Curriculum

The University of La Verne’s Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) curriculum reflects the complex roles and challenges facing the public executive.

How the Program Works

The DPA Program accommodates the professional adult with a Saturday schedule. The complete curriculum totals 56 semester hours of coursework, which may be followed by additional semester hours of dissertation units (2 units to 16 units) as needed. Typically, students will take three courses per semester. Some class sessions may be offered online or as more experiential assignments (hybrid or blended format).

The curriculum is designed so that each individual engages in coursework as a first-year, second-year, or third-year student. Students must successfully complete the entire curriculum for each year before progressing to the next; academic progress is evaluated every term. Students engage in more applied projects, dissertation proposal development, and begin to conduct dissertation research in the third year. Students are required to produce and defend a dissertation of publishable quality after finishing coursework. Continuous enrollment is required in dissertation courses until students complete the dissertation and earn their degree.

Students must successfully pass the comprehensive exams at the end of the second year to advance to the third-year coursework and begin the dissertation process. Students who successfully complete the first 36 units of coursework with a grade of B or better in each of these courses are eligible for the Master of Arts in Policy Studies. Additionally, students must pass the comprehensive examinations with an 80% cumulative grade. In case students are unable to pass the comprehensive examinations, as an alternative, students could enroll in PADM 596 Graduate Seminar and obtain a grade of B to earn the Master of Arts in Policy Studies.

DPA Instructional Model

The scholarly practitioner model of the Doctor of Public Administration Program is unique among other doctoral programs in the country with its focus on civic professionalism, civic engagement, and applied learning. Our small class sizes in each new cohort enhance student interaction and development.

Philosophical Overview

The University of La Verne’s Doctor of Public Administration Program assists professionals who are motivated to improve their leadership, management, and decision-making skills. The DPA Program engages the professional in a unique process where students play an integral role in the management of learning. The program is interdisciplinary in design and incorporates diverse perspectives.

Program Values

The University of La Verne’s DPA program has built an educational environment that empowers students to become scholarly practitioners—dynamic individuals who can combine substantial knowledge and thoughtful understanding of theory with capable, practical management and leadership. The department continuously provides high-quality, student-oriented learning by seeking and fostering qualified, responsible, and dedicated faculty who believe in and can deliver its key values:

  • Educational excellence.
  • Professional and personal success for students.
  • Relevant coursework.

The DPA Student

The Doctor of Public Administration Program at the University of La Verne currently limits its enrollments to not exceed 20 students each year. Our DPA students and alumni reflect the diversity of our region. The University of La Verne has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Historically, about 10% have been international and many of our students have been the first in their families to obtain a graduate-level education. Our students come from a variety of occupations in the public and nonprofit sectors.

Coursework

The DPA academic year consists of two, 17-week semesters per year (Fall and Spring). Students enter in the Fall term that typically begins in late August and ends in mid-December. Classes resume in late January with the Spring Semester. The Spring term ends in late May. There is no formal coursework during the Summer months. Students complete three courses each semester, for a total of six courses per year.

The Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) Program offers coursework that emphasizes creativity, responsible leadership and management, ethical values, public service, and the essential abilities to anticipate, interpret, and manage the constant changes in the workplace. The main components include coursework and two related programmatic and scholastic indicators. The indicators are the comprehensive examinations and the dissertation process.

Program Coursework

56 semester hours

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallSemester Hours
PADM 609 Nature of Inquiry 3
PADM 611 Scope of Public Administration 3
PADM 613 Descriptive Statistics 3
 Semester Hours9
Spring
PADM 612 Qualitative Analysis 3
PADM 677 Ethics and Decision-Making 3
PADM 681 Inferential Statistics 3
 Semester Hours9
Second Year
Fall
PADM 651 Policy Formulation and Processes 3
PADM 665 Economic Perspectives in Administrative and Policy Analysis 3
PADM 685 Selected Topics 1-4
 Semester Hours7-10
Spring
PADM 620 Organizational Development 3
PADM 667 Urban Theory and Governance 3
PADM 674 Policy Implementation and Evaluation 3
 Semester Hours9
Third Year
Fall
PADM 670 Dissertation Seminar 3
PADM 685 Selected Topics 1-4
PADM 686 Research Specialization I 3
 Semester Hours7-10
Spring
PADM 687 Research Specialization II 3
PADM 680 Dissertation Seminar II 3
PADM 695 Applied Research Methods and Techniques 3
 Semester Hours9
Fourth Year
Fall
PADM 697C Dissertation I 1
 Semester Hours1
Spring
PADM 697C Dissertation I 1
 Semester Hours1
 Total Semester Hours52-58

 Additional Dissertation Units

2 - 18 semester hours as needed

Students must be continuously enrolled in PADM 697D Dissertation II until they have successfully completed their dissertation and it has been posted.