The mission of the SF State MPA Program is to enhance individual and organizational capacity to serve the public and nonprofit sectors through engaged and innovative teaching, research and service.
- We teach effective public administration by enriching students with knowledge and skills to inspire innovation and motivate continuous improvement.
- As faculty and students, we work to provide applied research and service to the community.
- We instill an appreciation for public service values such as: accountability, civic engagement, equity, social justice and sustainability.
The mission statement was first developed in 2013.
Our program and our mission are guided by the values of:
- Accountability
- Civic engagement
- Equity
- Social justice
- Sustainability
Goal 1: Provide students with substantive knowledge to lead and manage in public affairs today.
- Objective 1a: Lead and manage with knowledge about the depth and breadth of public affairs today.
- Objective 1b: Lead and manage with knowledge about a specialized area of public affairs
- Objective 1c: Possess professional skills necessary to be leaders in today’s and tomorrow’s organizations
Goal 2: Participate in and contribute to the public policy process.
Goal 3: Analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions.
Goal 4: Articulate and apply a public service perspective
Goal 5: Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce
- Objective 5a: Write effectively and concisely
- Objective 5b: Present effectively to small and large groups
- Objective 5c: Enhance student ability to work effectively in teams
Goal 6: Communicate and work to ensure the accountability, civic engagement, equity, social justice and sustainability values highlighted by the Program.
Goal 1: Ensure the Program emphasizes real, hands-on learning through team and applied projects
- Objective 1: Provide all students the opportunity for at least one “substantive” individual or team-based service (applied) project”
Goal 2: Work to enhance and increase connections for students with other students, other departments and other academic institutions (through technology or other means).
- Objective 1: Create web of faculty and student connections to Bay Area and University resources
Goal 3: Work to balance practice and theory in instruction
Goal 4: Emphasize innovative thinking in administration, instruction, pedagogy, advising, service and research by encouraging innovation as a value and by emphasizing cutting edge ideas/concepts in the classroom.
- Objective 1: Encourage faculty to stay on the cutting edge of current practice and pedagogy
- Objective 2: Encourage faculty to innovate in the classroom
Goal 5: Create a reliable “pathway” to graduation for all students
Goal 1: Continue to be an effective and high-quality program.
- Objective 1: Become and remain a learning organization that changes when change is required.
- Objective 2: Work collaboratively to take advantage of ideas and expertise outside the program.
- Objective 3: Continue to evaluate the program and its successes and failures in order to improve its operation and education.
- Objective 4: Improve and enhance the management of the Public Administration Program itself, thereby enhancing our effectiveness and stretching existing resources.
- Objective 5: Work towards a diverse faculty, particularly focusing upon part-time faculty due to possibility of higher turnover.
- Objective 6: Recruit and retain high quality and diverse students in both the public and the nonprofit sectors.
- Objective 7: Utilize the University's resources in a cost-effective fashion while still meeting the needs of our students and providing for the professional development of our faculty.
Goal 2: Research: Contribute to the body of applied and theoretical research in public and nonprofit administration and policy, gaining recognition as faculty experts in our fields
Goal 3: Community Engagement: Emphasize value and service to the community.
- Objective 1: Bring the resources of the Public Administration Program to the community through applied research and faculty/student involvement.
- Objective 2: Bring the resources of the Public Administration Program to the community through faculty and student involvement in organizations and communities.
- Develop strong community ties that can foster internships, jobs and mentorships.
- Objective 3: Bring the resources of the Public Administration Program to the community through active involvement in professional associations.
- Objective 4: Bring the community to us by taking advantage of the expertise in the community for our classrooms, our research and other activities.