Program Overview
Return to the John S. Watson School of Public Service Homepage
The Master of Public Service Leadership (MPSL) degree further develops leaders who function in the nonprofit and public service sectors. This degree frames an education program that can be expected to serve its participants and society well by developing public servants with a solid grounding in principles and practices of their professions, including the abilities and values that are typically seen as important for public servants. Students engage in rigorous and relevant experiences that integrate policy theory and practice across disciplines. The various areas of study are designed to develop and hone the skills necessary to transform students’ personal commitment into public leadership, enabling them to acquire a deep understanding of today’s public service environment and develop the skills necessary to work as leaders in public service professions.
Why Earn a Master of Public Service Leadership at Thomas Edison State University?
- Because students will develop competencies critical to managerial performance and learn the organizational leadership skills that employers value. For example, students will gain a mastery of strategic leadership for public service administrators.
- Because students can tailor professional expertise by choosing from a variety of electives. These include up to 6 transfer credits, credits from a PLA portfolio, Thomas Edison State University online courses, graduate-level courses recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education, or independent study with a graduate mentor.
- Because students' studies fit well into a busy professional life. Students will take flexible, high-quality online courses at their own pace and be able to complete their degree without sacrificing personal and professional commitments.
The program has been developed in alignment with the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) standards for accreditation. Students will have the option of selecting one of the following areas of study, including:
Additionally, there is a learner-designed area of study (LDAS) in which students with specialized backgrounds and/or interests are encouraged to develop their own course of study with proper approval.
These areas of study position the University to enable students to prepare for several rapidly evolving fields or for students in these fields to advance professionally and strengthen the capacity of those who provide services in the public interest. Curricula focus on evidence-based, inquiry-based approaches to problem solving that enable students to address and identify solutions to real-world challenges and work with leaders in their respective fields.
View Degree Program Profile Sheet here.
Credit Distribution
I. Core (18 Credits)
| MPL-5820 | Law, Ethics, and Decision Making in the Public Sector | 3 |
| MPL-5100 | Research Methods in Public Service | 3 |
| MSP-6740 | Municipal Finance | 3 |
| MPL-5800 | Public Service Leadership and Governance | 3 |
| MPL-5200 | Program Analysis and Evaluation | 3 |
NOTE:
MPL-5100: Research Methods in Public Service should be taken within the first 12 credits of the degree.
Students select one of the following:
| MNP-5050 | Organizational Management and Leadership in Public Service | 3 |
| MNP-5300 | Human Resource Management for Public Service | 3 |
II. Areas of Study (12 Credits)
Select one of the following areas:
Community and Economic Development
Learner Designed Area of Study
Nonprofit Management
Public and Municipal Finance
Public Health/Public Policy
III. Public Service Elective (3 Credits)
IV. Capstone (3 Credits)
Total Credit Hours: 36
Learning Outcomes
The Master of Public Service Leadership degree program outcomes follow the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) standards for accreditation, which encompass a competency-based approach that covers five domains:
- to lead and manage in public governance;
- to participate in and contribute to the policy process;
- to analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems, and make decisions;
- to articulate and apply a public service leadership perspective; and
- to communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.
The five domains are embedded within the following MPSL programmatic outcomes. Students who earn the Master of Public Service Leadership degree will develop the following competencies:
Strategic Leadership (domain 1)
Evaluate effective strategic leadership for public service administrators.
Ethical Leadership (domain 1)
Synthesize what constitutes ethical and legal constructs in the effective leadership.
Policy (domain 2)
Analyze the policy development for application in areas of public service.
Issues of Field (domain 2 and 4)
Analyze significant issues pertaining to specific fields of study.
Analyze and Interpret (domain 3)
Use reflective and research skills to evaluate theory to make informed decisions and improve practice in their field.
Critical Reasoning (domain 3)
Use critical thinking to evaluate, make informed decisions, and improve practice in their field.
Diversity (domain 5)
Evaluate the impact of diversity on policy in areas of public service.
The Master of Public Service Leadership degree program is also aligned with the University’s institutional graduate program learning outcomes.
Degree Timeline
This is a hypothetical timeline that shows how a student can complete the Master of Public Service Leadership degree program at Thomas Edison State University in about 18 months.
The timeline is informational in nature and does not represent an actual program plan. Enrolled graduate students work with our deans and academic advisors to develop a program plan that maps out how a student will complete their degree and whether they can transfer previously earned graduate credits or earn graduate credit for what they know through prior learning assessment.
MPSL Sample Course Sequence for Students starting January/July
| Term (runs for 8 weeks) |
Courses to Take |
|
First Graduate Term:
January/July
|
MPL-5100: Research Methods in Public Service
MPL-5800: Public Service Leadership and Governance
|
|
Second Graduate Term:
April/October
|
MPL-5820: Law, Ethics and Decision Making in the Public Sector
MPL-5200: Program Analysis and Evaluation
|
|
Third Graduate Term:
January/July
|
MNP-5300: Human Resources Management in Public Service*
MSP-6740: Municipal Finance
|
|
Fourth Graduate Term:
April/October
|
(1) MPSL Area of Study requirement
(2) MPSL Area of Study requirement
|
|
Fifth Graduate Term:
January/July
|
(3) MPSL Area of Study requirement
(4) MPSL Area of Study requirement
|
|
Sixth Graduate Term:
April/October
|
Public Service Elective
MPL-7100: Public Service Capstone
|
* Students must take either MNP-5050: Organizational Management in Public Service (October/April course); or MNP-5300: Human Resources Management in Public Service (January/July course)
MPSL Sample Course Sequence for Students starting April/October
| Term (runs for 8 weeks) |
Courses to Take |
| First Graduate Term:
April/October
|
MNP-5050: Organizational Management in Public Service*
MPL-5200: Program Analysis and Evaluation
|
|
Second Graduate Term:
January/July
|
MPL-5100: Research Methods in Public Service
MPL-5800: Public Service Leadership and Governance
|
|
Third Graduate Term:
April/October
|
MPL-5820: Law, Ethics and Decision Making in the Public Sector
(1) MPSL Area of Study requirement
|
|
Fourth Graduate Term:
January/July
|
(2) MPSL Area of Study requirement
MSP-6740: Municipal Finance
|
|
Fifth Graduate Term:
April/October
|
(3) MPSL Area of Study requirement
Public Service Elective
|
|
Sixth Graduate Term:
January/July
|
(4) MPSL Area of Study requirement
MPL-7100: Public Service Capstone
|
* Students must take either MNP-5050: Organizational Management in Public Service (October/April course); or MNP-5300: Human Resources Management in Public Service (January/July course)