Master of Public Administration

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Program Objectives

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is the primary graduate degree sought by current and future administrators in government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and heavily regulated private corporations. The curriculum consists of 12 graduate courses. Courses emphasize practical applications of skills and knowledge relevant to problems confronting administrators working in government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Since most MPA students are working professionals attending school part-time, courses meet one evening each week during fall and spring semesters. Some courses also are offered in the summer or can be taken online as distance education courses.

Graduates of the program acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be creative, ethical, analytical, and visionary leaders. Specific competencies that will be mastered by students earning the MPA program are listed below:

• Become knowledgeable of the laws, rules, norms, and traditions that shape the internal structure, efficiency, and innovativeness of public sector organizations;
• Be able to formulate creative solutions to problems confronting government agencies and not-for-profit organizations;
• Obtain knowledge of how institutions in the public sector shape and are shaped by economic, social, and political environments;
• Acquire practical skills and knowledge bases necessary for the management of public sector organizations: grant writing, budgeting, public speaking, human relations, public relations, electronic communication, and report writing;
• Master an understanding of how key concepts and theories can be used to formulate practical solutions to problems associated with public and non-profit administration;
• Gain knowledge of data bases, web sites, printed material, and other information-based resources pertaining to the management of public sector organizations;
• Learn how to gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative data relevant to decision making in public organizations; and
• Understand the ethical consequences of decisions made by managers in the public sector.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree (any major is acceptable) with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and must have competitive scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).

In addition, applicants must submit the materials listed below:

• A completed USI Graduate Studies Application Form
• Completed MPA Personal Information Form
• A copy of a current resume or CV.
• A personal statement as described on the MPA Personal Information Form
• Official results of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Applicants seeking admission to the MPA program must have a combined score of at least 850. You should take the GRE at least six weeks prior to the program’s admission deadline. Scores must be no older than five years.
• References from TWO individuals who are familiar with your work. The individuals who are writing your references must complete Reference Forms and mail these forms directly to the USI Graduate Studies Office.
• Official Transcript(s) from all undergraduate and graduate programs attended. All transcripts must be sent directly from the registrar of the school attended to the USI Graduate Studies Office. Failure to submit official transcripts from every institution will delay admission. Course work from one institution reported as transfer credit on another school’s transcript does not constitute an official transcript.
• A $25 application fee
• International Students Only: Official results of the TOEFL (a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based version and a minimum score of 79 on the internet-based version).

Conditional Admission

Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may but above 2.75 or a combined GRE score of below 850 but above 750 may seek conditional admittance to the MPA program. Conditionally admitted students may take two graduate courses (six credit hours) at USI. If a grade of B or better is earned in each USI graduate course taken while you are classified as a conditionally admitted student and the instructors in these courses recommend that you be unconditionally admitted to the program, with the approval of the director of Graduate Studies and the director of the MPA Program, you will be unconditionally admitted to the Program.

Guest Student Status

Individuals may enroll in MPA courses as a guest student. Guest students may take up to two graduate courses (6 hours) without being formally admitted to the MPA program. If a guest student is subsequently admitted to the MPA program, PA courses successfully completed will count toward the degree requirements. It is important to note, however, that admission as a guest student and success in graduate courses does not guarantee admission to the MPA program.

Students seeking to enroll in MPA courses as a guest student must submit a Guest Student application, undergraduate transcripts, and the one-time non-refundable $25 graduate application fee. In addition, admission must be approved by the director of the MPA program and the director of Graduate Admissions. The director of the MPA program will not allow individuals with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 (on a four point scale) to enroll in PA courses as a special student. Admission as a guest student does not guarantee enrollment in PA courses. Guest students may enroll in PA courses only when enrollment caps have not been met and when students formally admitted (or expected to be formally admitted) to the MPA program have had an opportunity to enroll.

Curriculum

The program is comprised of 36 credit hours (12 courses) of coursework leading to a Master of Public Administration degree. To ensure that they have an appropriate foundation of professional field experience, pre-service students must participate in a 150 clock-hour specialized internship for three additional credit hours.