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"Ennobling public service and honoring communities are underlying themes of this important program. It was a rich experience--one that helped me make critical career choices. "

Mahealani Kamau'u
Executive Director
Native Hawaiian Legal Corp.

 

Public Administration > The Program > Learning Orientation

palmtreeLearning Orientation

The Public Administration Program began in 1984 with the first year-long certificate class. It expanded to include a Master's of Public Administration in 1991, admitting the first degree class in the fall of that year. From the beginning both the certificate and MPA programs have been designed to meet the scheduling needs of individuals working full-time, as well as to accommodate full-time participants.

The Program's design exposes participants to a variety of perspectives and tools with which to analyze and interpret the range of issues that face individuals with public responsibilities. Collaborative teaching and a structure that promotes multidisciplinary thinking encourage different insights about the same issue. An emphasis on active learning helps participants to engage one another and from that engagement to derive their own interpretations. Participant learning is evaluated in a number of ways, including written work, oral presentations, simulations and group projects. This diversity is meant to parallel the diversity of performance demands that people in public service face.

The Program is application oriented, bridging conceptual understandings to day-to-day situations. This bridge is built through the life of the Program, culminating in the capstone experience which asks that participants address a significant public issue using what they have learned and working with individuals and groups involved with the issue.

Instruction is provided by Public Administration faculty, teachers from other programs and departments, and practitioners in the community. The Program selects instructors on the basis of teaching ability, willingness to adopt a collaborative approach to teaching, expertise, and commitment to the goals of the Program.

Finally, we believe that our graduates will be more effective in their public roles if they are closely connected to others who share an informed commitment to public service. Because of this, emphasis is placed on strong associations within classes, between those currently in the Program and alumns, and among alumni. This connectivity can be seen in the regularly produced "Alumni and Current Participants Directory" which asks that each person share the special skills they are willing to share.