Corey Beckett

Corey Beckett, PhD, MPA

Dr. Corey Beckett is a “prac-academician,” having a dual career as a practitioner and academician. He is a lecturer for the University of Virginia Public Administration Certificate Program. Dr. Beckett's research interest includes Public Budget and Finance, Program Evaluation, Leadership, Diversity, Organizational Behavior and Social Equity.

For over 30 years, Dr. Beckett has held a variety of positions with increasing responsibility in which he was responsible for planning, programming, justifying and executing multi-billion dollar programs and budgets within the Federal Government. Currently, he is a Senior Executive with a United States Federal Agency. Dr. Beckett takes pride in infusing real-world experiences with theoretical perspectives into the educational environment. He considers himself a learning coach, and as such, makes intentional and deliberate efforts to go beyond the traditional delivery of instruction. Dr. Beckett mentors students in these programs and contributes to their intellectual growth by sharing his professional experiences and lessons learned.

In courses Dr. Beckett teaches, his goal is for each student to gain a deeper understanding of the foundational concepts in the field of public administration, exhibit enhanced critical thinking skills, develop an ability to prepare and present concise, well-supported arguments and establish the skills and aspirations to link public policy theory to implementation. In course objectives, he establishes to follow a progressive path to learning, which includes knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Dr. Beckett’s teaching style allows the students to consider and re-examine the key ideas and assumptions that shape the production of knowledge in the field of Public Administration and Policy.

Dr. Beckett earned a Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Baltimore, a Master of Public Administration from Central Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Tuskegee University. He lives in the Washington, DC area.