Graduate Program
Degrees Offered
The School of Public Administration offers two Master’s degrees:
- Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.)
- Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
Concentrations: Health Policy and Administration; Human Resources Management; Public Budgeting and Financial Management; Public Management.
The Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) fills an important labor market and educational need in New Mexico and the Southwest by providing professional education for leadership careers in healthcare administration. Healthcare organizations state-wide worked with the School of Public Administration to develop the M.H.A. program. The shared aim is to develop effective executives and informed health policy advisors.
The M.H.A. curriculum responds to the particular needs of our region. Issues and concerns related to Hispanics, Native Americans, and rural health care are built into the curriculum. A diverse student body is recruited for the M.H.A. program in order to meet the needs articulated by our stakeholders. Many M.H.A. students will already have mid-level experience in hospitals, clinics, healthcare agencies, or health-related organizations.
The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) prepares men and women interested in public service and third sector careers for professional and management policy positions. Persons already employed or preparing to enter public service are encouraged to apply for admission. The interdisciplinary nature of the program is designed to utilize faculty resources in departments and colleges across the University, and to offer students a wide choice in their professional preparation.
Dual Degree Programs
Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor: The School of Public Administration and the School of Law offer a Dual Degree Program leading to the M.P.A. and the Juris Doctor (J.D.). See the Graduate and Professional Dual Degree Programs section of this Catalog.
Master of Public Administration and Master of Community and Regional Planning: The School of Public Administration and the Community and Regional Planning department at the School of Architecture and Planning offer a Dual Degree Program leading to the M.P.A. and the Master of Community and Regional Planning (M.C.R.P.). See the Graduate and Professional Dual Degree Programs section of this Catalog.
Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees Program
Undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (B.A.) program in University College may seek admission to the M.P.A. under the Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees Program. Refer to the University College: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts section of this Catalog for specific admission information and requirements.
Application Deadlines
Domestic Students
Fall semester: April 1st
Spring semester: October 1st
International Students
Fall semester: February 15th
Spring semester: August 1st
Master of Health Administration
Admission Requirements
Admission is competitive, and only applicants with strong academic and professional records are admitted to the program. Applicants must have:
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with an undergraduate grade point average for the last 60 credit hours, or overall major grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent.
Applicants to the School of Public Administration's M.H.A. program must submit their application and necessary documentation online.
M.H.A. Degree Requirements
All students must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours in five components:
Core Curriculum: (21 credit hours) The core curriculum includes required foundational courses to meet the specialized needs of M.H.A. students.
Shared Core: (9 credit hours) The M.H.A. core curriculum shares 9 credit hours with the M.P.A. program. This shared foundation reflects common goals, purposes, skills and influences on the work of public administration and health administration students and professionals. Each of these courses is offered with a health-focus for M.H.A. students to reflect their central interests and needs.
Practicum: (3 credit hours) The M.H.A. Practicum is typically offered mid-program, offering opportunities to apply program learning during the practicum experience and to bring practicum experience into the classroom.
Electives: (12 credit hours) Courses other than those listed may be used to fulfill requirements. Course substitutions require justification relevant to the program of study for the M.H.A. degree. Students may apply to substitute courses using the same process that is currently in place for M.P.A. students seeking course substitutions. See the Course Substitution Approval Form on the School of Public Administration Web site.
Culminating Experience: (3 credit hours) The culminating experience provides an opportunity for practical professional experience and analytic reflection.
| Credit Hours |
||
| Core Curriculum | ||
| PADM 562 | Health Governance in Global Perspective | 3 |
| PADM 563 | Healthcare Finance | 3 |
| PADM 564 | Healthcare Policy and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PADM 566 | Health Economics | 3 |
| PADM 600 | Introduction to Health Policy and Management | 3 |
| PADM 610 | Cultural Competence and Healthcare Administration | 3 |
| PADM 611 | Healthcare Information Technology | 3 |
| Subtotal | 21 | |
| Shared Core | ||
| PADM 521 | Institutional Development and Behavior | 3 |
| PADM 525 | Human Resources Management in the Public Sector | 3 |
| PADM 596 | Research Methods II: Data Analysis | 3 |
| Subtotal | 9 | |
| Practicum | ||
| PADM 655 | Practicum | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Electives | ||
| 12 credit hours chosen from: | ||
| PADM 590 | Topical Seminars (e.g. Ethics in Public Administration) | 3 |
| PADM 612 | Healthcare Payment Systems | 3 |
| PADM 640 | Hospital and Clinic Administration | 3 |
| LAW 531 | Health Law | 3 |
| PH 502 | Epidemiologic Methods I | 3 |
| PH 524 | Social Epidemiology | 3 |
| PH 554 | Health Policy, Politics, and Social Equity | 3 |
| PH 560 | Special Topics in Public Health (e,g, Reproductive Health Policy, Women's Health Policy) | 3 |
| PH 579 | New Mexico Border Health: US - Mexico Border Migration and Latino Health | 3 |
| POLS 512 | Topics in Government and Politics (e.g., Health Policy and Politics) | 3 |
| SOC 540 | Medical Sociology and Health Policy | 3 |
| Other courses may be used to fulfill elective requirements with approval. Substitutions may be requested via the SPA Electives Substitution Approval Form. Requests require justification of the course's relevance to the M.H.A. program of study. | ||
| Subtotal | 12 | |
| Culminating Experience | ||
| PADM 561 | Health Policy and Management | 3 |
| Subtotal | 3 | |
| Degree Total | 48 |
Master of Public Administration
Concentrations
- Health Policy and Administration
- Human Resources Management
- Public Budgeting and Financial Management
- Public Management
Admission Requirements
Admission is competitive, and only applicants with strong academic and professional records are admitted to the program. Applicants must have:
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with an undergraduate grade point average for the last 60 credit hours, or overall major grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent.
Applicants to the School of Public Administration's M.P.A. program must submit their application and necessary documentation online.
M.P.A. Degree Requirements
The M.P.A. program requires successful completion of a minimum of 42 credit hours of acceptable graduate-level work consistent with the M.P.A. Study Plan Worksheet developed with the M.P.A. Coordinator. The 42 credit hours must be completed within a seven-year period. At least 30 of the 42 credit hours must be completed at UNM. Students must maintain a 3.0 ("B") grade point average for all M.P.A. coursework. Upon completion of the Core curriculum and a minimum of 39 credit hours, a student must successfully complete a culminating experience. Culminating experience options include a thesis option (6 credit hours) or PADM 553 Professional Paper (3 credit hours). Arrangements for completing a culminating experience should be coordinated with the M.P.A. Coordinator.
- Core curriculum (12 credit hours)
- Research Methods Sequence (9 credit hours)
- Concentration (15 credit hours)
- Elective (3 credit hours)
- Culminating Experience: professional paper (3 credit hours) or thesis (6 credit hours).
Core Curriculum (12 credit hours)
| Credit Hours |
||
| PADM 500 | Public Management and Policy | 3 |
| PADM 521 | Institutional Development and Behavior | 3 |
| PADM 525 | Human Resources Management in the Public Sector | 3 |
| PADM 544 | Public Budgeting | 3 |
Research Methods Sequence (9 credit hours)
| Credit Hours |
||
| PADM 595 | Research Methods I: Data Collection | 3 |
| PADM 596 | Research Methods II: Data Analysis | 3 |
| PADM 597 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
Students must meet the statistics prerequisite for PADM 595 before enrolling for the course.
Concentrations (15 credit hours)
Students must declare a concentration by the completion of 27 credit hours. A Program of Studies (POS) is due to the School of Public Administration office no later than completion of 36 credit hours. For further information about individual concentrations please see the School of Public Administration Web site or contact the Graduate Academic Advisor at spadvise@unm.edu or (505) 277-1092.
• Health Policy and Administration Concentration
| Credit Hours |
||
| Select five courses from the following list: | ||
| PADM 562 | Health Governance in Global Perspective | 3 |
| PADM 563 | Healthcare Finance | 3 |
| PADM 564 | Healthcare Policy and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PADM 566 | Health Economics | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Sem: Affordable Care Act | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Sem: Behavioral Health and Policy | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Sem: Health Ethics | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Sem: Health Quality Management | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Sem: Leadership in Healthcare | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Topical Seminar | 3 |
| PADM 600 | Introduction to Health Policy and Management | 3 |
| PADM 610 | Cultural Competence and Healthcare Administration | 3 |
| PADM 611 | Healthcare Information Technology | 3 |
| PADM 640 | Hospital and Clinic Administration | 3 |
• Human Resources Management Concentration
| Credit Hours |
||
| Select five of the following courses: | ||
| PADM 528 | Employment Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| PADM 529 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| PADM 538 | Non-Profit Management | 3 |
| PADM 588 | Practice of Negotiation and Public Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Sem: Workplace Transformation | 3 |
| PADM 590 | Sem: Systems Design in Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| MGMT 506 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 |
| MGMT 564 | Human Resources Management: Theory and Applications* | 3 |
| OILS 540 | Foundations of HRD and Instructional Technology | 3 |
* Prerequisite: MGMT 506.
• Public Budgeting and Financial Management Concentration
Currently under review. See the School of Public Administration Web site, or call (505) 277-1092.
• Public Management Concentration
Currently under review. See the School of Public Administration Web site, or call (505) 277-1092.
Culminating Experience: Professional Paper/Thesis
Students may choose between either a professional paper or a thesis to complete their degree. Under the Professional Paper (non-thesis) option, the student completes 39 course credit hours and 3 Professional Paper credit hours. Under the thesis option, the student completes 36 course credit hours and 6 thesis credit hours.
The School of Public Administration may change curriculum, degree requirements, admission requirements and policies at any time, without notice, for all programs. Contact SPA for current information and assistance with program planning.
NOTE: A special fee of $15.00 per course is charged to students registering for PADM courses.
Minor Study
Students admitted to a graduate degree in another program may pursue a graduate minor in Public Administration. The minor requires completion of the following eight courses (24 credit hours): PADM 500, 521, 525, 527, 544, 546, 596, 597. Please contact the Academic Advisor at spadvise@unm.edu; or call (505) 277-1092 for further information.
Non-Degree and Post-Degree Status
Students who take Public Administration courses in non-degree and post-degree status fall into three categories:
1. Applicants who are denied admission may be advised by the admissions committee to take two core courses (PADM 500, 521, or 525) in non-degree status before reapplying for admission. As non-degree students, they must achieve at least a 3.5 GPA in Public Administration core courses to be reconsidered for admission to the program. Upon completion of coursework, non-degree students must reapply for admission.
2. Individuals who seek to enroll in a course after the admission deadline, but prior to the start of classes. These persons may register for only two core courses (PADM 500, 521, or 525) in non-degree status, and must obtain approval from the Director of the School of Public Administration. A maximum of 6 non-degree credit hours may be transferred to the M.P.A. degree.
3. Students who have already completed a Master's degree may enroll in post-degree status with the approval of the Director of the School of Public Administration. Students in this category pursue a particular concentration and enroll in a specialized course of study to enhance their professional degree.
Courses
PADM 500. Public Management and Policy. (3)
PADM 521. Institutional Development and Behavior. (3)
PADM 523. Administration of State and Local Government. (3)
PADM 524. Intergovernmental Administrative Problems. (3)
PADM 525. Human Resources Management in the Public Sector. (3)
PADM 526. Diversity in the Public Sector. (3)
PADM 527. Employment Relations in the Public Sector. (3)
PADM 528. Employment Dispute Resolution. (3)
PADM 529. Administrative Law. (3)
PADM 535. Comparative Public Administration. (3)
PADM 537. Seminar in Public Management. (3)
PADM 538. Non-Profit Management. (3)
PADM 540. Administration of State Governments. (3)
PADM 544. Public Budgeting. (3)
PADM 546. Public Financial Administration. (3)
PADM 551. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
PADM 552. Designing Applied Research. (3)
PADM 553. Professional Paper. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
PADM 555. Workshop for Interns. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
PADM 561. Health Policy and Management. (3)
PADM 562. Health Governance in Global Perspective. (3)
PADM 563. Healthcare Finance. (3)
PADM 564. Healthcare Policy and Program Evaluation. (3)
PADM 566. Health Economics. (3)
PADM 570. Pro-seminar in Public Policy. (3)
PADM 574. Seminar on Environmental Policy and Administration. (3)
PADM 577. Practice of Policy Development. (3)
PADM 588. Practice of Negotiation and Public Dispute Resolution. (3)
PADM 590. Topical Seminars. (3, no limit Δ)
PADM 595. Research Methods I: Data Collection. (3)
PADM 596. Research Methods II: Data Analysis [Research Methods for Public Managers]. (3)
PADM 597 [522]. Program Evaluation. (3)
PADM 599. Master's Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)
PADM 600. Introduction to Health Policy and Management. (3)
PADM 610. Cultural Competence and Healthcare Administration. (3)
PADM 611. Healthcare Information Technology. (3)
PADM 612. Healthcare Payment Systems. (3)
PADM 640. Hospital and Clinic Administration. (3)
PADM 688. Reflection on Practice. (3)
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Office of the Registrar
MSC11 6325
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Phone: (505) 277-8900
Fax: (505) 277-6809