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MPA Requirements

Curriculum

The Upper Iowa University MPA degree provides learners with the current theories, concepts and learning models necessary to assume leadership roles in a public sector or non-profit agency with an emphasis in General Studies, Government Administration, Health and Human Services, Justice and Homeland Security, Nonprofit Organization, or Public Personnel Management. Graduates will be positioned to make significant contributions to their organizations.

Program Objectives

The MPA degree is a flexible professional degree designed for those who wish to hold management and leadership positions in the government sector or in nonprofit agencies. The UIU MPA program strives to develop motivated, high performing, and professional administrators and leaders in the field of public administration. Our program objectives are consistent with those recommended by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration. The program is designed to promote and develop the following:

1. Communication: Convey complex and technical information in a clear, concise manner understandable by the laity.
2. Critical Thinking: Integrate analytical and critical thinking skills into the decision making process.
3. Interdisciplinary: Explain how the practice of public administration is affected by economic, political, and social forces in an increasingly diverse society.
4. Public Interest: Assess the importance and value of upholding the public trust through ethical decision making.
5. Public Policy: Understand the policy making process.
6. Research Methodology: Demonstrate a working knowledge of how the scientific method can be utilized in qualitative and quantitative research.
7. Theory: Utilize public administration theories and concepts to effectively address practical issues facing public administrators.

MPA Foundational Requirements

To be unconditionally admitted into the graduate program, learners must be able to demonstrate a basic level of knowledge and achievement in the areas of:

• Coursework in the fields of Political Science, Finance, Economics, Management, and Statistics or
• Documented practical experience in these fields or
• Successful completion of GRE/GMAT, CLEP/DSST/Excelsior College and/or ACT-PEP testing

Completion of Foundational Requirements

The foundational requirements set forth above must be met by all learners in the MPA program. Learners without knowledge and achievement in one or more of these areas will be required, before enrollment in graduate level classes, to formulate and implement a plan working with the graduate advisor to rectify this.

Learners must complete all foundational requirements before taking more than six semester credits of graduate level courses. Learners who have not completed required foundational courses will not be allowed to enroll in additional graduate level courses beyond six semester credits until the foundational requirements have been satisfied.

Requirements for a Master of Public Administration Degree

The Upper Iowa University Master of Public Administration degree requires 42 semester credits of graduate level course work with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for completion.

At Upper Iowa University, three semester credit courses are scheduled in six, eight week terms, each year. A full time course load is three semester credits per term. A learner must obtain permission to enroll in more than six semester credits by submitting a request in writing to the graduate advisor. Such permission will generally not be granted for more than two terms of a learner's degree program. A learner who has earned a grade of C or F in any Upper Iowa University graduate course or currently has a grade of I pending generally will not be granted such permission.

Degree Completion

To receive the Master of Public Administration degree, the learner must have successfully completed 42 semester credits of graduate work including a final report of research and presentation and a cumulative GPA of not less than 3.0 on a 4-point scale.

If program requirements change, the learner can elect to complete the revised curriculum or to complete under the original curriculum.

A learner will have five years after initial enrollment in the first of either a foundational or graduate level course to complete the graduate program under the requirements in effect at the time of enrollment. If the learner does not complete the graduate degree program within the five-year period, the requirements in effect at the time of the next enrollment will be used to determine the learner's graduation requirements. Upper Iowa University reserves the right to make changes in its academic regulations and requirements when, in its judgment, the best interests of the institution are served.

Master of Public Administration Degree Requirements

Learners completing the 24 credit core MPA requirements will have a broad overview of the discipline with an understanding of organizations, ethics, policy, and research methods. Our 18 credit emphasis areas provide more in-depth knowledge in the areas of health and human services, public personnel management, nonprofit organizations, justice and homeland security, and government administration.

Core Courses

General Study Emphasis Area

Government Administration Emphasis Area

Health and Human Services Emphasis Area

Emergency Management and Homeland Security Emphasis Area

Nonprofit Organization Emphasis Area

Public Personnel Management Emphasis Area

Internship

Learners may complete, as an elective, an internship (PA 594). This means obtaining a full time paid or unpaid position for a period of eight weeks (i.e., not less than 320 hours) in a public sector or a nonprofit agency. The internship typically involves the learner working on an administrative, policy, or management issue confronting a public or nonprofit organization. It must be distinct from the learner’s regular job duties if the internship is with the learner’s employer. An internship is an opportunity for the learner to relate her/his academic experience in the master's program to the issue that is the focus of the experience.

Internship positions are coordinated by the MPA Coordinator. Some internships are competitive in nature and are available on a regular basis with federal, state, county, and local governments. Others are posted from time to time as they are made known to the University. Still others become available on an ad hoc basis through the initiative of the learner. A learner's progress in an internship is monitored by the learner's immediate supervisor at the agency sponsoring the internship and by the instructor.

The learner prepares a report on the internship that documents the experience and its product, indicates the utility of the experience for the learner, and offers personal reflection on:

• Achievement of the student's learning objectives articulated at the beginning of the organizational experience.
• Opportunities for integration of curricular content in practice.
• Future career directions based on the experience and related learning.

The report incorporates documentation prepared for and submitted to the sponsoring organization regarding the issue studied, and is submitted to the instructor of record for PA 594 as the evidence of completion of the experience. The sponsoring organization will prepare a report on the work and effectiveness of the learner. These reports, along with the learner's work product, will be considered in assigning a grade to the Internship. The report is graded on a pass/fail basis.

The Internship (PA 594) is graded pass/fail for transcript purposes.

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