This study aims to examine whether Masters in Public Administration (MPA) programs adequately prepare public administrators for careers in public procurement in the same manner that they prepare students for professional roles in human resources or financial management. It argues that the growing importance of organizational capacity in public procurement across the three sectors necessitates an expansion of MPA curricula. Specifically, the study contends that technical skills training, case-based instruction and engagement with theoretical and empirical literature are essential components in the preparation of public procurement professionals. The study analyzes these issues through the lens of signaling theory.
This study draws on course catalog, syllabus and survey data to examine the extent to which these key components are incorporated into stand-alone public procurement courses within MPA curricula.
The results show that public procurement courses are not widely offered in MPA programs. This indicates that, while some scholars argue that public procurement is indeed a subfield of public administration, the degree often does not prepare students for the field. However, where public procurement courses are offered, the degree can credibly signal that students are prepared for careers in the field.
Learning about public procurement in MPA programs will help inculcate ethical values into the field. This is why it is important to investigate why MPA programs should have stand-alone procurement courses.
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first that could be identified to assess the offerings and substance of public procurement courses in MPA programs. This is important because we want to know whether the MPA degree can be taken as a credible signal that graduates are trained in public procurement.
