Master of Public Administration MPA Introduction, Eligibility, Subjects, Career & Scope
Master of Public Administration MPA is a 2 years program with four semesters of equal duration. In some countries same degree is also known as Master of Public Affairs and Master of Public Policy. Public Administration is a field for those students who want to enter in public or private sector organizations as mangers. M.P.A is a professional degree which is far better than Master in many other academic subjects. This program is designed to polish your policy making, planning, management, administrative and supervisory skills.
This program is a blend of theory and problem-solving practical activities. Although majority of graduates move towards government sector jobs but M.P.A has great scope in private sector too. MPA degree strengthens your research, communication, interpersonal, logical reasoning and analytical skills. Students learns policy formulation and implementation strategies. They are equipped with functional tools and techniques to cope with the challenges of public administration. Many distance learning universities also offer this program like VU, BZU and AIOU.
Master of Public Administration (MPA) Career & Scope
MPA Eligibility Criteria
Students must have completed 14 years of education in any discipline( BA/B.Com/B.Sc) with at least second division (45% marks) or CGPA 2.00. Some universities also grant admission in zero semester to those students who have got below than 45% marks. It is the minimum required eligibility criteria which differs from university to university. Many universities take admission test and interviews too.
Subjects in MPA
Coursework in MPA is blend of various subjects like MBA. This make this MPA degree unique than other academic ones. This program has variety of international content which opens doors of overseas jobs for you. Many universities offer opportunities to specialize in any specific field. You must take this decision very wisely. Courses also differ from university to university. Here are some important subjects taught in various universities.
Planning & Development Administration
Introduction to Computing
Economics
Communication Skills
Principles of Public Administration
Principles of Management
Introduction to Sociology
Managerial Economics
Financial Accounting
Principles of Marketing
Human Resource Management HRM
Business Mathematics & Statistics
Organization Theory and Behavior
Total Quality Management
Social Research Methods
Entrepreneurship
Public Administration in Pakistan
Research Methods
Economic Analysis
Administrative Law & Accountability
Political & Constitutional Development in Pakistan
Comparative Administration
Cultural Anthropology
Statistics
Financial Administration
Strategic Management
Strategic Management
Managerial Economics
Good Governance
Final Project / Internship Report
Elective Subjects
Specializations are offered in number of areas. Some of them are as follows.
International Financial Management
Auditing
Income Tax Law & Practice
Islamic Banking & Finance
Micro Finance
Human Resource
Conflict Management
Industrial Relations
Marketing
Social Enterprise Marketing
Brand Management
International Marketing
Sales Management
Social Media Marketing
MPA Career & Scope
Unfortunately in Pakistan majority of students are not aware with the scope of MPA. That’s why very few number of students come towards this field. Due to which still the competition level in the field of Public administration is not very high as compare to other popular Master programs. MPA degree can be helpful for you in finding job in following sectors.
1-Non-governmental organization (NGO) and international non-governmental organization (INGO)
2-Human Rights Organizations
3-UN and international financial institutions, aid agencies, donor agencies
4-Government jobs through CSS & PMS
5-Think tanks and policy making bodies
6-Research Institutes
7-Monitoring organizations
8-Corporate firms
9-Cultural groups
10-Social Work organizations
11-Government and semi government corporations
12-News Papers
13-Educational Institutes
14-Social enterprises
15-Private businesses
16- Areas related to your specialization field
17- Banks
18- HR department of any company/firm
19- Marketing Firms
20-Planning nd Development Department
Some career counselors object that variety subjects taught in M.P.A is harmful for students in job market, as employer can not guess that in which skill the applicant is strong. I do not agree with this argument as the same is the case with MBA and MBA degree holders do not face any such problem in field then why these so called career consultants are against M.P.A. In fact variety of skills open various career paths for you. You just need to take your studies seriously. My concluding remarks are that MPA is the second best option after MBA but its only in Pakistan as people here are still not aware of the importance of this field.We are always here to guide you, so feel free to ask any question about career and scope of Mater of Public Administration.
