In addition to the core courses and core electives, students select courses related to their particular field of interest, chosen from the abundant offerings from the Program and throughout the University. Examples of specializations include Social Welfare, Environment and Natural Resources, Education, International Relations and Policy, Gender and Family, and Health. Recently, UMass-Amherst's Public Administration program changed to include a track in public policy. This included adding a full year of microeconomics and public finance, quantitative methods, and policy analysis. As a result, the Program has placed a greater emphasis during the admissions process on the quantitative and economic training its applicants have had in their undergraduate programs.
Many applicants are social science majors, although all majors are welcomed to apply.
Because individuals who choose to pursue a Master's degree in Public Policy and Administration come from a variety of backgrounds, the Program is designed to meet the diverse needs of graduate students who bring with them different academic and profesional experiences. The Program also welcomes part-time students. Internships and Placement Information Internships At the University of Massachusetts' MPA Program, students are required to complete internships for graduation. For their students, the Program provides an internship coordinator to help students identify valuable work-based learning opportunities. The majority of MPA students find summer internships in nonprofit organizations, federal, state and local government.