Government, MA/MBA

MA in Government/MBA Dual Degree

advanced.jhu.edu/govmba

Management education typically addresses the public and private sectors separately. Universities typically offer the MBA degree for business leadership and the MA, MPP, or MPA for public-sector management. The assumption is that managers working in the public and private sectors are involved with completely different sets of issues and problems. The reality is that both face similar challenges, and managers frequently move from the public sector to the private sector and vice versa.

The MA in Government/MBA uniquely prepares individuals for the combination of public-and-private sector responsibilities they are likely to face during their careers. This program enables those working in government to expand their knowledge and skills in business and management, preparing them to take on leadership roles in nonprofit, public sector, or commercial enterprises. Students in these degrees complete both the professional managerial education requirements of the MBA and the advanced disciplinary requirements of a specialized MA in Government. Graduates of the Johns Hopkins University MA in Government/MBA are capable of integrating rigorous scholarship with business acumen in bringing both intellectual and strategic leadership to the complex challenges of management in government and business in today’s global economy.

The MA in Government/MBA is designed with class schedules to accommodate working adults and may be taken onsite at the at the JHU Washington, DC Center (near Dupont Circle) or online. Students who pursue the dual degree will take classes in the government program at the School of Arts and Sciences and in the MBA program at the Carey Business School. They are assigned an advisor from each school who will oversee their coursework. To earn the MA in Government/MBA, students must take 10 classes in the government program and 21 classes in the Carey Business School. Students working full time can take up to two courses a semester. Students who do not work full time can take up to four courses a semester. Dual degree recipients receive both diplomas upon completion of both programs.

Admissions Criteria for all Advanced Academic Programs 

Program Specific Requirements

• GRE or GMAT exam¹
• At least two years of progressive, full-time, professional experience after the completion of undergraduate studies for the MBA.
• A writing sample of five to seven pages that is research-focused. The purpose of the writing sample is to demonstrate your ability to make and support an argument.

If you do not have an existing research paper that you wish to submit, you may write a five-page paper on the following question:

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”

– James Madison, Federalist 51

In this well-known quote, Madison points towards the age-old problem of reconciling democracy and political power. Discuss this problem in reference to some recent policy issues or political events, citing at least three references.

A waiver from these exams may be approved if a candidate has:

• Completed a graduate degree and can demonstrate quantitative ability through coursework of B or better in statistics, corporate finance, or microeconomics.
• Completed an undergraduate degree and has at least five years of professional experience. Applicant has also taken at least one course in statistics, corporate finance, and microeconomics, earned a B or better, and earned an overall GPA of 3.0 or better.
• A professional designation, such as CPA or CFA

Program Requirements

All dual-degree students are required to complete the following:

MA in Government Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.602	Government & Politics	3
AS.470.695	Proseminar: Essentials of Public and Private Management	3
Select eight additional Government courses

Although not required, the following courses are recommended electives for students in the dual degree program:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.609	Leadership Skills in the 21st Century	3
AS.470.616	Political Ideas, Strategy, and Policy Implementation	3
AS.470.619	State Politics and Policymaking	3
AS.470.622	Money and Politics	3
AS.470.630	Congress and the Making of Foreign Policy	3
AS.470.635		3
AS.470.638	Negotiating as a Leadership Skill	3
AS.470.641	Introduction to Advocacy and Lobbying	3
AS.470.645	The Budgetary Process	3
AS.470.655		3
AS.470.688	Political Institutions and the Policy Process	3
AS.470.721	Comparative Federalism: The United States and the European Union	3
AS.470.728	Fundamentals of Nonprofits and Nonprofit Management	3
AS.470.730		3
AS.470.736	Methods of Policy Analytics	3
AS.470.744	Trade and Security	3
Total Credits		48

Students wishing to earn a concentration must complete four of their electives in the concentration area. Concentrations are offered in Political Communication, Security Studies, and Democracy and Governance Studies. For MA/MBA students, the thesis requirement is optional. If you wish to write a thesis, you must take:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
AS.470.850	Research and Thesis I: MA in Government	3
AS.470.852	Research and Thesis II: MA in Government	3
AS.470.800	Research & Thesis III: Government	3
Total Credits		9

These three classes would count toward the eight government electives you must take to complete the MA/MBA. MA/MBA students who successfully complete and defend their theses will be awarded honors at graduation.

For details on these concentrations and a full list of classes and descriptions, see the AAP website: advanced.jhu.edu.

MBA Courses

All dual-degree students are required to complete the following MBA courses (all courses are two credits):

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
BU.210.620	Accounting and Financial Reporting	2
BU.520.601	Business Analytics	2
BU.120.601	Business Communication	2
BU.132.601	Business Law	2
BU.131.601	Business Leadership and Human Values	2
BU.231.620	Corporate Finance	2
BU.220.620	Economics for Decision Making	2
BU.220.610	The Firm and the Macroeconomy	2
BU.350.620	Information Systems	2
BU.232.701	Investments	2
BU.142.620	Leadership in Organizations	2
BU.410.620	Marketing Management	2
BU.121.610	Negotiation	2
BU.680.620	Operations Management	2
BU.510.601	Statistical Analysis	2
Select six Carey Electives		12
Total Credits		42

For more information, please contact Carey Business School Admissions at carey.admissions@jhu.edu.