PAD 698 - Graduate Seminar and Capstone I

2 Credits

The MPA Capstone project is developed and finalized in two courses, PAD 698 and PAD 699 . Together they are the culmination of the MPA program. In PAD 698, students begin the two-part process of demonstrating mastery of the theories and practices presented in the program's core courses. Students will analyze, evaluate, and apply those theories and practices in a data-driven applied policy plan to solve a service delivery or internal organizational problem. After the selection and approval of a topic, students research the history of the problem, perform a comprehensive literature review, and develop an evaluation plan that describes the research methodology that will be used to solve the problem. These sections of the Capstone paper are combined with an Implementation Plan, Financial Plan, and Conclusion that students will write in PAD 699 to complete the written portion of the Capstone project.

Prerequisites: PAD 601 , PAD 610 , PAD 616 , PAD 625 , PAD 634 , PAD 645 , PAD 656 , BUS 530 , and BUS 505 , BUS 508 , BUS 515 or PAD 667 , PAD 668 , and PAD 669 .

(PAD 667 , PAD 668 , and PAD 669 are substituted for BUS 505 , BUS 508 , and BUS 515 for students enrolled in the MPA Emergency Management and Homeland Security concentration.)