ABSTRACT
Improving student outcomes, such as academic achievement, degree completion, and employment, is central to the purpose of MPA programs. Furthermore, a program’s survival depends on the outcomes achieved by its students as these can affect future recruitment and alumni giving. For these reasons, the faculty and administrators of MPA programs should give careful consideration to the factors under their control that impact student outcomes. This chapter examines these factors and their relationship to academic achievement. The chapter explains how decisions made at the program and course levels regarding admissions requirements, curriculum and andragogy, and learning goals can inhibit or enhance learning. Specific recommendations regarding how to adjust these factors to improve student academic achievement are provided.
