Online Resources
Program Requirements
Degree Audit
Degree Audit Reports (DARS) are the official course of study and include the listing of all courses that must be completed to obtain the MPA degree.
As soon as a student is admitted to the MPA Program, a proposed degree outline is prepared in consultation with the graduate advisor. The proposed degree outline is then submitted by the department to the dean of the Graduate College for approval. The DARS is to be used by the student to determine which courses to select for each semester's registration. Any course taken prior to the approval of the DARS is taken at the student's risk as the courses completed may not count toward the degree requirements.
Outline Changes
Any changes in the degree outline must be requested in writing on the official Degree Audit Change Form, and a justification of the requested change must be stated. Any DARS change request should be completed prior
to the student's registering for a course that is not included in the degree outline. Any courses taken without an approved degree outline change request is taken at the student's own risk and may not count toward the degree.
Course Work
Coursework consists of a core of required courses and career support areas.
Background Courses
POSI 5303 Political Research and Methodology can be waived if a student has taken an undergraduate statistics class within the last the last year and received an “A”.
Students without administrative experience will be required to take Posi 5370, Internship in Government, within the first 24 hours of the program. In order for the internship requirement to be waived, a letter from an employer or past employer briefly documenting the student's administrative experience needs to be sent to the director of the MPA Program.
Candidates to the MPA Program may take background courses prior to taking the GRE. Courses required as background work may not be substituted at a later date for courses required as part of the MPA degree audit report.
Prerequisite Courses
A number of the courses in the core requirements and the career support areas have prerequisite courses. POSI 5303 or undergraduate-level statistics must be completed as a prerequisite to enrollment in POSI 5343. POSI 5335 must be completed prior to enrollment in POSI 5397 and toward the end of the program.
Core Courses
The MPA core consists of 30 hours of public administration courses. Courses range across many different topical areas (law, public finance, intergovernmental relations, organization theory, public personnel administration, and research theory and methodology). For a comprehensive listing of courses, review the curriculum outlines contained in these guidelines and in the Graduate Catalog.
Career Support Areas
The Career Support Areas are designed to allow specialization in a particular area of interest. Students who elect one of the interdepartmental career support areas should check with the director of the MPA program and with the graduate advisor of the appropriate department regarding course offerings and availability. Not all courses in the curriculum are available in the evenings or in Austin.
Administration of Allied Health Services
Administration of Criminal Justice Systems
General Public Administration
Government Information Systems
Human Resources in Public Administration
International Relations
Legal and Judicial Administration
Public Finance Administration
Social Policy
Urban and Environmental Planning
Applied Research Project
MPA students are eligible to enroll in POSI 5397 (Applied Research Project) after the completion of 33-36 hours of the MPA degree program.
Click here for more Information about the Applied Research Project.
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