MPA 509: Statistics for Public Administration

Course Code: MPA 509
Credits: 3 Credit Hours
Total Lecture Hours: 48 Hours
Program: Masters in Public Administration (MPA)

Course Description

This course introduces statistical concepts essential for public administration research and decision-making. Students will learn to analyze data, understand relationships between variables, and make evidence-based conclusions for policy development.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Understand fundamental statistical concepts and terminology
2. Calculate and interpret measures of central tendency and dispersion
3. Analyze relationships using correlation and regression
4. Apply probability theory to administrative decision-making
5. Perform statistical estimation with confidence intervals
6. Conduct hypothesis tests for various scenarios

Units and Topics

Unit 1: Introduction to Statistics (4 LH)

Foundation concepts including types of statistics, data collection, and basic descriptive measures.

Unit 2: Correlation and Simple Linear Regression (4 LH)

Analyzing relationships between variables and making predictions.

Unit 3: Probability Theory (10 LH)

Fundamental probability concepts and important probability distributions.

Unit 4: Estimation (5 LH)

Sampling distributions, estimation techniques, and confidence intervals.

Unit 5: Hypothesis Testing (25 LH)

Comprehensive coverage of statistical hypothesis testing for various scenarios.

Key Features of These Notes

📚 Beginner-Friendly Approach

• Clear, step-by-step explanations
• Simple language with minimal jargon
• Progressive complexity within each topic

📐 Mathematical Rigor with Clarity

• All formulas rendered with KaTeX
• Visual diagrams using Mermaid.js
• Derivations explained when relevant

✏️ Extensive Worked Examples

• 4-5 detailed examples per topic
• Step-by-step solutions
• Real-world public administration context

📝 Exam-Focused Content

• Practice problems with each chapter
• Summary tables for quick revision
• Key formulas highlighted

Quick Reference: Statistical Tests

Quick Reference: Key Formulas

Measures of Central Tendency

• Mean: $\bar{x} = \frac{\sum x}{n}$
• Median: Middle value when ordered
• Mode: Most frequent value

Correlation

• Pearson’s r: $r = \frac{\sum(x-\bar{x})(y-\bar{y})}{\sqrt{\sum(x-\bar{x})^2 \sum(y-\bar{y})^2}}$

Regression

• Slope: $b = \frac{n\sum xy - \sum x \sum y}{n\sum x^2 - (\sum x)^2}$
• Intercept: $a = \bar{y} - b\bar{x}$

Probability

• Addition: $P(A \cup B) = P(A) + P(B) - P(A \cap B)$

• Multiplication: $P(A \cap B) = P(A) \times P(B

  A)$

Z-Score

• Sample mean: $z = \frac{\bar{x} - \mu}{\sigma/\sqrt{n}}$
• Proportion: $z = \frac{\hat{p} - p}{\sqrt{p(1-p)/n}}$

t-Statistic

• Single mean: $t = \frac{\bar{x} - \mu}{s/\sqrt{n}}$
• Paired: $t = \frac{\bar{d}}{s_d/\sqrt{n}}$

Chi-Square

• Test statistic: $\chi^2 = \sum \frac{(O-E)^2}{E}$

Study Tips

1. Master the basics first - Units 1-2 are foundational
2. Practice calculations - Statistics requires hands-on work
3. Use decision trees - Know which test to use when
4. Review assumptions - Each test has specific requirements
5. Work through examples - Understanding comes from doing

Resources

• Calculator: Scientific calculator essential for exams
• Tables: Z-table, t-table, chi-square table (often provided)
• Practice: Work through all end-of-chapter problems

These notes are designed to help MPA students prepare for examinations. Content follows the approved syllabus for MPA 509.

Last Updated: February 2026