Complete admission and program requirements are found in the University Catalog.
The MPA Program is divided into two parts — a core curriculum shared by all students in the program and electives that fulfill one of four concentrations. You will be required to complete 36 total semester credit hours.
Twenty-four of those credits come from the eight core courses. You will be required to take an additional two required courses and two elective courses in your concentration. The Leadership and Management concentration requires four elective courses. You are also required to complete the comprehensive examination your last semester of the academic year. See a full list of all available courses.
The common core courses all fit into one or more of the five substantive areas of public administration. They are designed to meet the NASPAA Core Curriculum Competencies, which has all students in the program demonstrate their ability to:
The curriculum allows students to choose a concentration. You may choose from a concentration in:
The curriculum for students concentrating in City and County Leadership and Management is created to meet the topical requirements of both pre-service and in-service students.
The curriculum is designed to put students on a career path for jobs such as:
Pre-service students are required to take one to two credits of internship. A full list of required courses, electives and descriptions can be found in the program requirements.
The coursework is designed to meet the NASPAA Local Government Competencies, which has all students in the concentration demonstrate the application of their knowledge and understanding of the:
The curriculum for students concentrating in Non-profit Leadership and Management is created to meet the topical requirements of both pre-service and mid-service students.
The curriculum is designed to put students on a career path for jobs such as:
Pre-service students are required to take one to two credits of internship. A full list of required courses, electives and descriptions can be found in the program requirements.
The coursework is designed to meet the NASPAA Nonprofit Competencies, which has all students in the concentration demonstrate the application of their knowledge and understanding of the:
The curriculum for students concentrating in International Development Leadership and Management is created to meet the topical requirements of both pre-service and mid-service students.
The curriculum is designed to put students on a career path for jobs such as:
Pre-service students are required to take a one or two credit internship. A full list of required courses, electives and descriptions can be found in the program requirements.
The coursework is designed to meet the International DevelopmentCompetencies, which has all students in the concentration demonstrate the application of their knowledge and understanding of the:
The curriculum for students concentrating in Leadership and Management is created to meet the topical requirements of both pre-service and in-service students not met by the programs existing concentrations.
The curriculum is designed to put students on a highly specialized career path for jobs such as:
Pre-service students may take one to two credits of internship. A full list of required courses, electives and descriptions can be found in the program requirements.
The curriculum allows undergraduate junior/senior SCSU students to choose an accelerated BA-MPA degree option. The degree options exist in:
Five-Year B.A. Planning and Community Development and M.P.A. Master of Public Administration
The Five-Year B.A./M.P.A. program is an accelerated, rigorous program option available to undergraduate planning and community development students who maintain a 3.00 GPA and who show the ability and discipline necessary to successfully complete an accelerated combination undergraduate and graduate program in planning and community development and public administration.
This program allows a student to receive the Bachelor of Arts in Planning and Community Development and the Master of Public Administration in five years. This is accomplished by allowing the undergraduate student to take four planning and community development courses (see list below) for 12 semester credits at the 500-level and one 600-level MPA course. The credits from these courses will count toward to MPA degree and allow the student to finish their bachelor degree with 12 fewer credits. The student’s advisor for the BA and MPA degree must agree to the 500-level courses and the student must submit the Undergraduate Permission to Enroll form to the School of Graduate Studies to request permission and overrides to enroll in graduate courses.
Students who seek this plan normally applies for the MPA program in their third year or junior year of undergraduate studies or no later than Fall Semester of their fourth or senior year. The MPA program will allow the student to enroll in MPA 610 Foundations in Public Administration and Public Service their senior undergraduate year. The credits earned from MPA 610 do not apply to the undergraduate degree.
Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA while enrolled in the undergraduate degree element of the program. Students must obtain a B or better in the courses used to count for the MPA program.
Planning and Community Development courses applicable for this program include:
CMTY 522. Land Use Planning and Zoning
CMTY 550. Community Heritage
CMTY 551. Community Design
CMTY 552. Environmental Planning
CMTY 554. Regional Planning
CMTY 555. Grant Development
CMTY 564. Local Economic Development
Students may opt out early with a BA provided that all requirements for the BA are met. If the student does so, the 500-level courses taken will be converted to 400-level courses and applied to the BA degree. Students should know that once the 500-level graduate courses are converted to 400-level courses used to complete the undergraduate degree they may not be eligible to be applied to a graduate degree in the future.
Five-year students are eligible for graduate assistantship funding after completion of the BA degree.
Five-Year B.A. Political Science and M.P.A. Master of Public Administration
The Five-Year B.A./M.P.A. program is an accelerated, rigorous program option available to undergraduate political science students who maintain a 3.00 GPA and who show the ability and discipline necessary to successfully complete an accelerated combination undergraduate and graduate program in political science and public administration.
This program allows a student to receive the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and the Master of Public Administration in five years. This is accomplished by allowing the undergraduate student to take four political science courses (see list below) for 12 semester credits at the 500-level and one 600-level MPA course. The credits from these courses will count toward to MPA degree and allow the student to finish their bachelor degree with 12 fewer credits. The student’s advisor for the BA and MPA degree must agree to the 500-level courses and the student must submit the Undergraduate Permission to Enroll form to the School of Graduate Studies to request permission and overrides to enroll in graduate courses.
Students who seek this plan normally applies for the MPA program in their third year or junior year of undergraduate studies or no later than Fall Semester of their fourth or senior year. The MPA program will allow the student to enroll in MPA 610 Foundations in Public Administration and Public Service their senior undergraduate year. The credits earned from MPA 610 do not apply to the undergraduate degree.
Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA while enrolled in the undergraduate degree element of the program. Students must obtain a B or better in the courses used to count for the MPA program.
Political Science courses applicable for this program include:
POL 511 The Presidency
POL 512 Legislative Process
POL 513 Judicial Process
POL 563 American Political and Legal Thought
POL 565 Modern Ideologies
POL 566 Health Care Policies and Regulations
POL Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior
POL 570 Administering Public Policy
POL 581 Public Personnel Administration
POL 583 Managing Local Governments
POL 584 Public Budgeting
POL 588 Health Administration
POL 589 Public Management
POL 591 Constitutional Law
POL 592 The Courts and Civil Rights
Students may opt out early with a BA provided that all requirements for the BA are met. If the student does so, the 500-level courses taken will be converted to 400-level courses and applied to the BA degree. Students should know that once the 500-level graduate courses are converted to 400-level courses used to complete the undergraduate degree they may not be eligible to be applied to a graduate degree in the future.
Five-year students are eligible for graduate assistantship funding after completion of the BA degree.
Five-Year B.A. International Relations and M.P.A. Master of Public Administration
The Five-Year B.A./M.P.A. program is an accelerated, rigorous program option available to undergraduate international relations students who maintain a 3.00 GPA and who show the ability and discipline necessary to successfully complete an accelerated combination undergraduate and graduate program in international relations and public administration.