahey

This concentration covers the key institutions for making and administering health policy and the political/economic forces that shape agenda setting and policy formation. Students study obstacles to effective policy implementation, the analytical tools used to evaluate policy, and are provided an understanding of critical issues and how they are interrelated.

HPM Core (ONE REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 635:  Social Welfare and Health Policy – OR – PSAA 638:  Health Economics and Policy
HPM Electives (TWO REQUIRED):
  • BUSH 635: Quantitative Methods in Public Management II: Policy Analysis Emphasis – OR – PSAA 630:  Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (if not taken as track QM II required course)
  • PSAA 635: Social Welfare and Health Policy – OR – PSAA 638: Health Economics and Policy (if not taken as HPM core course)
  • PSAA 636: Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • HLTH 611: Organization and Administration of Health
  • HLTH 630: Health Program Planning
  • PHEB 600: Fundamentals of Epidemiology
  • PHPM 601*: Foundations of Population and Public Health
  • PHPM 605*: Introduction to Health Policy and Management
  • PHPM 633: Health, Law and Ethics
  • PHPM 640: Health Policy and Politics
  • PLAN 631: Health Systems Planning and Policy
  • PLAN 634: Environmental Health Policy and Planning

*PHPM 601 and PHPM 605 are prerequisites for many additional PHPM classes, but these are often waived for students who have taken PSAA 635 or PSAA 638.

Note: Students interested in more advanced PHPM management and policy classes should discuss this with their advisor and the relevant PHPM professor. If you are interested in counting a PHPM course not included on the list, contact the HPM concentration coordinator first.

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Homeland Security and National Defense (HSND)

Associated faculty:
  •  Davis (coordinator), DeBree, Reilly, Haase

This concentration provides a thorough examination of security policy and management concepts and principles, governance structures, strategies, policies, and contemporary events and their implications. Homeland security, national defense, and emergency management areas are emphasized.

NDHS Core (REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 656:  Fundamentals of Homeland Security
NDHS Electives (TWO REQUIRED):
  • 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 617: U.S. State and Local Government; Institutions and Policy
  • PSAA 620:  Safeguarding the Nation’s Maritime Gateways
  • PSAA 636:  Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 640:  Energy Policy and Security
  • PSAA 651:  Homeland Security and Homeland Defense
  • PSAA 652:  Protection of 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/INTA 657:  Terrorism in Today’s World
  • PSAA 658:  Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
  • PSAA 660:  Domestic Terrorism: The Internal Threat to America
  • PSAA 668/INTA 612: U.S. Law and Homeland Security
  • PLAN 634:  Environmental Health Policy and Planning
  • PLAN 649:  Organizational and Community Response to Crises and Disasters
  • PLAN 650:  Disaster Response Planning
  • INTA 714: Defense Intelligence

International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGO)

Associated faculty:
  • Brown (coordinator), Hamie, Mu, Qu, Robertson, Robichau, K. Taylor

This concentration provides relevant coursework and preparation for work in international NGOs or nonprofits working in non-US settings, or for work focused on improving the effectiveness of such organizations.

INGO Core (REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 603:  Nongovernmental Management in International Settings
INGO Electives (TWO REQUIRED; ONE must be an INTA course; those in NPM track choose TWO INTA courses):
  • PSAA 626: Contract Management
  • PSAA 630:  Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (if not taken as PM track QM II requirement)
  • PSAA 631:  Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 632:  Fiscal Management of Nonprofits (if not NPM core)
  • PSAA 633:  Philanthropy: Fundraising in Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 636:  Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 639:  Social Justice Leadership at Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 644:  Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations (if not NPM core)
  • PSAA 648:  Performance Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 649:  Volunteer and Human Resources in Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 650:  Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Nonprofit Management
  • PSAA 669:  Legal Environment of Nonprofit Management
  • PSAA 689: Special Topics in… (In consultation with INGO coordinator & faculty advisor)
  • INTA 630:  International Economic Development
  • INTA 632:  Advanced Economic Development
  • INTA 635:  Great Famines, War and Disaster Response
  • INTA 636:  International Development in Theory and Practice
  • INTA 643:  International Organizations
  • INTA 644:  Post Conflict Recovery and Development
  • INTA 645:  Women and Nations
  • INTA 689:  Special Topics in… (In consultation with INGO coordinator & faculty advisor)
  • INTA 701:  Women, International Development and Environmental Conflict
  • ALEC 645:  Initiating, Managing and Monitoring Projects of International Agricultural Development
  • RPTS 604:  Principles of Community and Community Development
  • RPTS 605/RWFM 605:  Community Organization and Natural Resources Management

State and Local Government Policy and Management (SLGPM)

Associated faculty:
  • Bright, Casellas Connors, Cortes, Graham, Greer, Han, Hofmann, Lahey, Nakamura, L Taylor

This concentration explores the institutional structure of state and local government and how it varies among jurisdictions. Topics include politics and management at the state and local level, the prerogatives and limitations of governments in different policy areas, the role of state and local governments in implementing federal programs, and critical issues facing said governments.

SLGPM Core (REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 617:  State and Local Government: Institutions and Policy
SLGPM Electives (TWO REQUIRED):
  • PSAA 613:  Immigration and Education Policy
  • PSAA 616:  Managing Workplace Diversity in Public and Nonprofit Organizations
  • PSAA 618:  Education Policy
  • PSAA 619:  Urban Policy and Management
  • PSAA 625:  Urban Sustainability Policies and Management
  • PSAA 626:  Contract Management
  • PSAA 627:  Local Economic Development
  • PSAA 628: Professional Local Government Management
  • PSAA 630:  Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (if not used as PM or NPM track Quant. II requirement)
  • PSAA 635:  Social Welfare and Health Policy
  • PSAA 636:  Grant and Project Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 641:  Organization Theory for the Public Sector
  • PSAA 642:  Ethics and Public Policy
  • PSAA 648:  Performance Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors
  • PSAA 656:  Fundamentals of Homeland Security
  • PSAA 661:  Human Resources Management in Government and Public Service
  • EDAD 620:  Educational Program Evaluation
  • EDAD 652:  Politics of Education
  • GEOG 660:  Applications in GIS
  • LDEV 671:  Sustainable Development
  • MGMT 658:  Managing Projects
  • PLAN 610:  Structure and Function of Urban Settlements
  • PLAN 612: Transportation in City Planning
  • PLAN 633:  Planning for Healthy Communities
  • PLAN 656:  Housing and Community
  • RPTS 604:  Principles of Community and Community Development

Individually Designed Concentration

In consultation with his/her faculty advisor a student may choose to create and individualized concentration consisting of three approved courses relevant to the concentration topic. Can be from the Bush School and from other Texas A&M departments. See Ms. Elaine Lippard or download the form online.