Master of Public Administration

The Master of Public Administration degree is a professional course of study for persons in, or preparing for, mid-level or upper-level management positions in public and nonprofit organizations. The program emphasizes the theoretical, practical, and analytical abilities required of persons holding responsible public positions. Centered in the Department of Social Sciences, it also permits the incorporation of specialized fields of interest such as general administration, criminal justice, urban and regional planning, research and evaluation, and health care administration.

The program has two tracks/concentrations: The Generalist MPA and Executive Health Care Administration 

Admission Requirements

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
2. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4 point scale on the last 60 hours of undergraduate and/or graduate coursework. Candidates with advanced degrees will be given preference.
3. For applicants to the Generalist track:
   1. Three years of full-time employment in a public or non-profit organization is required. A curriculum vita should be submitted to document employment in a public or non-profit organization. A satisfactory score on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) may be substituted for the employment requirement in the Generalist track.
   2. A letter expressing interest and motivation for pursuing the degree should be submitted; and an interview may be required
   3. A course in research methods is recommended before admission to that track
4. In addition to requirements 1. and 2., applicants to the Health Care Administration track must have at least three years of full-time employment in a health care profession. They must also submit:
   1. An Applicant Information Sheet 
   2. A 300 word written essay
   3. A resume’ 
   4. Three letters of recommendation; preferably one from a supervisor
      
      An on–campus interview with the Director of the Health Care Administration track or other designated faculty member is also required.
5. Consideration is also given to one or more of the following: the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to his or her chosen field of study, socioeconomic background, first generation college graduate, multilingual proficiency, geographic region of residence, and level of responsibility in other matters including extracurricular activities, employment, community service, and family responsibilities.

Graduation Requirements

All candidates for the Executive Health Care Administration concentration must also meet the following requirements:

1. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 basis) on all work taken for graduate credit. No course with a grade below “C” may be applied toward this degree.
2. Satisfactory performance on the final project and oral defense of the project in EHCA 5371: Healthcare Capstone. Any student who fails the oral component may, upon recommendation of the Graduate Coordinator, be granted permission to take a second examination. Upon failing the second examination, the student will be dropped from the program.