Dual Degrees
Executive Master of Public Administration/ Master Of Social Work (EMPA/MSW)
This joint degree is designed to provide MSW students an opportunity to focus on acquiring additional skills in management, finance and/or policy. The flexibility of the program allows students to choose courses from the Health Policy and Management Program, the Public and Nonprofit Program or both. Upon completion of the Executive MPA program, students will recieve an MPA degree.
The Executive MPA/MSW Program incorporates the 36 credits required for the Executive MPA and the 65 credits required for the MSW. Two EMPA courses (as electives) will be credited toward the requirements for the MSW. Eight (8) credits from the MSW Program will count toward the 36 required credits for the Executive MPA. Applicants to the Executive MPA program are expected to have at least 5-7 years of direct management experience in the public, nonprofit, health, or private sector. To learn more about the Executive MPA program click here.
Full-time MSW students typically begin their Wagner courses during the spring of their first year by taking one EMPA core course (Strategic Leadership). During the summer, students take one required EMPA course (Financial Management) and one EMPA elective. In their second year, students will take one EMPA core course in the fall (The Core of Leadership in Public Service) and one in the spring (Leadership Confronted), and two electives in the summer to complete the joint degree in two years. Students may choose to alter the sequencing suggested. The MPA degree is usually conferred after the MSW.
The program of study should be carefully planned with your faculty advisor and should reflect a concentration of coursework that takes into consideration your level of administrative experience and provides a basis for your final event in addition to meeting your professional goals. Students should consult with their faculty advisor prior to or during each registration period.
Below is a sample of course choices based on the Public and Nonprofit Management curriculum and the coursework most frequently taken by students in the Executive MPA/MSW program. Please note that this is an illustrative program only and not a set of requirements, other than the EMPA core courses and end event. Students may select courses from the Management, Finance and Policy specializations or from the Health Policy and Management Program to take as electives as long as upper level prerequisite competencies are satisfied and approved by a faculty advisor.
Sample Program: Executive MPA/MSW
I. EMPA Core Courses (3 courses/ 12 credits)
- P11.1021 Financial Management or proficiency
- P11.2193 The Core of Leadership in Public Service
- P11.2194 Strategic Leadership
II. Sample Electives (12 credits)*
- P11.2125 Foundations of Nonprofit Management
- P11.2111 Managing Service Delivery
- P11.2116 Developing Management Skills
- P11.2117 Information Systems for Public and Nonprofit Organizations
- P11.2119 Marketing for Public and Nonprofit Organizations
- P11.2135 Developing Human Resources
- P11.4130 Financial Accounting Process and Elements (2-credit course)
- P11.4210 Governmental Financial Condition Analysis (2-credit course)
- P11.4214 Budgeting at the Federal Level
- P11.1830 Community Health and Medical Care
- P11.2133 Managing Organizational Change
- P11.3122 Women and Management in the Public Sector
- P11.4201 Conflict Management and Negotiation (2-credit course)
- P11.4212 Cost Effectiveness in Nonprofit and Public Sectors (2-credit course)
V. End Event (4 credits)
*For a full listing of courses by topic area, click here.
