To develop a strong foundation of cross-disciplinary knowledge for working within the broad domain of public affairs, you take courses in the following three complementary subject areas:

• Administrative, Political and Policy Processes
  –how public affairs are conducted
• Economic Analysis and Public Finance
  –how public affairs are financed
• Quantitative Analysis

–how decisions and results in public affairs are evaluated

We offer eight areas of concentration from which to choose. With the help of your advisor, you can select courses that fit your desired area of specialization. Within each of these concentrations, you may choose five courses that will give you the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue your professional goals:

• Economic and Financial Policy
• Environmental Policy
• Government, Politics and Policy Studies
• Human Rights and Social Justice
• International Development Studies
• Public and Nonprofit Management
• Science, Technology, and Infrastructure Policy
• Social Policy

You will register for and participate in a one-credit Colloquium course every semester that you’re on campus: PADM 5009, 5011 and 5012—MPA Program Colloquium. A public affairs speaker series, Colloquium offers a variety of events for you to choose from over the course of the semester, all focused on enhancing your professional development.

Hands-on, professional work experience in public affairs is a key component of the MPA Program. You are expected to gain practical work experience in an area related to your concentration. There are several options for meeting this requirement:

• Summer Internships. Most students undertake an internship during the summer between their first and second year of study. The MPA Program Office of Career Management will assist you in finding a position that matches your interests, expertise, and professional goals.
• Introductory Consulting Course—PADM 5900: Consulting for Nonprofit and Government Organizations
• Off-Campus Study/Externship Programs
• Graduate Certificate Programs
  Environmental Finance and Impact Investment (EFII)
  Fellows Program or the Infrastructure Project Management and Finance (IPMF)
  Systems Thinking, Modelling, and Leadership (STML) Certificate

In the public affairs profession, you will need a high level of expertise in both analysis and written communication. We offer several ways for you to improve your skills and demonstrate professional competency in these areas:

• Capstone Project. You may undertake a rigorous, semester-long, pro bono, group consulting project for real clients in public agencies or nonprofits, culminating in a written report.
• Professional report. Some students who undertake a summer internship expand on their experience by enrolling in a semester-long independent study or directed reading course, culminating in a more complete professional report that is useful to the client and others. The report is intended to assist your client in decision-making and program management or evaluation. Consult the Program Handbook and the MPA Professional Writing Guide for more specifics.
• Thesis. Writing a master’s thesis is an option that is particularly appropriate for those who plan to go on for a PhD and have some particular topical concern within the field of public affairs that can be served by broad-ranging but focused research. Consult the Program Handbook and the MPA Professional Writing Guide for more specifics. For additional information about writing a research thesis and proper format see the Thesis and Dissertation Guide, available on the Cornell Graduate School web site.