COURSE OF STUDY |
The Master of Public Administration degree requires the student to successfully complete a minimum of 36 credit hours. MPA students are classified as in-service or pre-service based on experience in the public or nonprofit sector. Pre-service students are usually recent graduates who lack sufficient managerial or administrative experience. In-service students are currently employed and usually have several years of work experience in the public or non-profit sectors in a job requiring a minimum of a bachelor's degree for entry. In-service students may petition for exemption from the internship requirement, but must complete the major paper. Designation as pre-service or in-service will be made by faculty at the time the student applies for the internship course.
The program is flexible enough to accommodate full-time (9-12 hours per semester) or part-time students (3-6 hours per semester). Accordingly, the length of time required to complete the program will vary. All students must successfully complete the core curriculum of 21 semester hours, 9-12 hours of electives, and 3-6 hours of internship, depending upon classification as in-service or pre-service. In selecting the electives, students may choose courses from the following concentrations, Health Services Administration, Human Resources; Nonprofit Administration, Public Policy, or General Administration. The Health Services Administration Track is offered in collaboration with Armstrong Atlantic State University . Students who wish to take any of the elective units outside of the MPA Program must have those electives approved by their advisor. The student pursuing the Generalist track may design a concentration, in consultation with their academic advisor. |
PREREQUISTES |
Undergraduate course in statistics
Undergraduate or graduate course in American National Government
Undergraduate Computer Applications |
3 hrs
3 hrs
3 hrs |
TOTAL |
9 hrs |
| |
MAJOR COURSE OF STUDY |
| PADM 6830 |
History, Scope, and Practice of Public Administration |
3 |
| PADM 6832 |
Organizational Theory and Behavior |
3 |
| PADM 6833 |
Management of Human Resources in the Public Sector |
3 |
| PADM 6834 |
Public Budgeting and Finance |
3 |
| PADM 6839 |
Statistical Applications for Public Administrators |
3 |
| PADM 6840 |
Research Methods for Public Administrators |
3 |
| Choose one of the following courses: |
PADM 6836
or
PADM 6837
|
State and Local Government Administration
or
Intergovernmental Relations |
3
3 |
Public Service Internship |
PADM 6853
PADM 6854 |
Pre-Service Public Service Internship
Major Paper |
3 hrs
2 hrs
|
Other Requirements |
PADM 6875 |
Comprehensive Review Seminar |
| |
Oral Comprehensive Exam |
|
| |
|
|
CONCENTRATION: |
| Human Resources Development Concentration |
PADM 6846
PADM 6858
PADM 6863
PADM 6870
PADM 6871
PADM 6872 |
Administrative Law
Seminar in Cultural Diversity
Collective Bargaining in the Public Sector
Rights & Basic Needs of Public Sector Employees
Organization Behavior
Human Resources Training & Development |
3 hrs
3 hrs
3 hrs
3 hrs
3 hrs
3 hrs |
|
PADM 6838
PADM 6844
PADM 6845
PADM 6851
PADM 6861
PADM 6862
PADM 6864
PADM 6865 |
Introduction to Public Policy
Seminar in Public Policy Analysis
Urban Policy & Administration
Social Welfare Policy, Planning, & Administration
Public Program Evaluation
Public Policy Implementation
Public Policy Formation
Special Topics in Public Policy |
Health Services Adminstration
|
HSCA 7620
HSCA 7665
HSCA 8630
HSCA 8615
HSCA 8700 |
Health Care Adminstration
Health Care Strategic Marketing & Planning
Health Care Financial Management
Legal & Ethical Environemtn of Health Care
Public Health Planning & Evaluation |
| |
INTERNSHIP |
The internship requirement is common among universities and colleges granting degrees in public administration and related fields that require the student to have practical field experience. The public service internship is an integral part of the student's professional education because it provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge and skills acquired in the course work phase of the program. Pre-service students may be assigned to the professional positions in the public or non-profit sectors, and their job performance is evaluated periodically by their agency supervisor, in consultation with the internship coordinator. At Savannah State University , in-service students are exempted from the 300-hour internship. An in-service student is a student who, at the time of the internship assignment, is holding a job that requires at least a bachelor's degree for entry, and who has held that job for at least one year. Students must have completed the core requirements and have a grade point average of 3.0 in the MPA program before enrolling for credit in the internship. Students in the Fast Track program will complete two internship experiences, one in the semester following receipt of the bachelor's degree (minimum of 120 hours) and the second after completing the core courses. |
THESIS PAPER |
Although students in this program are not required to submit a traditional master's degree thesis, all students must submit and defend a comprehensive paper written as part of the internship requirements. Major papers are written in conformance to paper requirements established by the MPA faculty and evaluated by the instructor of the PADM 6854 course and members of the student's examining committee. The purpose of the paper is to allow the student to demonstrate mastery of the ability to integrate theory and practice into organizational analysis or problem-solving. The paper will be typed using the style sheet of the American Psychological Association (APA). Upon approval of the first draft, the student may qualify to defend the paper at the comprehensive examination. The final copy of the paper, with recommended changes, must be submitted to the members of the examining committee at least one week before final grades are due for graduating students. The first draft must be approved by November 1 of the year the student plans to graduate. |
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FAST TRACK OPTION |
Juniors or Seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 may apply for admission to the Fast Track program. Applicants to the Fast Track program must submit the standard application on or before May 1. Completed applications will be reviewed, and a formal decision on admission rendered by the Admissions Committee by May 15. Fast Track students may enroll in and receive graduate credit for up to three MPA courses (PADM 6830, 6832, and 6840). Six of these credits may also count towards the undergraduate degree. A student must earn a grade of "B" or better in each MPA course to be allowed to continue in the Fast Track program. All Fast Track students must complete a Fast Track Internship Experience the semester following receipt of the bachelor's degree. In the student's fifth year, the student must earn 24 MPA course credits. |
GRADUATE STUDENT ADVISEMENT |
The Department Chair or the Coordinator of the MPA program advises all incoming students during their first semester of enrollment. Each student is then assigned to a faculty advisor for the remainder of their academic career. The advisor will help the student plan a program of study consistent with the student's field and goals and will approve all course selections prior to registration. Students are free to discuss courses and career options with any member of the faculty, but their advisement forms should be signed by the designated faculty member. Students may request a change in advisors by contacting the chair in writing. If the request is granted, the student and the advisors will be notified in writing. In the spirit of continuous quality improvement, students evaluate advisement annually. Their observations are used to improve the advisement process. |
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STUDENT OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT |
The Master of Public Administration Program is committed to offering a high quality educational experience. Students and faculty are expected to participate in a variety of methods used to assess learning outcomes. |
EXIT EXAMINATION |
A terminal oral comprehensive examination is required of all candidates for the degree of Master of Public Administration. The oral examination includes a defense of the major paper. The program director Department chair or designee will name the members of the committee, set the date, time, and place of the examination, and notify all parties in writing. Students must complete all core courses and the internship (major) paper before scheduling the oral examination. The examiners will be three full-time MPA faculty members. |
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