Welcome
Students admitted Fall 2020 or after, will need to pursue a Concentration. Students may only have one concentration. You select the concentration when you apply to the MPA through CSU Apply. Students wishing to add/remove or switch concentrations must submit a Change of Concentrations form (found in the forms page) to the PA office for approval and then return to Records and Registration with a $6 Records charge
Concentration in Leadership
You deserve a solid education and a promising, secure career. The Leadership Concentration provides well-rounded instruction to students who are, or would like to be, managers and executives in the public service. Managing any public organization is a challenge, with calls for efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and due process. Mentored by our highly regarded faculty, students become leaders who have a thorough understanding of day-to-day management, and the knowledge needed to guide their agencies into the future. Graduates learn to inspire confidence in their followers, clients, and the general public.
Concentration in Public Financial Management
Public financial management is a universal governmental concern. Many public and non-profit agencies experience financial difficulties leading to dysfunctional political turmoil, lower service responsiveness, and erosion of citizen confidence in public institutions.
The Public Financial Management Concentration supports development of applied and theoretical public financial expertise through five courses. It provides a skill set which is highly valued and in constant demand by public as well as nonprofit agencies. The Concentration prepares MPA graduates to make strong organizational contributions focused on public financial management.
Concentration in Nonprofit Leadership
Our purpose is to provide those serving in the nonprofit industry with the business knowledge and skills vital to leadership. Participants of this program are provided with an unparalleled and extremely relevant and worthwhile educational experience that results in the advancement of the nonprofit workforce.
Cybersecurity Concentration
The MPA with a concentration in Cybersecurity is a program that prepares students for one of the fastest growing fields. In this concentration you will learn the basics of policy management in the area of cybersecurity, as well as the skills and applications for securing information systems and assuring the integrity of an organization's operational information.
California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) is accredited as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency (NSA). The campus is now among only six universities in California that have this national distinction.
Concentration in Community Planning and Management
The Community Planning and Management concentration is focused on the efficient, equitable and ethical management of places and urban systems. The concentration prepares students for careers in urban and community planning; city management; parks and recreation management; environmental systems, sustainability and resiliency planning; public utility and special district management; housing and community development; and economic development planning.