The MPA Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice equips future public servants with the
knowledge, skills, and leadership experiences necessary for the advancement of integrity,
accountability, inclusiveness and justice in society and governance. The program celebrates the
diversity of our students, including those underrepresented in the leadership of public service.
Degree Requirements
Students enrolled in the MPA in Inspection and Oversight Program are required to complete 42 course credits. Students are advised to complete PAD 700 and two other core foundation courses, PAD 706 and PAD 723, within the first 15 credits of matriculation. Failure to complete any of the requirements described in the paragraph above will result in a student not being permitted to register for future classes without the explicit permission of the program director.
Additional information:
Students who enrolled for the first time at the College in September 2023 or thereafter must complete the program in the form presented in this bulletin. Students who enrolled prior to that date and have consistently maintained matriculation, may choose the form shown here or the version of the program (The Master of Public Administration Inspector-General Track) in place at their time of enrollment. The prior curriculum can be found in the 2022-23 Graduate Bulletin.
Required Courses
| PAD 700 | Public Administration | 3 |
| PAD 706 | Bureaupathology | 3 |
| PAD 723 | Assessments, Audits and Investigations in Human Resources | 3 |
| PAD 740 | Public Sector Inspection and Oversight | 3 |
| PAD 742 | Public Sector Accounting and Auditing | 3 |
| PAD 758 | Ethics, Integrity and Accountability | 3 |
| PAD 771 | Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
Note: No course can be used to satisfy a foundation requirement and a specialization requirement. Students may substitute PAD 702 for PAD 723 and PAD 705 for PAD 706.
Research Methods and Quantitative Skills
Students must complete a course from each of the following categories:
Research Methods
| PAD 715 | Research Methods in Public Administration | 3 |
Quantitative Methods and Information Management
Select one course:
| PAD 713 | Management of Information Technology | 3 |
| PAD 745 | Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| PAD 747/CRJ 747 | Computer Applications in Public Policy and Management | 3 |
| PAD 767 | Analytical Methods in Health Care Auditing and Investigation | 3 |
| PAD 770 | Cases and Techniques in Quantitative Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
*There is no course prerequisite for PAD 747 or PAD 713. However, computer skills and experience are assumed for PAD 713. Students who need additional computer skills will be directed by the program director to other places in the College where they may be obtained. PAD 715 or CRJ 715 is a prerequisite for PAD 745, PAD 767, and PAD 770.
*PAD 767 Analytical Methods in Health Care Auditing and Investigation is required for the Inspection and Oversight of Health Services specialization.
Specializations
A three-course specialization is required. Students should declare a specialization upon the completion of 12 credits. Except where otherwise noted, students must complete a specialization by completing three courses designated for the specialization including each course designated as required. PAD 780 (Internship), PAD 755/CRJ 755 (Writing for Management), and a PAD 800-level course can also be used to complete any specialization, but may not substitute for a course required for the specialization.
Dual specializations are permissible if the student has fulfilled the requirements of both specializations. One course can count as an elective for two specializations with approval from the program director.
Select one specialization:
Forensic Accounting
This specialization prepares students for careers in forensic accounting or financial investigation. It is intended for students who seek to complete the Advanced Certificate in Forensic Accounting.
ACC 715 Analytical Methods in Inspection and Oversight must be completed as the second Research Methods and Quantitative Methods course. ACC 710 Advanced Financial Reporting must be substituted for PAD 742.
Required Courses: Select Three
| ACC 702 | Strategic Cost Management | 3 |
| ACC 703 | Advanced Taxation | 3 |
| ACC 705 | Forensic Accounting and Auditing | 3 |
| ACC 720 | Advanced Auditing with Analytical Applications | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Completing the Advanced Certificate:
Each student who is admitted to the Advanced Certificate Program will be provided an Official Program of Study, signed by the MPA in Inspection and Oversight Program Director, the Advanced Certificate in Forensic Accounting Director, and the Director of Graduate Admissions, specifying the student’s program requirements, and specifying how the student’s course of study satisfies the CPA 150 requirements.
N/A
Inspection and Oversight of Health Services
This specialization examines how inspection and oversight are conducted in health care organizations.
Note: Students in this specialization must take PAD 767 as their required quantitative methods course in addition to the three required courses below.
| PAD 763 | Public Health Policy and Administration | 3 |
| PAD 764 | Health Services Fraud, Waste, and Abuse | 3 |
| PAD 766 | Inspection and Oversight of Health Care Delivery | 3 |
Students may complete their two program electives by taking Public Health courses in the CUNY School of Public Health.
Students should contact MPA Advising for information about recommended courses and ePermit procedures.
International Inspection and Oversight
This specialization examines how inspection and oversight are conducted in international and multinational contexts.
This specialization has two required courses.
Required Courses
| PAD 718 | International Public Policy and Administration | 3 |
| PAD 772 | International Inspection and Oversight | 3 |
Electives
| CRJ 744 | Terrorism and Politics | 3 |
| PAD 759 | Public Oversight of Policing | 3 |
| CRJ 774 | Immigration and Crime | 3 |
| CRJ 779 | The Female Offender in Western Society | 3 |
| PAD 746 | Comparative Public Administration | 3 |
Investigation and Operational Inspection
This specialization prepares students for responsibilities involving the investigation and inspection of individual and organizational conduct and performance in public agencies, with an emphasis on fraud, waste and abuse. The specialization has two required courses.
Required Courses
Electives
| CRJ 739 | Crime Mapping | 3 |
| CRJ 751 | Crime Scene Investigation | 3 |
| PAD 706 | Bureaupathology | 3 |
| PAD 710 | The Ethical and Legal Environment of Public Employment | 3 |
| PAD 726 | The Politics and Process of Outsourcing | 3 |
| PAD 732 | The Independent Sector: Contemporary Issues in Nonprofits and Philanthropy | 3 |
| PAD 745 | Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| PAD 749 | Financial Forensic Examination and Auditing | 3 |
| PAD 759 | Public Oversight of Policing | 3 |
Justice Policy Analysis (Honors Specialization)
This specialization prepares students as policy analysts in justice and inspection/oversight contexts. Admission is limited to students with a GPA of 3.5 or above, a grade of 3.5 or above in PAD 715, and GREV and GREQ scores comparable to those required by the CUNY Doctoral Program in Criminal Justice. Courses are completed in the Policy, Oversight and Administration (CRJPOA) Track of the CUNY Doctoral Program in Criminal Justice, or in cross-listed John Jay College graduate course sections. Students already admitted to the CRJPOA track who seek the MPA degree may satisfy their MPA specialization with doctoral-level versions of these courses. Student who complete these courses and who are subsequently admitted to the CRJPOA track may satisfy CRJPOA course requirements with these courses.
Required Courses
| CRJU 88100/PAD 881 |
Criminology and Public Policy |
3 |
| CRJU 84100/PAD 841 |
Advanced Policy Analysis |
3 |
| PAD 770 |
Cases and Techniques in Quantitative Policy Analysis |
3 |
Law and Inspection and Oversight
This specialization prepares students to apply management and policy concepts and skills in a legal environment.
Required Courses
| PAD 741 | Administrative Law and Regulation | 3 |
Electives
At least 6 credits of law courses completed at the CUNY Law School or other law schools.
Law Courses during MPA Studies:
Students enrolled in the MPA Program in Public Policy and Administration may complete the Law and Public Management specialization by completing nine credits of courses approved by the MPA Program Director. The course will concern legal research, criminal and civil procedure, and/or public institutions and the law.
The CUNY Law School will permit John Jay MPA students – who meet academic qualifications noted below – to register for CUNY Law courses, from among those specified in a “advising list” available from the Specialization Advisor, Professor Dan Feldman (dfeldman@jjay.cuny.edu). To be permitted to take classes at CUNY Law School, an MPA student must have maintained a GPA of at least 3.5 and have completed PAD 741, Administrative Law, with a grade of A or A-.
Law Courses from Law School:
Students may also complete this specialization while attending law school after partially completing the MPA at John Jay. Students must apply to, and by accepted at, law school while enrolled in the MPA Program in Inspection and Oversight, and complete their specialization while attending law school. Subject to the approval of the program director, 12 credits of law courses concerning legal research, civil and criminal procedure, and other topics related to inspection and oversight, may be transferred for credit. Students must pass the Capstone Course and fulfill any other remaining requirements for the MPA degree. Students who have completed coursework in law school prior to enrollment in the MPA Program in Inspection and Oversight may apply to the program director to transfer up to 12 credits from law school toward this concentration. Courses in either version of this specialization may be taken at CUNY Law School at Queens College, The City University of New York, or at other law schools offering comparable courses.
Organizational Assessment and Monitoring
This specialization prepares students to assess, evaluate and monitor the performance of public and not-for-profit agencies. The specialization is particularly appropriate for students interested in professional careers in performance auditing and regulation. This specialization has two required courses.
Required Courses
| PAD 714 | Organizational Performance Assessment | 3 |
| PAD 745 | Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
Electives
| PAD 701 | Fraud, Abuse, Waste and Corruption | 3 |
| PAD 726 | The Politics and Process of Outsourcing | 3 |
| PAD 731 | Oversight by Independent, Regulatory and Political Authorities | 3 |
| PAD 732 | The Independent Sector: Contemporary Issues in Nonprofits and Philanthropy | 3 |
| PAD 741 | Administrative Law and Regulation | 3 |
| PAD 748 | Project Management | 3 |
| PAD 749 | Financial Forensic Examination and Auditing | 3 |
| PAD 759 | Public Oversight of Policing | 3 |
| PAD 770 | Cases and Techniques in Quantitative Policy Analysis | 3 |
Free Electives
Students must select two elective courses from any MPA offering.