|
Program
Director:
Dr. Chen
Office: Wiekamp Hall
2189
Telephone:
(574)
520-4520
Internet
Address:
lchen@iusb.edu
Request
Information Here
Program Descriptiion
The Department
of Political
Science
administers the
Master of Public
Affairs degree
and three
graduate level
certificates:
public
management,
health systems
management, and
non-profit
management, The
Master of Public
Affairs promotes
a course of
study that
exposes students
to the study of
public policy
and affairs that
integrates
professional
management
skills with the
analysis of
contemporary
political,
economic, and
social issues.
Understanding
the political,
economic, and
social context
in which public
sector and
non-profit
enterprises
operate are
emphasized in
the program's
curriculum as
well as a
commitment to
management
skills-building
and applications
to policy
making. The MPA
degree provides
a foundation for
equipping
managers to
excel in their
jobs and to
become leaders
in their
workplaces and
communities.
The Master of
Public Affairs
Program is
accredited by
the National
Association of
Schools of
Public Affairs
and
Administration (NASPAA)
Application
Requirements
Students are
admitted to the
MPA and its
certificate
programs by the
MPA Graduate
Admission
Committee.
Applicants to
the program can
come from a
variety of
educational
backgrounds,
including social
sciences,
education,
social work, and
humanities.
Applicants for
the program must
have a
bachelor's
degree from an
accredited
educational
institute with a
minimum
cumulative GPA
of 3.0.
Applicants who
have lower than
3.0 cumulative
GPA are required
to take the
Graduate Record
Exam (GRE) and
must score a 900
(combined verbal
and math).
Under certain
circumstances
(such as
relevant work
experience),
students may be
admitted on a
provisional
basis. This
provisional
status is
removed upon
fulfillment of
stipulated
conditions.
Generally,
applicants
admitted on a
provisional
basis must
enroll in
certain courses
and must obtain
a 3.0 GPA in all
preliminary
coursework
before they are
granted full
admittance to
the degree
program.
Application
Process
Applicants should submit an
application by completing the
Online Application
or obtaining a hardcopy application from the Department of
Political Science and sending to:
Office of
Graduate
Admission
Administration
Building Room
1700 W.
Mishawaka Ave.
P.O. Box 7111
South Bend, IN
46634-7111
Applications
must include:
1. Essay
describing
applicant's
interest and
goals in
pursuing the MPA
or certificate
( there is
room for a 700
word statement
at the end of
the online
application
)
2. Three (3)
letters of
recommendations
(can be
electronically filed at the end of the on-line application)
3.
Official
transcripts from
all
undergraduate
and graduate
programs
attended
4. GRE scores
(if applicable)
5. A
non-refundable
Application Fee
of $45 ($55 for
International
Students)
Application
Deadlines
The Graduate
Admission
Committee to the
MPA meets on a
regular basis
during the
academic year to
review
applications for
admission. The
following
deadlines should
be noted to be
considered for
full admission
to the program:
June 30th for
admission to the
Fall Semester;
October 31st for
admission to the
Spring Semester;
March 31st for
admission to the
Summer Semester.
Master of Public Affairs (M.P.A.)
The M.P.A. degree requires the completion of 39-48 credit hours. The course of study is divided into three distinct parts: pre-requisites (9 credit hours), the core curriculum (21 credit hours) and a selected concentration (12 credit hours). The remaining 6 credit hours are electives, usually chosen from among courses in the other concentrations.
Pre-Requisites (9 credit hours) All students must fulfill the following pre-requisites which can be done with undergraduate courses:
- One course in statistics
- One course in economics
- One course in political science or public affairs
Students are exempt from the above if they have completed these courses in the last five years and earned at least a grade of C. Students who completed the pre-requisites more than five years ago, and/or did not meet the minimum grade of C, will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine what pre-requisites are required.
Core Requirements; (21 credit hours) The M.P.A. core is designed to ensure that each student acquires both prerequisite analytical skills and an understanding of policy issues and governmental processes that compose the environment within which graduates will pursue their careers.
Required Courses (All courses are 3 credits unless otherwise indicated)
Pols Y501 Fundamentals of Public Management
Pols Y503 Statistics for Public Management
Pols Y509 International Public Affairs
Pols Y511 Public Economics OR Pols Y514 Political Economy of Health Care
Pols Y507 Public Law OR Y516 Legal Aspects of Health Care Delivery
Pols Y505 Public Human Resource Management
Pols Y615 Capstone in Public Affairs
Concentration Requirements; (12 credit hours) Concentrations give students educational experiences in a substantive area of interest. The course of study in each concentration is determined in conjunction with an advisor.
Electives; (six credit Hours) Additional courses from other concentrations to complete the 39 – 48 hours requirement.
Fields of Concentration
Government Administration & Policy Concentration ; (12 credit hours)
Required Courses
Pols Y513 Public Policy
Pols Y517 Civic Groups and Public Policy
Pols Y521 Comparative Public Management & Affairs
Pols Y625 Topics in Public Affairs
Non-Profit Administration & Policy Concentration; (12 credit hours)
Required Courses
Pols Y515 Non-profit Management
Pols Y517 Civic Groups and Public Policy
Pols Y519 Resource Development for Non-Profits
Pols Y635 Topics in Non-Profit Administration
Health Systems Administration and Policy Concentration; (12 credit hours)
Required Courses
Pols Y502 Health Care Delivery Policy Issues
Pols Y504 Management of Health Services Organizations
Pols Y506 Politics of Health Care Finance
Bus B502 Organizational Behavior I
Generalist Option: (12 credit hours)
Twelve credits of the student’s choice (and with advisor approval).
Certificate Programs
The Public Affairs graduate certificate is a 15 credit (five courses) program designed for individuals who want a short course in management, as in the following examples:
- Those in public and community or health care organizations or agencies who wish to supplement their primary fields of professional or technical expertise.
- People who are changing from professional or technical roles to managerial roles in their organizations.
- Career employees of public and community agencies or health care organizations who are interested in studying about public or health care management.
Admission Requirements and Application Procedures
To apply to a certificate program, applicants must meet the same eligibility requirements as applicants seeking admission to the MPA degree program. Applicants also must follow the same application procedures as those for the MPA program.
Certificate Program Requirements
(Courses are 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted.)
Public Management Certificate (15 credits)
Pols Y501 Fundamentals of Public Management
Pols Y505 Public Human Resource Management
Pols Y511 Public Economics
Pols Y513 Public Policy
Pols Y625 Topics in Public Affairs or an approved elective
Health Systems Management Certificate (15 credits)
Pols Y502 Health Care Delivery Policy Issues
Pols Y504 Management of Health Services Organizations
Pols Y506 Politics of Health Care Finance
Bus B502 Organizational Behavior I
Pols Y516 Legal Aspects of Health Care Delivery or an approved elective
Nonprofit Management Certificate (15 credits)
Pols Y505 Public Human Resource Management
Pols Y515 Non-profit Management
Pols Y517 Civic Groups and Public Policy
Pols Y518 Resource Development for Non-Profits
Pols Y635 Topics in Non-Profit Management or an approved elective
Transfer Credit Policy
Up to 6 credits of appropriate graduate course work may be transferred from other universities and applied toward the M.P.A. Approval of credit transfer is at the discretion of the Director of the MPA and the MPA Admissions Committee. Applicants seeking to apply transfer credits to the MPA should contact the Director of the MPA.
Mid-Career Option
Individuals applying to the MPA program may be eligible to receive up to six credits for relevant work experience in a professional setting. Experience in managerial or in program or policy development with either a public, quasi-public, or private agency can be petitioned for graduate credit towards the degree.
Individuals who believe that they may be eligible for mid-career credit may apply for this option at the time of application to the program. It is strongly recommended that individuals wishing to pursue this option contact Dr. Linda Chen, Director of the MPA program for advice and consultation.
Academic Regulations
To maintain good academic standing, students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in all work taken for graduate credit. Only courses with grades of C or above may be counted towards degree requirements, although all grades in graduate courses are computed in the G.P.A.
Failure to maintain good standing may result in dismissal from the program.
Other academic regulations and policies are established by the MPA Graduate Admissions Committee and the Dept. of Political Science . |
