The Master of Public Administration Degree is designed to prepare students for productive and rewarding careers in public service. The format of the program accommodates students currently employed in the public sector as well as students seeking entry-level positions. The MPA Program is designed to complement any undergraduate degree.
Students pursuing the MPA degree online or at the Moody Campus must complete 36 hours of coursework. The program includes 24 hours of required core courses and 12 hours in a concentration area. Students who take a full course load each semester can finish the program in as few as four semesters.
The MPA is offered in three concentrations: Public Sector Management, Public Sector Human Resource Management, and Public Policy. The Public Sector Management and Public Policy concentrations are offered fully online, while the Public Sector Human Resource Management is offered in a traditional setting at the Moody Air Force Base Campus. Students may take concentration courses from different areas as approved by the PA Coordinator.
The 24-hour core includes PADM 7300: Foundations Seminar in Public Administration which must be taken in the first semester. Your final semester will require you to take PADM 7210: Internship in Public Administration and PADM 7900: Capstone Seminar in Public Administration. These courses serve as the exit requirement for the MPA program.
Learn about the program's Mission and Goals by clicking here.
A student desiring work in the College of Arts and Sciences on the MPA degree must present a score of 450 on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or a combined score of 285 [800 old] or more on the verbal and quantitative or 146 [400 old] on the verbal and 3.5 on the analytical writing section of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or 375 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
Also, a student must submit a resume, a career goal statement and three letters of recommendation.
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the basic technical skills needed to succeed in a public or not-for-profit organization.
Develop a broad outlook and an understanding of ethical factors required of program managers and administrators in public or not-for-profit agencies operating in a multicultural context.
Strengthen oral and written communication skills.
Gain familiarity with up-to-date information management systems.