Master of Arts - Leadership, Public Administration
Achieve the Government Career You Want with a Master’s in Public Administration
A successful career in government takes leadership abilities and high ethical standards, and Mid-America Christian University is committed to cultivating these qualities in students.
The Master of Arts in Leadership with a Public Administration emphasis program develops those seeking careers in government, focusing on aspects of leadership such as collaboration, diplomacy, diversity, writing and public speaking. Students will engage quantitative and qualitative research, improve in problem-solving and have the opportunity to participate in mentorships with professionals in the field of public administration.
Upon completion of the M.A. in Leadership with a Public Administration emphasis program, students will be prepared to lead ethically at all levels of government service through exercising fiscal responsibility, social equity and strategic communication. Graduates of the program will be able to diagnose organizational problems and formulate plans of action to positively impact their workplaces and communities.
Since the master’s in public administration program focuses on applicable knowledge and real processes, individuals will exit the program with work-ready skills, ready to effectively serve the public through a career in government.
Why Choose MACU for a Master’s Degree in Public Administration?
At Mid-America Christian University, we understand the importance of developing leaders who are equipped with a strong ethical foundation and practical knowledge so that they can serve in the public sector.
With our experience in adult and online education, we know how to do this without forcing someone to choose between devoting time to work and devoting time to school. Our six-week classes, whether on-campus or online, work around the schedule of a busy adult who divides time between a career, family and school.
In addition, our leadership professors are experienced in the field in which they are teaching, so students are guaranteed to complete the program with leadership strategies proven to be effective and knowledge that can immediately be applied in the workforce.
Careers Opportunities for Graduates of the M.A. in Leadership with a Public Administration Emphasis Program
- City Manager
- Public Administration Consultant
- Local Government Administrator
- Nonprofit Manager
- Budget Analyst
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Courses
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| ACCN5133 | Managerial Accounting |
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This course introduces the financial statement, their sources and functions, and managerial control systems involved with the accounting process, including variance analysis and budgeting. It serves as an overview of the accounting function and its use in the management of the functional units within the organization.
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| ML5111 | Program Orientation |
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This course serves as an orientation to the Master of Leadership and Master of Leadership Public Administration degree programs explaining the program elements of mentorship, research, scholarly writing, collaboration and the Christian worldview including social equity.
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| ML5123 | Organizational Culture and Behavior |
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This course examines organizational culture in terms of its history, setting, characteristics, components, and different types of interventions. Students will consider the perspectives of sociology and other social sciences as they explore personal and organizational values, communication and social networks, community trends, and forecasting for the future. Every leader who has served more than one organization is well aware of the likelihood of differences, but is often inadequately trained to diagnose and create workable solutions to the problems facing the particular group they are leading.
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| ML5133 | Introduction to Quantitative Method of Administrative Data |
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Introduction to the basis and use of quantitative methods in government adsministration. Subjects include systematic research in public administration, measurement theory, bivariate analysis, and hypothesis testing and statistical inference.
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| ML5143 | Leadership Theory and Practice |
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This course explores the history and development of leadership theory as well as the role of leadership in the students’ current organizational settings. Although leadership and management are not the same, they are often confused. The unique features of each are studied along with practical application of case studies of current leaders as well as from history. Managers develop subordinates, leaders develop followers, and the most highly successful leaders develop leaders. Students will evaluate their own leadership style using the Leadership Practices Inventory developed by Kouzes and Posner. Students will gain hands-on experience by analyzing their performance in a current or new leadership role.
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| ML5153 | Public Budgeting and Finance |
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Examines how to develop successful fiscal policy initiatives. A sufficient understanding of the technical material and the political processes involved in making tax and spending policy. Economic policy and the impact on a state or municipality will be studied.
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| ML5163 | Training and Development |
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This course addresses the core aspects of instructional systems design as applied to workforce learning and performance. Learners apply key principles involved in assessing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating employee development and performance improvement programs. Learners gain hands-on experience by creating an active training event.
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| ML5233 | Public Policy Implementation |
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Examines the ethical implementations of public law. Develops an understanding of different analytic strategies for assessing if a program is being instituted as designed and is reasonably connected to its articulated goals.
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| ML5243 | Leading Change |
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Leaders often attempt changes that they believe are critical to the survival of the organization only to find those changes are resisted by the very people the leader is attempting to help. People's response to change depends on the degreeto which they understand the need for change, are involved in teh change process, and understand the implications the change has for their roles. This class explores the processes necessary to identify the need for change using appropriate models, plan the process of change, obtain authorization for the change and motivate the appropriate stakeholders to ensure success.
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| ML5253 | Legislative Process and Behavior |
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Facilitates a better understanding of the: workings of the federal and state government; legislative process; relationship between bicameralism, federalism and the republican form of government; and the roles of elected representatives and the legislative staffs.
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| ML5313 | Project Management |
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This course presents the technical, managerial and organizational concepts and tactics associated with managing projects. Topics include the skills, tools, and techniques for projecting activities to achieve project requirements while using processes of initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. Studens will be required to evaluate a recent change process in which they participated, created a project managment structure for a needed change project, and to initiate the change process in their own setting using project management models.
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| ML5333 | Research Methods |
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This course is designed to acquaint students with research methods including qualitative and quantitative procedures, sampling procedures, and survey design as well as how to design a study, ethical issues, data collection, and presentation of data.
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| ML5363 | Communication for Leadership |
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This course focuses on the philosophy and behaviors associated with leadership communication in various contexts. Emphasis is placed on unique aspects of messages as individuals enact leadership roles. Includes an overview of emerging technologies, use of social media and multimedia, and an analysis of the social and behavioral effect of these technologies on human interaction in intra- and inter-agency contexts.
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| ML6023 | Integrative Leadership Project |
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This course serves as a capstone for the MA Leadership program. Students will complete an application project related to their emphasis and field of interest.
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| ML6112 | Case Study Presentation |
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Students will present their case study. The written report of the case study will conform to APA standards. The project will include analysis of the data collected. Students will also present their findings orally from an outline.
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