MPA Capstone Executive

The completion of a capstone project is one of the academic requirements for the Master of Public Administration (MPA) at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government. The capstone project represents a way for graduate students to apply their multi-disciplinary learning from the program to a specific public administration challenge(s) or issue(s). To successfully complete a capstone project, a student must receive a passing grade for her capstone paper and the associated briefing. The student’s capstone paper resembles a policy memo that an administrative staff writes to decision-makers and stakeholders. The paper integrates and deepens the student’s learning from the program. More importantly, the capstone paper provides a way for a student to bring her/his learning and knowledge from the program back into her/his chosen career. The research focus should be one that is of great interest to the students as well as one a potential organization will benefit from.

This is a "hybrid" course, with synchronous, online meetings and once-monthly, on-campus meetings in Philadelphia, PA. Also, please note there is an additional $150 online course fee.