Master of Public Administration, MPA

The program provides exciting opportunities for students to prepare for employment or advance their careers in public and nonprofit organizations.

Please note: Public Administration (MPA) may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online. Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.

International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format. For a detailed listing of enrollment requirements for international students, please visit http://global.ucf.edu/. If you have questions, please consult UCF Global at 407-823-2337.

UCF is not authorized to provide online courses or instruction to students in some states. Refer to State Restrictions for current information.

Program Tracks

• Public Administration MPA, Criminal Justice MS Dual Degree Track
• Public Administration MPA, Nonprofit Management MNM Dual Degree Track

Curriculum

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program consists of 42 credit hours. Each student completes a core of nine courses (27 credit hours), an advanced curriculum of four electives (12 credit hours), and a capstone experience equivalent to one course (3 credit hours).

The Master of Public Administration is offered both in a campus-based classroom setting (face-to-face) and also completely online. The curriculum requirements below apply to both the campus-based and online options. Students must choose either the online option or the face-to-face option when they apply for admissions. Students in the campus-based program may enroll in a combination of online, mixed-mode and face-to-face classes. However, students in the online option may only enroll in online courses due to the difference in fees. For information on completing MPA exclusively online with a reduction in campus-based fees, please visit http://ucf.edu/online.

The face-to-face courses are offered in the evenings during the week at UCF Downtown campus. The MPA program incorporates group projects into every course in both the online and campus-based options. Group projects are intended to develop leadership abilities while also providing an opportunity to demonstrate how students work as part of a team. Group projects promote important intellectual and social skills and help to prepare students for work in a world in which teamwork and collaboration are increasingly the norms.

Courses and credit hours used for undergraduate degrees cannot be applied toward the MPA degree, except for Senior Scholar students. Students approved as undergraduates at UCF to participate in the Senior Scholar program may, with the permission of the MPA program director, use up to 9 credit hours of graduate coursework taken as part of the bachelor’s degree toward the MPA degree. However, no undergraduate-level courses will be accepted in the MPA program.

Total Credit Hours Required: 42 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor’s Degree

Required Courses: 30 Credit Hours

Core: 27 Credit Hours

• PAD 6035 - Public Administration in the Policy Process 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6037 - Public Organization Management 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6053 - Public Administrators in the Governance Process 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6700 - Research Methods in Public Administration 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6701 - Analytical Techniques for Public Administration 3 Credit Hours
• Prerequisite: PAD 6700
• PAD 6227 - Public Budgeting 3 Credit Hours
• Prerequisite PAD 6700
• PAD 6207 - Public Financial Management 3 Credit Hours
• Prerequisite PAD 6700 & PAD 6227
• PAD 6417 - Human Resource Management 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6335 - Strategic Planning and Management 3 Credit Hours

Capstone: 3 Credit Hours

Students will engage in a capstone experience that builds upon the knowledge and skills gained from completing the core courses in the MPA program. Students will complete this requirement through enrollment in PAD 6062 - Advanced Concepts and Applications in Public Administration. PAD 6062 is offered in fall and spring semesters only and may be taken following the completion of all core courses.

• PAD 6062 - Advanced Concepts and Applications in Public Administration 3 Credit Hours

Electives: 12 Credit Hours

Elective courses offered within the School of Public Administration provide an emphasis on state and local government; however, other emphases may be developed in consultation with the Program Director and Academic Adviser. With prior approval from the MPA Program Director, up to 6 credit hours of elective course work may be taken from outside the school. Students must show that elective courses taken outside of the school directly support a career in public administration. The MPA program of study does not accept undergraduate-level courses.

Students interested in a professional management career may take elective courses from the School of Public Administration’s graduate certificate programs in Nonprofit Management, Urban and Regional Planning, and Emergency Management to enhance their managerial skills. Any course offered by the school of Public Administration, a PAD prefix course, may be used as an elective for this program. Students interested in a research career can work with the Program Director and Academic Adviser to take advanced research courses to strengthen their analytical skills.

Students without practical administrative experience in the public sector are strongly advised to complete an internship (3 credit hours) as part of their electives.

The courses listed below and other PAD courses in the catalog may be used as program electives.

• PAD 6826 - Urban Policy and Regional Governance 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 5186 - Policy Advocacy for Social Justice 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 5887 - Energy Policy 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 5930 - Global Cities 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6439 - Leadership in Public Service 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6836 - Comparative Global Public Administration 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6934 - Special Issues in Public Administration 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6934 deals with a different topic, a prevailing public administration issue, each time it is offered. Please check the title when registering.
• PAD 6946 - Internship 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6825 - Cross-Sectoral Governance 3 Credit Hours
• PAD 6705 - Public Sector Communications 3 Credit Hours

Additional Program Requirements

Students must achieve a grade of “B-” (80%) or higher in every course listed under core requirements and in the Capstone Experience (PAD 6062).

Students must maintain a program of study and graduate status GPA of 3.0 or higher and can only graduate with a graduate status GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Students are expected to be computer literate and have computer internet access upon entry to the program.

Independent Learning

Independent learning is demonstrated throughout the curriculum through the process of inquiry, dialogue and service learning. Tangible projects, such as scholarly research, papers, internships and the capstone experience also contribute to the self-development of MPA students. The research paper and Learning and Professional Development Portfolio in the Capstone Experience focus on reviewing and analyzing contemporary issues in the context of real world applications.

Application Requirements

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.

The MPA program is offered as either a campus-based classroom (face-to-face) program or a completely online program. Applicants must select one option at the time of admission. Admission requirements and the admission process is the same regardless of which option the applicant chooses.

Admission is open to those with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) or in the last 60 hours. Students must submit all required materials by the established deadline. Materials received after the established deadline may not be considered. Admission to this graduate program is competitive; applicants meeting the minimum application requirements are not guaranteed admission to the program.

In addition to meeting general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:

• An official transcript meeting the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), in a sealed envelope, from each college/university attended.
• Three letters of recommendation specifically for the MPA program evaluating scholarly and professional capacity. Letters from professors from the colleges/universities attended are preferred, but if that is not feasible, letters from current or past supervisors will be accepted. The recommender must address the applicant’s work ethic and ability to succeed at graduate-level academic work.
• Current professional résumé including public service experience (paid or voluntary).
• Goal Statement: The goal statement is a key component of the admission review process and serves as an example of the applicant’s ability to express himself or herself in writing. The goal statement must be no longer than two pages double-spaced (500-800 words) and should address the following:
  • Personal background and career aspirations in public service.
  • Reason for pursuing graduate study in public administration, including future career goals and plans.
  • Specific areas of public administration that interests you.
• Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.
• All international students must meet university minimum TOEFL score requirements regardless of the language in which the undergraduate program was completed.

A limited number of student who does not meet the GPA requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis. These students must demonstrate Public Administration experience and provide a clear statement of educational goals.

Application Deadlines

Financials

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Fellowships

Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.