College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Public Affairs

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is an interdisciplinary, professional degree program that prepares students for administrative positions in the public and not-for-profit sectors. It is designed for students who have significant in-service experience as well as for students who have little or no prior work experience in public or not-for-profit organizations. Most of the MPA courses are offered in an internet-based format, enabling many students to complete their degree online.

Program Admission Requirements

Applicants for admission to the MPA program are expected to meet or exceed the following requirements:

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning;
2. Completion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) within the last five years;
3. One of the following:
   • (Combined score of GRE quantitative and verbal sections) + (GPA for the last 60 semester hours attempted at the upper division undergraduate level X 200) must equal or exceed 1600; or
   • (MAT percentile rank for intended major) + (GPA for the last 60 semester hours attempted at the upper division undergraduate level X 18) must equal or exceed 100;
4. Completion of 15 hours of undergraduate coursework in the social sciences or business, including 3 hours in quantitative skills;
5. International applicants for whom English is a second language are required to submit a score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Required application materials consist of the following:

1. A complete FGCU Graduate Application;
2. One official transcript from each baccalaureate and/or graduate institution attended;
3. One official copy of test scores from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) taken within the last five years;
4. A complete Division of Public Affairs Supplemental Application Form;
5. Three completed reference rating forms/letters of recommendation from persons qualified to judge the applicant's academic and professional potential;
6. An Immunization History Form;
7. A Letter of Application/Statement of Career Goals, no more than two pages in length, that briefly discusses any or all of the following: the influences that led you to the selection of FGCU's MPA Program, career goals, relevant work and/or academic experience, and volunteer activity in the community.

Program Requirements

1. Required Courses in the Major (27 hrs)
   
   
   • PAD 6060 Introduction to Public Administration (3)
   • PAD 6101 Organizational Theory & Behavior (3)
   • PAD 6207 Public Budgeting (3)
   • PAD 6327 Sem. in Program Planning & Eval. (3)
   • PAD 6365 Public Policy (3)
   • PAD 6417 Public Personnel Administration (3)
   • PAD 6701 Data Analysis in Public Service (3)
   • PAD 6708 Research Appl. in Public Admin. (3)
   • PAD 6961 Capstone Seminar (3)


2. Elective Course in the Major* (3 hrs)
   
   
   • PAD 5255 Community /Economic Development (3)
   • PAD 5041 Administrative Ethics (3)
   • PAD 5142 Mgmt. of Nonprofit Organizations (3)
   • PAD 5356 Environmental Policy & Ethics (3)
   • PAD 5620 Environmental Law (3)
   • PAD 5933 Proposal Writing & Grant Admin. (3)
   • PAD 6136 Public Mgmt in a Political Environment (3)
   • PAD 6205 Public Finance (3)
   • PAD 6434 Administrative Leadership (3)
   • PAD 6605 Administrative Law (3)
   • PAD 6812 State & Local Politics & Admin. (3)
   • PAD 6826 Intergovernmental Administration (3)
   • PAD 6836 Comparative Public Administration (3)
   • PAD 6908 Independent Study (1-6)
   • PAD 6934 Special Topics (3)
   • PAD 6940 Internship* (3)
   • URP 5201 Methods of Planning Analysis (3)
   • URP 5312 Growth Mgmt & Comp. Planning (3)
   • URP 5316 Land-Use Planning (3)
     
     

     *Students with less than one year of professional experience, as determined by the MPA Admissions Committee, must complete PAD 6940 Internship.

3. Concentration Requirements (12 hrs)
   Students are required to declare a concentration upon completion of 15 credit hours toward the MPA. If no concentration is declared, the General Public Administration Concentration is assigned.
   
   
   1. General Public Administration Concentration
      
      Select 12 hours from the following:
      • PAD 5041 Administrative Ethics (3)
      • PAD 5142 Mgmt. of Nonprofit Organizations (3)
      • PAD 5933 Proposal Writing & Grant Admin. (3)
      • PAD 6136 Public Mgmt in a Political Environment (3)
      • PAD 6434 Administrative Leadership (3)
      • PAD 6605 Administrative Law (3)
      • PAD 6812 State & Local Politics & Admin. (3)
      • PAD 6826 Intergovernmental Administration (3)
      • PAD 6836 Comparative Public Administration (3)
      • PAD 6335 Strategic Planning (3)
   
   
   2. Management Concentration
      
      Select one of the following courses:
      
      • PAD 6205 Public Finance (3)
      • PAD 6136 Public Mgmt in a Political Environment (3)
      • PAD 5142 Mgmt of Nonprofit Organizations (3)
      
      Select 9 additional hours from the following:
      
      • ISM 6021 Management Information Systems (3)
      • MAN 6266 The Challenge of Leadership (3)
      • MAN 6305 Human Resource Management (3)
      • MAN 6448 Conflict Management (3)
      • MAN 6607 Global Organization Issues (3)
      • MAR 6815 Marketing Management (3)
      • PAD 5142 Mgmt. of Nonprofit Organizations (3)
      • PAD 5933 Proposal Writing & Grant Admin. (3)
      • PAD 6136 Public Mgmt in a Political Environment (3)
      • PAD 6434 Administrative Leadership (3)
   
   
   3. Environmental Policy and Planning Concentration
      
      Required Courses:
      • PAD 5620 Environmental Law (3)
      
      Select 9 hours from the following:
      • EVS 6937 Environmental Policy (3)
      • PAD 5356 Environmental Policy & Ethics (3)
      • URP 5201 Methods of Planning Analysis (3)
      • PAD 5255 Community/Economic Development (3)
      • URP 5312 Growth Management and Comp. Planning (3)
      • URP 5316 Land-Use Planning (3)
      • URP 6421 Environmental Planning (3)
   
   Note: Courses outside of the Division of Public Affairs may be substituted in some areas, on a case-by-case basis, with approval of the student’s MPA faculty advisor.

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS REQUIRED: 42 HRS

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