The use of theoretical frameworks by Master of Public Administration (MPA) graduates at a selected South African university of technology

Abstract

Scholars contend that public administration, as a discipline, is still in its infancy and, more often than not, fumbles for its own identity.  It is generally regarded as an amalgamation of various disciplines. It is therefore no wonder that scholars in public administration, more often than not, fail to locate their empirical research, in sound theoretical frameworks for research in public administration, in general.  The core objective of the study was to determine whether Master of Public Administration (MPA) graduates, from a selected university of technology in South Africa, grounded their research in theoretical frameworks, rooted in the identified public administration domains.  Desktop research was employed where purposely selected MPA dissertations were scrutinised, using content analysis. MPA qualifications generally comprise a range of modules in conjunction with the production of a mini-thesis.  This has not been the case at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) since 2016.  MPA graduates are required to produce a full dissertation only.  The study intended to highlight the importance of conducting research that contributes to public administration theory development, especially at universities of technology. The study found that if CPUT wants to acquire a competitive edge in the international higher education landscape in general and in the field of public administration in particular, it must aspire to deliver MPA graduates who demonstrate the ability to grow the mass of theoretical knowledge in the discipline.  The study recommends that theoretical frameworks, in the study domains associated with research in public administration be taught explicitly in the form of seminars in the absence of teaching them in formal credit-bearing modules, which is the case at CPUT.