Should CAPPA Have a Core? Lessons from International Comparisons of MPP/MPA Curricula

On December 2, 2014, the CAPPA Executive Committee asked the authors prepare a
paper for members of the Canadian Association of Programs of Public Administration (CAPPA) which would:
1. Estimate, through an examination of the publications of accrediting bodies and of publicly available syllabi of programs around the world, how much of a
consensus exists regarding the appropriate or required core content for MPA and
MPP programs.
2. To the extent that core content for each type of program can be identified,
suggest applicable categories or classifications and examples of courses that
might meet category expectations.
3. Suggest how Canadian programs might legitimately differ from those in other
countries and/or from the consensus categories that emerge from #2.
4. Based on the course selections from other programs, offer an assessment of the
extent to which mission-based competencies are being accommodated along with
universal competencies currently in these programs; and, if possible, offer a
suggestion for the appropriate balance that can be struck between the two
without attenuating the accreditation standards for Canadian programs.