Program Information
Offered by the oldest public administration department in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) is for students interested in a thorough understanding of the advanced processes, issues, and practices associated with the management of high-performing public service and nonprofit organizations at the municipal, regional, state, federal and international levels of governance. The EMPA will introduce students to the relevant set of real-world knowledge and skills required to function effectively in a managerial or executive role within such organizational settings. In addition to intergovernmental relations, the program will expose students to the latest best practices in succession planning, benchmarking, privatization, anti-corruption and ethics, as well as government, business and community partnerships.
Unlike the traditional MPA, the EMPA program is accelerated, more rigorous, and taught by professors who have all worked in public service. These seasoned professor-practitioners provide in-depth, real-time exposure to executive and managerial skills and knowledge common to middle and upper-level management in all public and nonprofit organizations. This includes planning; process management; financial management; human resources and labor relations; organizational development and change; law and administrative process; public policy formulation, analysis and implementation; accountability and ethics.
The goal of the EMPA program is to provide students with the leadership, organizational, analytical and communication skills, problem-solving techniques and subject-based knowledge required to manage effectively complex organizations in the public and nonprofit sectors. In addition, the program provides a critical understanding of the major political, social, economic and environmental problems confronted by contemporary public and nonprofit organizations. A strong sense of professional commitment to the highest standards of legal and ethical behavior as well as respect for the values upon which the profession of public administration is founded on are important goals of GGU’s EMPA program. For the opportunity to socialize and network within their fields, students are encouraged to join the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). GGU also has a chapter of the national public administration honor society, Pi Alpha Alpha and has been an institutional member of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) since 1973.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the theory and practice of:
- Ethics, accountability, and governance in public service;
- Policymaking and intergovernmental relations;
- Leadership and organizational reform;
- Government, business, and civil society partnerships;
- Public finance and budgeting;
- Law and justice in public service;
- Law enforcement and security;
- Public personnel, labor relations, succession planning; and
- Policy research, analysis, and presentation.
Declaring Program Concentrations
Students may declare concentrations when they have completed the coursework required for their desired concentrations, or after the “Last Day to Drop Course without Tuition Charge” (per the Academic Calendar) for their final terms, if they will be able to complete their concentrations in their final terms.
To be eligible to declare concentrations, students must have already completed the required concentration coursework, or be able to complete it in their final terms without requiring waivers, substitutions, or directed study courses, unless they are approved in advance by the department chair, program director, or dean.
Students may declare up to two concentrations in a given degree program. Students seeking to declare more than two concentrations will be required to appeal to the dean or vice president of academic affairs for approval. Students’ diplomas will list the concentrations that they had successfully completed at the time their degrees were conferred. Students may not declare additional concentrations after their degrees have been conferred.
The following concentrations are available:
Requirements for the Executive Master of Public Administration
The executive MPA is composed of nine four-semester-hour courses, a total of 36 units to receive the degree.
Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement
Students are expected to possess a level of writing skill and knowledge equivalent to ENGL 201 . Students may meet this requirement by satisfying one of the screening criteria. See Graduate Writing Proficiency Requirement for more information.
Advanced Program - 36 units
Law Enforcement and Security Concentration (EMPA-LES) -12 units
Designed for law enforcement, public and private security professionals, probation and correctional officers, military police and first responders who seek to gain advanced knowledge, critical thinking, as well as operational and managerial skills in their dynamic field. Practitioners will benefit from the core EMPA courses in leadership, organizational development, law budgeting, and research. The specialization courses in law enforcement, emergency, and security address issues and cases facing administration and operations in federal, state, municipal, and private agencies.
