Public Management, Master of Arts

MA in Public Management

At a time when governments are faced with an array of unprecedented challenges, good management is essential. The Johns Hopkins Master of Arts in Public Management program empowers students to be strategic by teaching them the fundamentals of public management: policy analysis and evaluation, financial management, economics and fiscal policy, and public policy and administration. This innovative degree prepares emerging leaders to tackle complex public policy and management problems at all levels of government.

The schedule for completing this 12-course degree program is flexible. Many students work full time while attending the program on a part-time basis and complete their degree in two years. The MA in Public Management program is offered both online and onsite in Washington, D.C.

Electives are organized into three Focus Areas:

• Public Administration and Leadership
• Public Policy Evaluation
• Public Financial Management and Budgeting

Admissions Criteria for All Advanced Academic Programs 

PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the materials and credentials required for all programs, the Master of Arts in Public Management program requires:

• Resume
• Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose: Please provide a statement, up to one page in length, describing your personal background and/or a part of your life experience that has shaped you or your goals. Feel free to elaborate on personal challenges and opportunities that have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins.
• Writing Sample: Submit a two- to five-page policy-oriented writing sample. Applicants who do not have a policy-oriented paper that they wish to submit may write a three-page, double-spaced essay on the following question:

“A memorandum is not written to inform the reader, but to protect the writer.” —Former Secretary of State Dean Acheson

Please discuss whether you think the quote from former Secretary Acheson is accurate. Explain your reasoning. 

Applicants should be aware of the following:

• If English is your second language, you may be required to take the TOEFL or IELTS examination. Please note this program requires a minimum online TOEFL test score of 105 and an IELTS score of 7. The admissions committee carefully reviews each test subcategory or band (reading, writing, speaking, listening) to ensure candidates have the required language skills for the program. 
• A solid foundation in American government and economics is strongly recommended for those applying to the MA in Public Management program. 

Program Requirements

Students in the MA in Public Management program must complete:

• Six required core courses
• Six elective courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Core Courses - Required:		18
AS.470.608	Public Policy Evaluation & the Policy Process
AS.470.631	Economics for Public Decision-Making
AS.470.627	Financial Management & Analysis in the Public Sector
AS.470.695	Proseminar: Essentials of Public and Private Management
AS.470.854	Fundamentals of Quantitative Methods
AS.470.860	Capstone for Public Management
Electives
Select six electives 1		18
Total Credits		36

¹

Electives need to be chosen in consultation with the student’s adviser and should accommodate professional and/or personal goals. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Electives
AS.470.601	Climate Change and National Security	3
AS.470.605	Global Political Economy	3
AS.470.609	Leadership Skills in the 21st Century	3
AS.470.616	Political Ideas, Strategy, and Policy Implementation	3
AS.470.617	The Courts and Public Policy	3
AS.470.620	Race, Politics, and Policy	3
AS.470.623	Principles of Nonprofit Law & Compliance Management	3
AS.470.624	Healthcare Analytics and Policy	3
AS.470.625	Resource Development and Marketing in Nonprofits	3
AS.470.629	Models of Democratic Leadership in America	3
AS.470.630	Congress and the Making of Foreign Policy	3
AS.470.638	Negotiating as a Leadership Skill	3
AS.470.645	The Budgetary Process	3
AS.470.650	Health Policy and Politics	3
AS.470.651	Corruption and Democratic Governance	3
AS.470.657	Energy, Security, and Defense	3
AS.470.662	Expertise and Evidence in Policymaking	3
AS.470.666	Institutional Fundraising: Raising Maximum Dollars from Government Agencies, Corporations and Foundations	3
AS.470.664	Fundamentals and Applications in Cybersecurity	3
AS.470.668	The Politics and Process of American Foreign Policy	3
AS.470.671	Risk Management Analytics	3
AS.470.682	Mission Meets Profit: Building a Social Enterprise	3
AS.470.684	Legislative Language and Policymaking	3
AS.470.688	Political Institutions and the Policy Process	3
AS.470.689	NGOs in Development and Global Policy-Making	3
AS.470.692	Military Strategy & National Policy	3
AS.470.694	Big Data Management Systems	3
AS.470.703	Urban Data Analytics	3
AS.470.726	Education Policy and Federalism	3
AS.470.728	Fundamentals of Nonprofits and Nonprofit Management	3
AS.470.734	Organizational Leadership and Ethics in NGO Management	3
AS.470.740	Cyber Policy, Strategy, Conflict and Deterrence	3
AS.470.744	Trade and Security	3
AS.470.754	Project Management for NGOs	3
AS.470.769	Data Science for Public Policy	3
AS.470.773	Energy and Environmental Security	3
AS.470.774	Nonprofit Governance & Executive Leadership	3
AS.470.787	State and Local Government Financial Management and Analysis	3
AS.470.788	Monitoring & Evaluation for Nonprofits/NGOs	3
AS.470.798	Financial Management and Analysis in Nonprofits	3
AS.470.799	State Politics: A Year in the Life	3

Learning Outcomes

The MA in Public Management program weaves the study of public administration, public policy, economics, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and financial management into a curriculum that enables its graduates to lead and shape this rapidly growing field. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

1. Utilize analytical skills—including quantitative and qualitative tools—to assess policies and program effectiveness

2. Appraise and compare management and organization systems utilized in the public sector for the purpose of maximizing efficiency and effectiveness

3. Design, evaluate, and experiment with specific policies with regard to their ability to meet public priorities

4. Formulate and construct budgets and financial systems used in the public sector