Program Requirements

The MPA degree requires successful completion of 36 total graduate hours.

Track I: 18 hours in Core Courses; 12 hours In Designated Electives including the Internship; 6 hours in either Thesis or Applied Research Grant Project. A total of 36 semester credit hours.

Track II: 18 hours in Core Courses; 18 hours in Core Courses; 15 hours In Designated Electives Including the Internship; 3 hours in the Capstone Course, PUBA 6306 Public Administration: Past, Present, and Future. A total of 36 semester credit hours.  Thesis and/or Applied Research Grant Project hours will not be counted within the 42 hour total for Track II.

see the Degree Plan for the quick and complete picture of the program requirements.

Prerequisites:

If a student does not have an academic background in public administration or political science, the student must take PUBA 3323, Introduction to Public Administration (3 hours), which cannot be counted towards degree requirements. Students whose academic preparation in public administration or political science is deficient may be required to complete additional "leveling" course work before clear admission to the program is granted.

Core(see Handbook, page 12):

Student will be required to take 18 semester credit hours of core courses.

 

• PUBA 6302 – Graduate Seminar in Public Administration
• PUBA 6305 - Problems in State and Local Government
• PUBA 6312 - Policy Implementation and Program Evaluation
• PUBA 6321 - Public Personnel Administration
• PUBA 6330 – Scope and Methods in Public Administration
• PUBA 6341 - Decision-Making and Management in Public Organization  

 Elective Courses(see Handbook, page 16):

• PUBA 6303 – Ethics for Public Service
• PUBA 6304 – Intergovernmental Relations
• PUBA 6307 – The Politics of Scarcity
• PUBA 6309 – Introduction to Planning
• PUBA 6311 – Formulation of Public Policy
• PUBA 6320 – Public Finance Administration
• PUBA 6322 – Introduction to Community Development
• PUBA 6323 – Management of Governmental Information Systems
• PUBA 6327 – Management of Non-Profit Organizations
• PUBA 6342 – Bureaucracy and Organization Theory
• PUBA 6361 – Directed Research
• PUBA 6362 – Independent Study
• PUBA 6363 – Special Topics

Other Courses(see Handbook, page 19):

Student who do not have work experience in the public sector (government organization or nonprofit agency) will be required to complete the three semester credit hour PUBA 6325 Internship. Students employed full-time in the public sector may use their present position as the basis for the internship experience if they register for the Internship course. If a student is not currently employed full-time in the public sector, but has worked in the public sector 200 hours or more, may have the Internship requirement waived.

A MPA candidate may complete either a Thesis PUBA 7300-7301 or an Applied Research Grant Project PUBA 7302-7303.  Both of these options must be defended publicly, and must obtain approval of the supervising instructor and two additional reviewers.

Students who entered the Program prior to September 1, 2011 may take a one-day, six-hour, Written Comprehensive Examination.

Graduate Program Projected Two-Year course Schedule  <---Click here to open the file.

Final Requirements(see Handbook, page 20):

Note: Graduate students must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher to remain in good standing with the MPA Program and the Graduate Office.  Dropping below 3.0 will result in Probation and/or Suspension.  See “Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Graduates (Master’s and Doctoral Programs)” in the Graduate Catalog.

Note: Graduate students must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher to remain in good standing with the MPA Program and the Graduate Office.  Dropping below 3.0 will result in Probation and/or Suspension.  See “Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Graduates (Master’s and Doctoral Programs)” in the Graduate Catalog.