Are They Connected? Exploring Academic and Social Networks Among MPA Students at a Chinese University

Abstract

As a complement to traditional scholarship concerned with the production,transfer, and practical utility of management knowledge in a professional graduate degree program, this paper focuses on relational benefits of MPA learning and education. In this exploratory study, we investigated the extent to which academic, career advice, friendship, and socio-emotional support networks were developed among a cohort of students at a Chinese university’s MPA program. We applied a social network approach to examining the structural characteristics of the four networks. We found that MPA students at this study site have developed more extensive academic and friendship than career advice and socio-emotional support networks. Students also strengthened their interactions by building multiple relationships across the different networks.