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School of Urban and Public Affairs
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Master of Public AdministrationMPA ProgramThe School of Urban and Public Affairs offers a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree in cooperation with the Department of Political Science. The Program, fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), focuses on general administration, public and non-profit management, planning, policy analysis, applied research, government and organizational theory. It is multidisciplinary and aimed at providing recent college graduates, public sector practitioners, and persons in related fields, with theoretical knowledge and practical skills that prepare them for non-profit sector and public service careers, or complement their past professional experiences. Classes are held in the late afternoons, evenings, and on weekends to meet the scheduling requirements of persons holding full-time jobs. The MPA offers three areas of specialization; each provides an opportunity to develop a focus through formal studies and professional career development. The Public Policy and Administration specialization emphasizes program review, analysis and evaluation, within a traditional public administration framework. The Human Resources Management specialization emphasizes the resolution of labor and management disputes. The Non-Profit Management specialization focuses on financial management, strategic planning, and grantsmanship for non-profit organizations. The Program requires a minimum of 42 credits for completion: a core curriculum of 27 credits, including 6 credits of practicum or internship or 6 credits of thesis, and 15 credits from one of the areas of specialization. The core curriculum encompasses studies in public administration, budgeting, statistics and organization and management. Students are permitted to simultaneously pursue core and elective courses. Joint MPA/MUP and MPA/MA (Curatorial Studies) programs are available. AdmissionApplicants must have a bachelor's degree (any major is acceptable), and provide a completed application form, a transcript of all undergraduate course work, scores for the Graduate Record Examination, a statement of purpose, and two letters of recommendation. Admission is competitive and generally requires a minimum combined quantitative and verbal GRE score of 1000 and a GPA of 3.00. Those applicants whose native language is not English and who do not hold a degree from a university where the language of instruction is English, must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of at least 210 on the computer-based test. Financial AidThe School of Urban and Public Affairs administers a number of Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) which are awarded competitively and are intended to support full-time study. Students in the MPA Program may receive a maximum of two years of support. The GRAs provide a stipend of at least $1,250 a month for 20 hours of work per week over a ten-month period. They also provide for remission of tuition and health insurance. Early application is encouraged. MPA Core CoursesThe core consists of eight required courses, or 27 credits. Core courses may be waived by the Program Director based on previous study. Elective course work includes 15 credits in an area of specialization. Six credits of the core consist of a practicum/ internship or a thesis. The practicum/internship involves a minimum of 400 hours of practical experience over a period of not less than one semester. PADM 500 Economics for Public Affairs
(3) Elective CoursesPublic Policy and Administration Specialization PADM 605 Strategic Management and Planning (3 credits) Human Resources Management PADM 605 Strategic Management and Planning (3 credits) Non-Profit Management Specialization PADM 605 Strategic Management and Planning (3 credits) MPA FacultyLeonard Bright, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Urban and Public Affairs. Public policy and analysis, organizational theory and behavior, non-profit management, and workplace diversity. Dewey M. Clayton, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science. Public administration, state and local government, legislative politics and reapportionment. Carrie G. Donald, J.D., Associate Professor of Urban and Public Affairs and Director, Labor Management Center. Labor law, health care, labor relations, workplace issues of women and minorities. Jasmine L. Farrier, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science. American government, organizational theory, public budgeting, Congress John I. Gilderbloom, Ph.D., Professor of Urban and Public Affairs. Research methods, housing, community development, planning, and design. Frank Goetzke, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Urban and Public Affairs. Urban economics, spatial analysis and transportation policy. Steven G. Koven, Ph.D., Professor of Urban and Public Affairs and Director Master of Public Administration Program. Organizational administration, research methods, public budgeting. Wyatt McDowell, J.D., Associate Professor of Accountancy. Nonprofit organizations, accountancy, administrative law. H. V. Savitch, Ph.D., Brown and Williamson Distinguished Research Professor of Urban and Public Affairs. Public management and planning, urban government, comparative urban systems. David M. Simpson, Ph.D., AICP, Fifth Third Bank Professor of Community Development, Associate Professor of Urban and Public Affairs and Director, Center for Hazards Research and Policy Development. Planning, environmental policy, disaster preparedness. Ronald K. Vogel, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science and Urban and Public Affairs and Director, Ph.D. Program in Urban and Public Affairs. Urban administration, regional politics and development. Sherri L. Wallace, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science. American government, minority economic development, empowerment zones. Contact DetailsSteven G. Koven, Ph.D., Program Director Master of Public Administration Program Phone: (502) 852-7906 Additional InformationMPA Student Guide
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