Master of Public Administration

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - Downtown Phoenix Campus USA

Learn to understand complex public problems and develop and implement innovative policy solutions. Through coursework and real-world projects, you can gain the analytic skills required for addressing society's most challenging problems.

The MPP program equips students with the analytical tools they need in order to understand and address public policy issues. Students also develop skills in managing the process of policy development, approval, implementation and evaluation, as well as gain policy-specific knowledge on issues such as poverty, education, the environment and public safety.

The School of Public Affairs offers a concentration in emergency management and homeland security as part of the BS in public service and public policy.

This concentration program provides students with the skills and knowledge to manage and assume positions of leadership within the field of emergency management and homeland security. Concepts of public policy and management are blended with emergency management principles to enhance and foster critical thinking within the general field of study. More specifically, the program's focus provides the student with a comprehensive perspective, which is critically important for emerging leaders in disaster management.

The program prepares competent, entry-level recreational therapists with the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities needed to improve functional outcomes and increase participation in life activities for individuals experiencing health conditions. It is designed for students who want to learn to conduct assessments, develop service plans, implement therapeutic interventions, and evaluate and document outcomes of care. They gain skills to effectively provide comprehensive therapeutic recreation services that include program design and evaluation, individual and group service provision, and advocacy. The required fieldwork component of the program facilitates the development of competencies to provide quality recreational therapy services.

Students who choose this degree program are committed to improving people's lives and contributing to their communities. This degree program is one of two such programs in Arizona, both offered by the School of Community Resources and Development. This program has a heavier emphasis on healthcare settings such as hospitals and human service agencies while the Bachelor of Science in parks and recreation with a concentration in therapeutic recreation prepares students to provide recreational therapy services in community settings such as youth programs, adaptive sports, or parks and recreation.

Understanding the intersections between business and politics is more important than ever for managers and executives in the private, nonprofit and public sectors. The World Economic Forum's latest Future of Jobs Report and McKinsey Global Institute's Jobs of the Future report both have suggested that transdisciplinary, virtual collaboration and cross-cultural competence are extremely important job skills for the near future. Thunderbird's MGM program with a concentration in global affairs equips students with the knowledge base and hard skills needed to thrive in the growing job markets at the nexus of global business and international politics.

This concentration is designed for students who aspire to take on management and executive positions in government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Commerce, the State Department and the Treasury Department or similar roles in the government of a student's home country. The global affairs concentration also positions graduates for leadership roles in international organizations such as the World Bank or World Trade Organization and in major companies that require analysts to monitor policy trends, managers to oversee global supply chains and representatives to advance global business interests to governments, both domestic and foreign.

This top-ranked concentration within our MPA program (#3 in Local Government Management, U.S. News & World Report) will help you turn your desire for public service into a rewarding career in local and city management. The program can be completed full-time, part-time or entirely online.

The MPA is a professional degree program designed to prepare students for public service at all levels of government as well as the nonprofit and private sectors. The program consists of a core curriculum emphasizing managerial and analytic skills needed to work in a large range of careers that serve the public good.

The urban management concentration prepares students to be leaders in local government, where most services and programs to residents are managed. Through a focused set of electives and interactions with experienced city managers, students gain knowledge and develop the skills required to contribute to the operations of local government and help communities better serve the people who live there.

The MS program in science of health care delivery focuses on the study and design of systems, processes, leadership and management approaches used to optimize health care delivery and health for all. This degree program is for individuals interested in a career in the health care industry. It provides students with the knowledge and competencies they will need for contributing in a patient-centered, safe and cost-effective health care system.

The curriculum is centered on achieving high-value care through leadership, population health, informatics, systems engineering, health care management, and health economics and policy. Students learn Lean Six Sigma principles and apply them to health care delivery issues.

The program challenges students to work on innovative solutions to improve the U.S. health care system by simultaneously improving the health of the population, enhancing the patient experience and reducing per capita cost of care. Students apply concepts through case studies and team-based projects to facilitate integration of knowledge and competencies. Participating students work in a cohort through the program and are able to complete the degree in nine months (one academic year). Students are paired with leading health care delivery organizations to complete an applied capstone project during the program.

The Bachelor of Science in health sciences with a concentration in healthy lifestyles and fitness science provides students the skills they need for employment in health and wellness fields or for continuing their education in graduate and professional school.

Students train for work in preventive health care and learn how to use lifestyle coaching, physical activity and health care education to improve the health of the communities they serve. They learn best practices in health promotion to help people adopt and maintain healthier habits and address the challenges reflected by socio-economic determinants of health. Students study diverse disciplines such as nutrition, fitness, stress management, substance abuse, behavior change and coaching psychology.

Want to develop and implement innovative policy solutions to environmental problems facing society? Through this top-ranked specialty within the MPP program (#5 in Environmental Policy and Management, U.S. News & World Report), you will gain the analytic skills required to address environmental challenges from local pollution to global climate change.

The MPP program equips students with the analytical tools needed to understand and address public policy issues. Students also develop skills in managing the process of policy development, approval, implementation and evaluation.

Through a focused set of electives, the MPP concentration in environmental policy deepens student expertise in specific areas and issues, such as the greening of local governments and policy evaluation of public and private partnerships, and builds the knowledge base and skills to bring sustainability solutions to the government, corporate and nonprofit sectors. At the conclusion of the master's degree program, students are prepared to apply sustainability principles and approaches to careers in a variety of fields that address environmental and, inevitably, human challenges.

The MS program in regulatory science is designed for students interested in protecting public health by controlling the distribution of products such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, as well as agrochemicals. In particular, the ASU regulatory science program focuses on drugs and devices, preparing students for careers in the pharmaceutical, medical research and medical device industries.

The field of regulatory science focuses on the application of regulations throughout the lifecycle of medical products and compliance with regulations in the development, approval and marketing of medical products. This advanced degree incorporates a transdisciplinary approach to meet the unique needs of regulating bodies and the industry. While earning the Master of Science in regulatory science, students delve into all aspects of regulatory affairs including clinical research, ethics, quality systems, legal aspects and global regulatory practices in the regulatory field.

Complementary to the nation's first BS degree in nonprofit leadership and management, the American Indian studies concentration empowers purpose-driven students to be culturally aware, competent, and ready for key roles that enable them to advance nonprofits that serve tribal lands, including those organized by tribal governments.

The nonprofit sector in the United States is unique in form and function. This sector includes institutions and individuals situated between government, public, business and commerce sectors. Students learn about the nonprofit sector through curriculum instruction and field experience. The concentration in American Indian studies familiarizes students with American Indian worldviews, current issues and tribal governance. Many students in the nonprofit sector work with American Indian populations.