Public Administration, MPA
Administrative Unit
The program is administered by the Office of Graduate Studies, the Department of Social Sciences, and the College of Arts and Science.
Educational Objectives
The Master of Public Administration is designed to provide both advanced theoretical perspectives and practical training for governmental, not-for-profit, and community development leaders, with special emphasis on theories and practices of public leadership. To accomplish this goal, the degree aims at two general audiences: traditional students with bachelor's degrees looking for training to enter the public service and students already in a governmental or public organization seeking to further enhance their skills.
The objectives of this program are:
- To build a theoretical foundation and practical skills in leadership for public, community, and not-for-profit organizations.
- To develop an awareness of ethical issues in public service.
- To develop a comprehensive knowledge of the historical, social, political, and economic contexts within which public leaders work.
- To develop leadership and administrative skills in public policy making, budgeting, and personnel.
Admission Requirements
- Minimum standards for acceptance into the degree of Master of Public Administration with Leadership Emphasis are established by the Graduate Council and the Office of Graduate Studies and Research of The University of Texas Permian Basin.
- In addition, the Program Coordinator and Program Committee will assess additional materials (see below) submitted in support of the student's acceptance into the program for a final admittance decision.
Regular Admission
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
- GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours Or total cumulative GPA (undergraduate work)
- Two or more years of full-time professional experience in public, nonprofit, or for-profit organizations.
- Two letters of recommendation. These letters should be from persons who have knowledge of the applicant's academic potential.
Conditional Admission
- Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.
- GPA below 3.0 - 2.5 in the last 60 credit hours (undergraduate work)
- Minimum GRE Scores of 280 (verbal and quantitative combined) or at least one of the following:
- Completion of Graduate Courses
- Current or previous professional service in governmental, public service, non-profit, or for-profit organizations.
- The final decision regarding admission will be made by the Public Administration Leadership Coordinator
- Two letters of recommendation
Degree Requirements
- The Master of Public Administration degree consists of a minimum of 36 semester credit hours.
- This degree requires a "common core" of seven courses
- The GRE may be waived as noted in the set of criteria admission based on the applicant's background
Required Courses
Candidates for the Master of Public Administration degree must complete 36 credits of graduate work.
One of the three below research methods or statistics courses
| EDUC 6305 | Research Design in Education and the Social Sciences | 3 |
| Or | |
| MATH 6301 | Statistics | 3 |
| Or | |
| PSYC 6302 | Research Methodology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
Public Administration Elective Courses
Other courses may be used if approved by the MPAL Coordinator; also, some transfer credit may be provided subject to necessary approvals.