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Oracles in the Ether: Using an E-Mail Delphi to Revise an MPA Curriculum

Abstract This article describes the use of an electronic Delphi survey of practitioners, academics, students, and alumni to arrive at an understanding of what community partners and stakeholders want from master of public administration programs. The Delphi exercise asked participants to first list and then rate the knowledge and skills that MPA graduates should possess. The exercise revealed considerable consensus in the field about the things employers want in MPA graduates and their relative value, including skills in writing and making oral presentations, problem solving, and working in teams. These findings were used to thoroughly revise the curriculum as part of a university-wide strategic planning initiative. In that revision, the most highly rated knowledge components and skill components were distributed among required (core) courses. The authors conclude that using an electronic Delphi offers considerable benefits and they make suggestions for improving the process.