Graduate Program

Degrees Offered

Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.)
Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)

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 Programs

Undergraduate students in the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Economics and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology programs in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Liberal Arts program in University College may seek admission to the M.P.A. under the Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees Program. Refer to the Economics: Undergraduate Program, Sociology: Undergraduate Program, and University College: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts sections 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.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) is offered under Plan III (coursework only) according to the general requirements specified in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog. All students must complete a minimum of 48 credit hours in five components:

Program Core Curriculum (33 credit hours): The core curriculum includes required foundational courses to meet the specialized needs of M.H.A. students.

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 (9 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
	Program Core Curriculum
PADM 521	Institutional Development and Behavior	3
PADM 525	Human Resources Management in the Public Sector	3
PADM 561	Health Policy and Management	3
PADM 563	Healthcare Finance	3
PADM 566	Health Economics	3
PADM 567	Healthcare Ethics	3
PADM 596	Research Methods II: Data Analysis	3
PADM 597	Program Evaluation	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	33
	Practicum
PADM 655	Practicum	3
	Subtotal	3
	Electives
	9 credit hours chosen from:
PADM 562	Health Governance in Global Perspective	3
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	ST: 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	T: Government and Politics (e.g., Health Policy and Politics)	3
SOCI 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	9
	Culminating Experience
PADM 689	Capstone	3
	Subtotal	3
	Degree Total	48

Master of Public 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.P.A. program must submit their application and necessary documentation online.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) is offered under Plan I (thesis), Plan II (non-thesis), and Plan III (coursework only) according to the general requirements specified in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog. The M.P.A. program requires successful completion of a minimum of 42 credit hours of acceptable graduate-level coursework and culminating experience 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. Arrangements for completing a culminating experience should be coordinated with the M.P.A. Coordinator.

Students under Plan I must complete 36 credit hours coursework plus 6 credit hours of PADM 599 Thesis. Students under Plan II complete 39 credit hours coursework plus 3 credit hours PADM 553 Professional Paper. Students under Plan III must complete 39 credit hours coursework plus 3 credit hours PADM 689 Capstone. The required credit hours for the M.P.A. are categorized as follows:

Program core curriculum (12 credit hours)
Research Methods Sequence (9 credit hours)
Elective (15-18 credit hours)
Culminating Experience (3-6 credit hours)

Program 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

Note: Students must meet the statistics prerequisite for PADM 595 before enrolling for the course. 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 enroll in a specialized course of study to enhance their professional degree.

Keys and Symbols Reference