Master of Public Service & Administration

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Master of Public Service & Administration
Curriculum | View By Semester | Tracks | Concentrations | Courses | Admissions 🗗

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The Master of Public Service and Administration (MPSA) program trains principled leaders for the public and nonprofit sectors. The MPSA degree is a 21 month, 48 credit hour program of 16 courses and a non-credit-bearing internship (for those without prior professional experience).

All students take ten core/track courses that provide general knowledge and analytical skills with six electives. Tracks are offered in Public Policy Analysis (PPA), Public Management (PM), or Nonprofit Management (NPM), each consisting of four courses (two required, two elective). Students may use their remaining four electives toward a concentration or create their own designed focus (need three courses to develop a specialty). Up to two electives may double-count toward a track and concentration or two concentrations. Up to six credit hours of graduate or upper-UG electives may be taken from other Texas A&M departments when courses are related to public service careers. Deviations from the above guidelines will require a petition or waiver form available online.

Additionally, students must complete at least 51% of their courses in the modality of the program, meaning this face-to-face program must have nine of its 16 courses completed in College Station (up to seven courses can be taken online, although additional fees will incur).

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Curriculum for AY 2025-2026

Key: Public Policy Analysis (PPA), Public Management (PM), or Nonprofit Management (NPM)

Fall Semester I:

BUSH 631: Quantitative Methods in Public Mgmt I
PSAA 601: Foundations of Public Service 
PSAA 621: Economic Analysis 
PSAA 643: Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector    

Spring Semester II: 

Quantitative Methods II:

• PPA: BUSH 632: Quant II or 635: Q II: Policy Analysis
• PM: BUSH 632, BUSH 633, or PSAA 630
• NPM: BUSH 632, BUSH 633, or PSAA 630   

PSAA 611: Public Policy
One approved elective
One track requirement:  

• PPA: PSAA 622: Public Finance
• PM: PSAA 634: Public Management
• NPM: PSAA 632: Fiscal Management for Nonprofits

Summer

Professional Internship

Fall Semester III:

PSAA 675: Capstone Seminar I
Two approved electives  
One track requirement:

• PPA: PSAA 615: Policy Analysis
• PM: PSAA 623: Budgeting in Public Service
• NPM: PSAA 644: Mgmt & Leadership of Nonprofits

Spring Semester IV:

PSAA 676: Capstone Seminar II
Three approved electives

NOTE: A course used as a Quantitative Methods II requirement may not be used for another purpose.

Tracks (mandatory)

Public Policy Analysis (PPA)

Associated faculty: Lahey (coord), Casellas Connors, Cheong, Cortes, Dague, Emidy, Han, Harris, Hoang, L Taylor, Vedlitz

The PPA track offers students an in-depth understanding of how decision makers can assess policy choices. It includes a consideration of why government should or should not take action in response to particular problems and familiarizes students with specific evaluative techniques, such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and risk assessment. Students have numerous opportunities to apply what they learn to current policy issues.

PPA Track Core (BOTH REQUIRED):

PSAA 615: Policy Analysis  -AND-  PSAA 622: Public Finance                 

Public Management (PM)

Associated faculty: Greer (coord), Bright, Casellas Connors, Davis, DeBree, Emidy, Farrell, Haase, Hoang, Nakamura, K Taylor, Wang

The PM track focuses on the capabilities required for effective and ethical leadership in the public and nonprofit sectors. These include knowledge and skills pertaining to the internal operation of public-service organizations and to the relationship between those organizations and their operating environments. 

PM Track Core (BOTH REQUIRED):

PSAA 623: Budgeting in Public Service  -AND-  PSAA 634: Public Management 

PM Track Electives (TWO REQUIRED):

Nonprofit Management (NPM)

Associated faculty: Robichau (coordinator); W Brown, Nakamura, Qu, Seaworth, K Taylor

The NPM track provides an understanding of the role of the nonprofit sector as it has evolved and the distinctive character of nonprofit management and the challenges it must address. Discussions include the variation of structures and activities of assorted nonprofits. It also examines development, political activities, and other dimensions of the relationship between nonprofit organizations and their environments.

NPM Track Core (BOTH REQUIRED):
PSAA 632: Fiscal Management for Nonprofits  -AND-  PSAA 644: Management & Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations

NPM Track Electives (TWO REQUIRED):

Concentrations (Optional)

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 her/her advisor and the PSAA department head.   

NOTE: Course offerings are subject to semester availability.  

Analytical Methods (AM)

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

This concentration provides an analytic toolbox for effective program and policy analysis. It uses quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis and implementation of such analysis in both policy and administrative settings. 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 

Analytical Methods Core (TWO REQUIRED, including one core Quant II, but more can be chosen):

Technical Methods Electives (No more than ONE):

Practical Methods Electives (At least ONE unless Analytical M core courses are used to meet all requirements) *:

*With the AM coordinator and advisor’s approval, more advanced methods theory courses from ECON, POLS, 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), G Brown, DeBree, Haase, Reilly

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.

Cybersecurity Core (ONE REQUIRED):

PSAA 608: Cybersecurity Policy, Issues, & Operations – A Manager’s Guide

Cybersecurity Electives (TWO REQUIRED):

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.

Education Policy Core (ONE REQUIRED):

PSAA 613: Immigration & Education Policy  -OR-  PSAA 618: Education Policy

Education Policy Electives (TWO REQUIRED):

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

Associated faculty: Vedlitz (coordinator), Cheong, Harris

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 & Mgmt  -OR-  PSAA 640: Energy Policy & Security  -OR-  PSAA 671: Science & Technology Policy 

EETPM Electives (ONE REQUIRED):

Health Policy and Management (HPM)

Associated faculty: Dague (coordinator), Harris, Hoang, 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.

Health Policy/Management Core (ONE REQUIRED):

PSAA 635: Social Welfare and Health Policy  – OR –  PSAA 638: Health Economics & Policy

Health Policy/Management Electives (TWO REQUIRED):

*PHPM 601 and PHPM 605 are prerequisites for many additional PHPM classes. Students interested in more advanced PHPM management and policy classes should have a discussion with their advisor and the relevant PHPM professor. If you desire to count a PHPM course not included on the list, contact the HPM coordinator for approval.

Homeland Security and National Defense (HSND)

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

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.

HSND Core (REQUIRED):

PSAA 656: Fundamentals of Homeland Security

HSND Electives (TWO REQUIRED):

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 Organization Management in International Settings

INGO Electives (TWO REQUIRED; ONE must be an INTA course. Those in NPM track choose TWO INTA courses):

State & Local Government Policy and Management (SLGPM)

Associated faculty: Farrell (coordinator), Bright, Casellas Connors, Cortes, Greer, Han, Lahey, Nakamura,            L Taylor, Wang

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.

State and Local Core (REQUIRED):

      PSAA 617: US State & Local Government: Institutions & Policy

State and Local Electives (TWO REQUIRED):

Individually Designed Concentration

In consultation with his/her advisor, a student may choose to create an 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 visit online to find the form under PSAA Resources.