«Master of Public Administration» is aimed at training highly qualified specialists with contemporary knowledge, skills and abilities, which are necessary for the effective functioning of both state and public institutions.
A graduate will get the diploma of the largest University of Russia – RANEPA (Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration) with the qualification of Master of Public Administration (MPA) – specialist in state and municipal management.
Students applying for a dual program will get a discount of 20% of the cost of the second program.
The program is designed for students who have at least 2 years of experience in the state or municipal service. But the lack of such experience is not an obstacle for enrollment. In this case, the total length of practical work should be at least 4 years.
The experience of the past has shown that the MPA program is interesting not only for the state and municipal employees, but also for those businessmen who bear in mind the fact that the state, being the strongest player on the market, requires the knowledge of the “rules of the game” in its relations with business.
The MPA program is often compared to the well-known MBA program. There is a similarity between them: both programs are aimed at training adults who have been defined in life, have a certain status and understand clearly what knowledge and skills they need to continue their careers. However, if an MBA mission is to train managers who are able to improve the competitiveness of their own business, the essence of MPA program is to “teach” how to manage in order to “increase the competitiveness” of the whole country.
Speaking about MPA program, we do not mean simply raising the level of qualification of civil servants and not only professional re-training. MPA – is a system of in-depth knowledge, oriented to the practice of public administration. Specialists of the public administration are trained at MPA program, including state and municipal employees, occupying the positions of heads and their deputies, as well as persons included in the personnel reserve.
Graduates of the program mainly work in state and municipal bodies, in the sphere of public policy, in public organizations, as well as in structures participating in the implementation of certain functions of state and municipal bodies.
The MPA program was born in America. The first degree of Master of Public Administration was given in the 1940s at the Illinois Institute of Technology. North American universities with MPA programs are considered to be the most prestigious ones.
In Russia state requirements for the MPA program were first developed in 2008 with the direct participation of the experts from the International Institute of Public Administration and Civil Service (IIPACS) of the Presidential Academy.
In 2009 students of IIPACS became the first students of MPA program in Russia, and the first scientific and educational center was created in order to implement the program and implement its scientific and methodological support. Thus, 2009 can be considered the date of birth of the national program of the MPA, and IIPACS of the Presidential Academy is its alma mater.
- МРА at IPACS – is the training at the faculty, which has the longest experience in the implementation of the MPA program, which carried out the first enrollment and graduation of trainees in Russia.
- МРА at IPACS – is obtaining practical knowledge, skills and competences in the field of state and municipal management for 2 years of studying.
- МРА at IPACS – is the opportunity for foreign internships and familiarization with the work of state and municipal authorities of other countries.
Currently, the program is implemented by correspondence course or part-time (weekend) format.
Main differences of the MPA program:
- its orientation to practice,
- the possibility of obtaining applied knowledge directly from expert practitioners,
- the advantage of studying in a group of like-minded people, constant communication with the group’s curator, which allows solving all educational issues quickly and effectively.
The aim of the program is the training of highly qualified specialists in the field of state and municipal management, ensuring the effective functioning of state and municipal authorities. Here, the phrase “effective functioning” is the key concept, which bears the main semantic load. This determines the set of disciplines, the selection of teachers, workshops and cases, in which students receive, and then sharpen their skills and competences, necessary for their further career.
An important feature of the program is the acquisition of applied and integrated knowledge.
To implement it, an interdisciplinary approach is applied. Three core related fields: economics, jurisprudence and management – are supplemented by knowledge and skills from such disciplines as psychology, sociology, political science, which are necessary for the comprehensive preparation of modern professional civil servants
The applied aspect of the implementation of the MPA program is implemented in real case studies, business games, practical trainings, which make up at least 50% of the entire study time, and is provided by the teachers and practitioners. Studying at the MPA program is not only the obtaining of knowledge, skills, and development of managerial competencies, but also an almost continuous exchange of views with teachers and classmates.
The mission of the program is to form a new generation of state and municipal officials that have ability to ensure the country’s sustainable development in the interests of its citizens.
