General Information

First of its kind in Kentucky when created in 1968, the Master of Public Administration program prepares qualified individuals, both entry-level and mid-career, for advanced professional positions in the administration of public and non-profit programs. The program also may be appropriate for individuals in the private sector who have responsibility for public sector contracts, regulatory compliance, or other liaison and oversight activities.

Special emphasis is placed on regional and local government. In addition to a general concentration, specialized programs of study are offered in community development, emergency management and disaster resilience, and nonprofit management.

The MPA program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).

Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission must meet both the general requirements of the Graduate School and the requirements of the MPA program. Applicants to the MPA program come from a variety of undergraduate degree programs, and admission decisions are based on an overall assessment of a student’s application.

Applicants who meet the criteria listed below may qualify for “Clear Admission” to the MPA program:

1. A complete application;
2. Meets the general requirements of both the Graduate School and MPA program;
3. Achieves a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale);
4. Resume or curriculum vitae (CV);
5. Two (2) letters of recommendation;
6. Statement of career goals and objectives;
7. Affirm their character and fitness for graduate education in public administration.

Applicants who do not meet the GPA requirement for admission must submit official GRE scores to be considered for Probationary Admission. Expected target scores on the GRE for Probationary Admission are 145 on both the verbal and quantitative sections of the exam. Students who cannot affirm their character and fitness must include a statement explaining their past actions to be reviewed by the program faculty.

Program Requirements

CIP Code: 44.0401

The MPA Degree program requires satisfactory completion of a minimum of 36 credit hours. All students take a common program core of 21 credit hours. The program core consists of courses in:

• Administration, Ethics, and Public Policy
• Research Methods
• Public Sector Leadership
• Organizational Theory
• Public Human Resources Management
• Public Finance Administration
• Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation

In addition to these program core courses, all students will enroll in and execute three semester hours of applied study. This requirement may be met through an internship, generally at a public or nonprofit organization, and the submission of a capstone paper; through an applied project resulting in the submission of a capstone project; or through an advanced and directed research project resulting in a thesis.

While observing the above requirements, students may choose to complete the general degree program or may choose from three concentrations within the program. Curriculum requirements for the general program and concentrations are as follows:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses
POL 800	Research Methods in Pol Sci	3
POL 801	Admin, Ethics, Public Policy	3
POL 874	Public Sector Leadership	3
POL 875	Organization Theory	3
POL 876	Public Human Resources Mngt	3
POL 877	Public Finance Administration	3
POL 879	Policy Analysis and Evaluation	3
Concentrations
Students must select one of the following Concentrations:
Community Development		12
Emergency Management & Disaster Resilience
Interdisciplinary Studies
Nonprofit Management
Exit Requirements
Choose from one of the following:		3
POL 870	Public Admin Internship
POL 871	Thesis in Public Administration
POL 873	Applied Project in Public Administration
Total Hours		36

Program Plan

During the first term, graduate students must meet with their advisor to develop a planned program. Students for whom program plans have not been appropriately filed will not be eligible for a second registration.

Concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Concentration Courses
POL 835	Sem Intergovernmental Relation	3
POL 845	Community Development	3
POL 846	Non-Profit Organizations	3
POL 847	Grant Writing	3
Total Hours		12

Exit Requirements

Applied Study

All students will satisfactorily complete 3 hours of POL 870 Public Admin Internship, POL 871 Thesis in Public Administration, or POL 873 Applied Project in Public Administration near or after the completion of all core MPA course requirements in a manner that synthesizes central elements of the student’s graduate program and aligns with the EKU Graduate Student Learning Outcomes and NASPAA accreditation standards for professional master’s degree programs in public policy, affairs, and administration.