On-Campus MPA - CAPPA - The University of Texas at Arlington
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:36
On-Campus MPA - CAPPA - The University of Texas at Arlington
On-Campus MPA
The program is designed to be completed in five semesters by full-time students and either six or seven semesters by part-time students whether the student takes the capstone 5399 with two other courses their last semester.
Request Information
ADVISING
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Contact MPA Advisor
Karolyn Field is the graduate advisor for the Masters of Public Administration program.
Phone number:
(817) 272-5008
Email:
kfield@uta.edu
Schedule an Appointment
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This program is offered evenings on our UTA main campus, the 39-credit hour (with internship waiver) campus MPA offers students four emphasis areas comprised of courses specializing in each specific area. On campus MPA students will be able to maintain a flexible schedule - enrolling as a full-time or part-time student. The campus program admits new students every fall, spring and summer semester. The program is designed to be completed in five semesters by full-time students and either six or seven semesters by part-time students (includes summer terms). The determining factor for 6-7 semesters is whether the student takes the capstone 5399 with two other courses their last semester.
Sixteen week courses are offered Monday through Thursday from 6:00-8:50 PM in Fall and Spring and from 6:00-9:50 PM during the shortened eleven-week Summer semester.
Required Core Classes (30 hrs)
PAPP 5302
Foundations of Urban Research and Analysis
PAPP 5309
Intergovernmental Relations
PAPP 5320
Public Organization Theory
PAPP 5326
Public Budgeting
PAPP 5329
Financial Management in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors
PAPP 5345
Evaluation Research
PAPP 5350
Public Administration
PAPP 5351
Public Human Resources
PAPP 5358
Ethics in the Public Service
PAPP 5399
Public Administration Capstone
Management Course Lists
Local Government Management
Objective
: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of applied analytic tools such as program evaluation, policy analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and other management decision-making tools to aid the public manager make more informed decisions; Assist public managers and other higher-level public officials to understand, analyze, and recommend appropriate solutions to complex public policy issues
Click here for Local Government Management curriculum.
Economic Development & Sustainability
This joint emphasis with the Masters in City and Regional Planning provides the tools and skills necessary to understand topics relevant for supporting environmentally healthy, socially just, and economically sustainable cities and regions - professional credentials to work in interdisciplinary planning and policy fields in strong demand by DFW local governments, consulting firms, and NGOs.
Attain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges of economic development and urban sustainability, planning theory, methods, and essential planning tools, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and graphic multimedia, to approach planning issues and challenges. Select courses on economic and sustainable development topics, such as green cities and transportation or cost-benefit analysis.
Economic Development & Sustainability Curriculum
Strategic Human Resources Management
Objective
: Demonstrate an understanding of public human resource policies, programs, procedures, and legal issues relevant to the field; and demonstrate knowledge of techniques employed in designing performance appraisals, recruiting and selecting employees, and developing rewards systems.
Click here for Strategic Human Resources Management curriculum.
Public Budgeting and Financial Management
Objective
: Review, recommend, and interpret operating and capital budget requests taking political, economic, and decision-making processes into account. Assist the budget officer and other higher-level public officials in performing comprehensive financial analyses and developing financial and budgetary recommendations.
Click here for Public Budgeting and Financial Management curriculum.
Public Policy and Policy Analysis
Objective
: Demonstrate proficiency in the tools and skills to effectively support local government policy analysis and decision-making. Public policy and policy analysis at all levels of government is essential for meeting the demands of an increasingly expensive and complex service-delivery need and declining resources. Click here for the Public Policy and Policy Analysis curriculum.
Click here for Public Policy and Policy Analysis curriculum.
Urban Nonprofit Agency Management
Objective
: Understand the different management areas and techniques within the nonprofit organization, including institutional management, leadership, fund-raising, financial administration, human resources coordination, and planning and performance measurements. Understand the role of nonprofits as community institutions with an outward focus, including the political, economic, and inter-organizational environment, as well as marketing, legal, and government policy issues.
Click here for Urban Nonprofit Agency Management curriculum.
INTERNSHIPS
This 3 hour course is designed for students to complete a one semester internship in professional public service. There are no prerequisites that must be met before entering an internship or enrolling in PAPP 5360, therefore you can immediately begin an internship within their first semester and thereafter. All positions are paid.
Internship openings are announced via the MPA student email. If you need placement help, contact the head of our internship and employment placement services, Dr. Joseph Portugal (email:
joseph.portugal@uta.edu
), at least one semester before course enrollment. Interns are placed in a variety of government and nonprofit organizations as well as private organizations engaged in public service activities.
The department offers the Geisel Distinguished Summer Internship program providing $30/hour, 20 hours a week 8-11 week posts with 3 hours resident tuition on an annual basis. Typically, there are five or fewer opportunities and they may also be filled by city and regional planning students, or in rare cases architecture or landscape architecture student depending on the sponsor needs. Applications open in the Spring and students are emailed instructions. These placements do not require a student formally register for the internship course. Contact Dr. Joseph Portugal (email:
joseph.portugal@uta.edu
) for more information.
Examples placing MPA students include:
City Manager's Office - City of Farmers Branch
Management Services Department - City of Grand Prairie (two placements)
Other internships placements over the past few years include:
Homeland Security, USCIS
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Vital Strategies (public health)
El Paso County
Park South, YMCA
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
City of Grand Prairie, Mayor's Office (Budgeting, Finance)
Vancouver Police Department
City of Harker Heights (planning and development)
The MPA program internship course (PAPP 5360) is waivable with at least one-year professional public service work experience.
INTERNSHIP WAIVER
PAPP 5360 can be waived by newly admitted students and current students with at least one year of professional public sector work experience. To request a waiver:
Submit an Internship Waiver Form
to the Graduate Advisor (kfield@uta.edu) with a signature and all necessary student information.
Attach a professional resume, illustrating at least one year of professional experience of public sector work.
Once approval or denial decision is made, the student will then be notified as to whether or not the internship course will be waived.
APPLYING FOR INTERNSHIP CREDIT
Internships must be approved by the program. You must submit an Internship Agreement Form describing the duties and hours with a signature from the sponsor before registration for internship credit. At the end of the internship, you must complete and submit an Internship Report on their experiences and the sponsor must complete and submit an Internship Performance Evaluation verifying the internship requirements have been met. Both these forms must be submitted to the MPA Director by the end of the semester in order to receive credit and a grade.
Internship Agreement
Internship Performance Evaluation
Internship Report
Overview
Bachelor of Science in Interior Design
Student Achievement Data
Bachelor of Science in Architecture
Master of Architecture
Master of Science in Sustainable Building Technology
Faculty
Studio Culture Policy
First Year Competency
Graduate Studio Lottery
Accreditation
Overview
Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Urban Design
Master of Landscape of Architecture
Dual Master’s Degree with NTU
Design Playbook
Planter Project
Faculty
Overview
Advanced Standing MCRP Program
Master of City and Regional Planning
Dual Master Degrees
Ph.D in Urban Planning and Public Policy
Overview
Online MPA
City Cohort
On-Campus
Dual Master Degrees
Ph.D in Public Administration and Public Policy
Certificate Programs
Profile
Research Expertise
Jobs and Opportunities
Doctoral Student Research
Overview
Architecture History Minor
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Minor
Urban Affairs Minor
Overview
International Program Innsbruck
Address
College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
601 W. Nedderman Drive
Suite 203
Arlington, TX 76019-0108
Connect with us
CAPPA Facebook
CAPPA Instagram
CAPPA LinkedIn
Twitter
Important Links
Give to CAPPA
News
CAPPA SharePoint
Contact
On-Campus MPA
The program is designed to be completed in five semesters by full-time students and either six or seven semesters by part-time students whether the student takes the capstone 5399 with two other courses their last semester.
Request Information
ADVISING
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Contact MPA Advisor
Karolyn Field is the graduate advisor for the Masters of Public Administration program.
Phone number:
(817) 272-5008
Email:
kfield@uta.edu
Schedule an Appointment
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This program is offered evenings on our UTA main campus, the 39-credit hour (with internship waiver) campus MPA offers students four emphasis areas comprised of courses specializing in each specific area. On campus MPA students will be able to maintain a flexible schedule - enrolling as a full-time or part-time student. The campus program admits new students every fall, spring and summer semester. The program is designed to be completed in five semesters by full-time students and either six or seven semesters by part-time students (includes summer terms). The determining factor for 6-7 semesters is whether the student takes the capstone 5399 with two other courses their last semester.
Sixteen week courses are offered Monday through Thursday from 6:00-8:50 PM in Fall and Spring and from 6:00-9:50 PM during the shortened eleven-week Summer semester.
Required Core Classes (30 hrs)
PAPP 5302
Foundations of Urban Research and Analysis
PAPP 5309
Intergovernmental Relations
PAPP 5320
Public Organization Theory
PAPP 5326
Public Budgeting
PAPP 5329
Financial Management in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors
PAPP 5345
Evaluation Research
PAPP 5350
Public Administration
PAPP 5351
Public Human Resources
PAPP 5358
Ethics in the Public Service
PAPP 5399
Public Administration Capstone
Management Course Lists
Local Government Management
Objective
: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of applied analytic tools such as program evaluation, policy analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and other management decision-making tools to aid the public manager make more informed decisions; Assist public managers and other higher-level public officials to understand, analyze, and recommend appropriate solutions to complex public policy issues
Click here for Local Government Management curriculum.
Economic Development & Sustainability
This joint emphasis with the Masters in City and Regional Planning provides the tools and skills necessary to understand topics relevant for supporting environmentally healthy, socially just, and economically sustainable cities and regions - professional credentials to work in interdisciplinary planning and policy fields in strong demand by DFW local governments, consulting firms, and NGOs.
Attain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges of economic development and urban sustainability, planning theory, methods, and essential planning tools, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and graphic multimedia, to approach planning issues and challenges. Select courses on economic and sustainable development topics, such as green cities and transportation or cost-benefit analysis.
Economic Development & Sustainability Curriculum
Strategic Human Resources Management
Objective
: Demonstrate an understanding of public human resource policies, programs, procedures, and legal issues relevant to the field; and demonstrate knowledge of techniques employed in designing performance appraisals, recruiting and selecting employees, and developing rewards systems.
Click here for Strategic Human Resources Management curriculum.
Public Budgeting and Financial Management
Objective
: Review, recommend, and interpret operating and capital budget requests taking political, economic, and decision-making processes into account. Assist the budget officer and other higher-level public officials in performing comprehensive financial analyses and developing financial and budgetary recommendations.
Click here for Public Budgeting and Financial Management curriculum.
Public Policy and Policy Analysis
Objective
: Demonstrate proficiency in the tools and skills to effectively support local government policy analysis and decision-making. Public policy and policy analysis at all levels of government is essential for meeting the demands of an increasingly expensive and complex service-delivery need and declining resources. Click here for the Public Policy and Policy Analysis curriculum.
Click here for Public Policy and Policy Analysis curriculum.
Urban Nonprofit Agency Management
Objective
: Understand the different management areas and techniques within the nonprofit organization, including institutional management, leadership, fund-raising, financial administration, human resources coordination, and planning and performance measurements. Understand the role of nonprofits as community institutions with an outward focus, including the political, economic, and inter-organizational environment, as well as marketing, legal, and government policy issues.
Click here for Urban Nonprofit Agency Management curriculum.
INTERNSHIPS
This 3 hour course is designed for students to complete a one semester internship in professional public service. There are no prerequisites that must be met before entering an internship or enrolling in PAPP 5360, therefore you can immediately begin an internship within their first semester and thereafter. All positions are paid.
Internship openings are announced via the MPA student email. If you need placement help, contact the head of our internship and employment placement services, Dr. Joseph Portugal (email:
joseph.portugal@uta.edu
), at least one semester before course enrollment. Interns are placed in a variety of government and nonprofit organizations as well as private organizations engaged in public service activities.
The department offers the Geisel Distinguished Summer Internship program providing $30/hour, 20 hours a week 8-11 week posts with 3 hours resident tuition on an annual basis. Typically, there are five or fewer opportunities and they may also be filled by city and regional planning students, or in rare cases architecture or landscape architecture student depending on the sponsor needs. Applications open in the Spring and students are emailed instructions. These placements do not require a student formally register for the internship course. Contact Dr. Joseph Portugal (email:
joseph.portugal@uta.edu
) for more information.
Examples placing MPA students include:
City Manager's Office - City of Farmers Branch
Management Services Department - City of Grand Prairie (two placements)
Other internships placements over the past few years include:
Homeland Security, USCIS
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Vital Strategies (public health)
El Paso County
Park South, YMCA
Texas Health and Human Services Commission
City of Grand Prairie, Mayor's Office (Budgeting, Finance)
Vancouver Police Department
City of Harker Heights (planning and development)
The MPA program internship course (PAPP 5360) is waivable with at least one-year professional public service work experience.
INTERNSHIP WAIVER
PAPP 5360 can be waived by newly admitted students and current students with at least one year of professional public sector work experience. To request a waiver:
Submit an Internship Waiver Form
to the Graduate Advisor (kfield@uta.edu) with a signature and all necessary student information.
Attach a professional resume, illustrating at least one year of professional experience of public sector work.
Once approval or denial decision is made, the student will then be notified as to whether or not the internship course will be waived.
APPLYING FOR INTERNSHIP CREDIT
Internships must be approved by the program. You must submit an Internship Agreement Form describing the duties and hours with a signature from the sponsor before registration for internship credit. At the end of the internship, you must complete and submit an Internship Report on their experiences and the sponsor must complete and submit an Internship Performance Evaluation verifying the internship requirements have been met. Both these forms must be submitted to the MPA Director by the end of the semester in order to receive credit and a grade.
Internship Agreement
Internship Performance Evaluation
Internship Report
Overview
Bachelor of Science in Interior Design
Student Achievement Data
Bachelor of Science in Architecture
Master of Architecture
Master of Science in Sustainable Building Technology
Faculty
Studio Culture Policy
First Year Competency
Graduate Studio Lottery
Accreditation
Overview
Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Urban Design
Master of Landscape of Architecture
Dual Master’s Degree with NTU
Design Playbook
Planter Project
Faculty
Overview
Advanced Standing MCRP Program
Master of City and Regional Planning
Dual Master Degrees
Ph.D in Urban Planning and Public Policy
Overview
Online MPA
City Cohort
On-Campus
Dual Master Degrees
Ph.D in Public Administration and Public Policy
Certificate Programs
Profile
Research Expertise
Jobs and Opportunities
Doctoral Student Research
Overview
Architecture History Minor
Environmental and Sustainability Studies Minor
Urban Affairs Minor
Overview
International Program Innsbruck
Address
College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs
601 W. Nedderman Drive
Suite 203
Arlington, TX 76019-0108
Connect with us
CAPPA Facebook
CAPPA Instagram
CAPPA LinkedIn
Important Links
Give to CAPPA
News
CAPPA SharePoint
Contact