Perhaps Easier Said than Done: Is There a Downside to Integrating Nonprofit Substance into the MPA Core Curriculum?

Abstract

What does it mean to integrate nonprofit substance into the Master of Public Administration (MPA) core curriculum in a world of blurred sector boundaries? The potential benefits seem self-evident, including finally gaining legitimacy for those who study and teach about the nonprofit sector. But are there other considerations worth taking into account? This article asks the public administration and nonprofit academy to consider the implications of teaching to blurred boundaries, including a discussion of what to consider when integrating nonprofit theory and practice. It considers what MPA programs determine that students need versus students’ perceived needs, both in relation to community and program needs. Specifically, it asks what integration in the core curriculum might portend for in-depth nonprofit studies, for hiring nonprofit theory specialists, and for maintaining a critical mass of students seeking in-depth nonprofit studies, both theoretical and applied.

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