This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
Program goal
The graduate certificate in public management is a program designed to enable practitioners in government and nonprofit organizations to acquire knowledge and skills in public administration without pursuing a full master’s degree. This program is delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid.
Student learning outcomes
- Students will participate in and contribute to the policy process.
- Students will lead and manage in public governance.
- Students will articulate and apply a public service perspective.
VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs
The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.
It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.
Graduation requirements
As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.
Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Fall | Feb 1 (early admission); Apr 1 (priority deadline); May 1 (final deadline) | |
| Spring | Oct 1 |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, admission to the certificate program requires the same application procedure used for the M.P.A., with the exception of the standardized examination, which is not required. Further, the standardized exam requirement for the M.P.A. program is waived for certificate students who have a minimum GPA of 3.5 after completion of at least six credits of certificate course work.
Degree requirements
In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, the certificate requires a total of 18 hours of graduate credit hours involving a mix of required and elective courses. The courses are the same as those offered to M.P.A. students.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| PADM 601 | Intro to Public Service and Administration | 3 |
| PADM 607 | Public Human Resource Management | 3 |
| PADM 609 | Financial Management in Government | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select nine credits from the list below. | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this certificate is 18.
Electives
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select three elective courses from the following: | ||
| Effective Managerial Communications | ||
| Planned Organizational Change | ||
| Power, Influence and Organizational Competence | ||
| Topic Seminar | ||
| Critical and Creative Thinking for Public Managers | ||
| Politics and Economics | ||
| Comparative Public Institutions | ||
| Survey Research Methods | ||
| Government Management Models | ||
| Organizational Behavior and Management in Government | ||
| Public Sector Budgeting | ||
| Applied Research Methods | ||
| Empirical Analysis for Evidence-Based Governance (PADM 623 is a prerequisite for PADM 624) | ||
| Policy Insights: Assessing Public Policies | ||
| Intergovernmental Relations | ||
| Workshop in Policy Analysis | ||
| Environmental Policy and Administration | ||
| Strategic Planning and Management in the Public Sector | ||
| Organic Human Resources Management | ||
| Grants Management | ||
| Principles of Nonprofit Management | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Program Design and Evaluation | ||
| Fund Development for the Nonprofit Sector | ||
| Nonprofit Advocacy and Government Relations | ||
| Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Community Power Dynamics | ||
| Nonprofit Law, Governance and Ethics | ||
| Advanced Topics in Revenue and Taxation | ||
| Local Government Administration | ||
| Comparative Public Administration | ||
| Leadership in the Public Sector | ||
| Governmental Administrative Decision-making Processes | ||
| Advanced Public Human Resources Management | ||
| Administrative Ethics | ||
| Capstone: Bridging Theory and Practice | ||
| Topics in Public Administration | ||
Other courses from elsewhere in the Wilder School or elsewhere in the university (with approval from the program chair) | ||
Students who complete the requirements for this program will receive a Certificate in Public Management.
Contact
Myung H. Jin, Ph.D.
Associate professor, program chair and graduate program director
mhjin@vcu.edu
(804) 828-8812
Additional contacts
Richard F. Huff, Ph.D.
Assistant professor and assistant chair
rrhuff@vcu.edu
(804) 828-9813
Wilder School recruitment
wsrecruit@vcu.edu
(804) 827-0364
Program website: wilder.vcu.edu/academic/certificate/public.html