Public Administration: Master of Public Administration Degree
Program Overview
Program Director:Dr. Marvin Hoffman; hoffmanmk@appstate.edu; 828-262-3075; Government & Justice Studies
The Master of Public Administration degree is a terminal professional degree, which means that graduates receive in-depth training in the problems facing public sector managers. Like an MBA, law or medical degree, a terminal professional degree is designed to give graduates the necessary skills, knowledge base and training needed to allow them to act with minimal supervision while achieving significant results in leadership roles. Courses dealing with personnel issues, budgeting and fiscal management, leadership and organizational climate, evaluating the effectiveness of public services, research techniques, and an in-depth study of the major ideas, problems and concepts in public administration form the common core of the curriculum required of all MPA students.
Program Highlights
- To finish the program, you will need to complete 42 credit hours and you can expect to do this within two years.
- Internship: you will complete at least one internship involving full-time service with an experienced mentor-manager in order to gain invaluable on-the-job experience.
- Most classes are offered in the evening to accommodate graduate students who are employed full-time in nearby communities.
Application Essentials
Concentrations: Administration of Justice; Emergency Management; Not-for-profit Management; Public Management; Town, City, and County Management
Location of instruction: On and off campus. Specific locations of off-campus cohorts can be obtained from the Office of Extension and Distance Education
Required Entrance Exam: GRE (score must be no more than 5 years old)
Required Number of References to specify in the on-line form: 3
Supplemental Information: Resume (Required upload for application submission)
Deadlines for Application. A program not open for a particular term will be marked with an "x." If the program has early screening dates, those dates are listed in parentheses. Applications that are not complete by the early screening date risk denial of admission due to no seats available. Increased enrollment may lead to a term being closed for new applications.
- Spring: 11/1
- Summer Session 1: 4/1
- Summer Session 2: 5/1
- Fall: 7/1
Basic Criteria for Consideration: (UGPA x 400) + GREV + GREQ = 2000