Five-Year B.A./MPA Track

The Five-Year B.A./MPA 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 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.

For information about the 5-year program, please contact Dr. Aspa Rigopoulou-Melcher.