TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Program Objectives
Admission Requirements
Scholarships and Financial Assistance
Degree Requirements
Internship
Division of Graduate Education Requirements
Important Links

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Introduction

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree at Montana State provides an education that enhances the professional competence of mid-career persons and prepares pre-career students for entry level positions in the public, non-profit and private work sectors.

MSU's program in public administration provides a unique opportunity to pursue a course of study in a small group environment where students receive individual attention. Typical class size varies from 8-16 students.

The MPA curriculum offers professional education in the areas of research methodology, program evaluation and policy analysis, organizational management, public budgeting and finance, human resource management, administrative law, and local government administration with particular attention given to the normative and ethical aspects of public administration. The MPA degree from Montana State University assures a strong and broad knowledge base in administrative management and our graduates hold responsible positions in state, local, and federal government agencies as well as with nonprofit service providers. A number of MPA students have gone on for law and doctoral degrees, and over the years more than a dozen have been placed in the prestigious Presidential Management Internship program.

In addition to the MPA program, the Political Science Department houses the Local Government Center. The mission of the Local Government Center is to strengthen the capacities of Montana's local governmental units to deliver essential services efficiently and to produce training, technical assistance, and research to local officials. The Local Government Center provides a unique set of opportunities for those students who wish to pursue a public service career in local government. In addition to instruction, the Center provides research opportunities for MPA students.

Program Objectives

The curriculum is designed to provide a balance between conceptual knowledge of public administration and the acquisition of management and technical skills. The intended outcome of the MPA program is a skilled administrator who:

• demonstrates awareness and knowledge of the political context of work in the public service,

• understands and appreciates the theoretical foundations of public administration,

• displays practical knowledge of all facets of public sector work,

• exhibits technical competence, and

• conducts oneself ethically, recognizing the broad responsibility toward serving the public interest in contrast to a more narrowly defined self-interest.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the MPA program, prospective degree candidates must have completed a bachelor's degree at an accredited college or university with a 3.0 GPA (grade point average) during the last two years of their undergraduate education. A score of 500 on the Verbal Aptitude or a combined score of 1,000 on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is expected. The verbal score is the more important score here. Applicants will also submit three letters of recommendation. The Political Science Department makes a recommendation to the Division of Graduate Education (DGE) regarding admission. However, the final decision is made by the DGE. Applications may be obtained from either the Political Science Department (406-994-4141), the Division of Graduate Education office (406-994-4145), or online at www.montana.edu/wwwdg/news.shtml. Information and scheduling of the (GRE) may be obtained from MSU's Testing Service at 406-994-6984, or on-line at the above address.

Provisional admission may be granted to a student whose application shows reasonable potential for effective graduate work even though the student's record may be deficient in some area. A decision to recommend provisional admission to the Division of Graduate Education for an applicant may be based on prior work experience, success in another academic field, completion of supplemental course work, or other criteria pertinent to academic success. A provisionally admitted student will be informed of any special requirements to be met in order to be granted full graduate status. Upon meeting the specified requirements, recommendations of the Political Science Department, and with approval of the Dean of Graduate Education, a student on provisional status may be advanced to full graduate standing. Full graduate standing is usually considered only after completion of nine or more credits of satisfactory graduate work.

Non-degree Status

Students who desire to take courses of interest but who do not desire a graduate degree, or those who have not yet been accepted into the program by the Graduate School, may enroll with non-degree graduate status. Graduate credits earned while in non-degree status will not automatically be applied toward graduate degree requirements if the student later applies for and is admitted into the MPA program. Montana State University will allow no more than nine credits of nondegree course work. Furthermore, these credits may only be applied toward the degree if the student would have met all the criteria for admission into full graduate status at the time of entering as a non-degree student. Non-degree students are not admitted to the College of Graduate Studies but are under supervision of the Department of General Studies.

Full Graduate Status. Full graduate status is granted to students who have demonstrated a high quality of performance in prior academic preparation and have otherwise met university and departmental standards on the criteria listed above.

Transfer of Credits. Acceptance of up to nine credit hours of academic course work performed at other institutions is at the option of the College of Graduate Studies upon recommendation by the Political Science Department. All such credits must have been earned while in graduate status at an accredited college or university.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

A Presidential Graduate Scholarship is available to recruit outstanding graduate students. Recipients of this scholarship are nominated by the MPA Director and are awarded by the Graduate School. The standards used in the selection of scholarship recipients include demonstrated excellence as an undergraduate student (3.5+ GPA), high GRE scores, and highly supportive letters of recommendation. The award amount is usually $1000 for the full academic year or $500 if the student first enrolls during the Spring Semester. Due to the limited number of awards available, there is a strong tendency for "first-come, first-served." Thus, early application to the MPA program is very important.

The Political Science Department offers a limited number of teaching assistants which are usually reserved for second year students. Outstanding first year students, however, may receive a teaching assistantship as well. Teaching assistants receive a monthly stipend as well as a tuition and fee waiver. The Local Government Center periodically offers one research assistant position which carries a tuition waiver.

A limited number of competitively awarded Tuition waivers for students who are not teaching assistants or research assistants are also available.

Information about other forms of financial assistance may be obtained from: Financial Aid Services, Montana State University, Bozeman MT 59717, (406) 994-2845, or on-line at www.montana.edu/wwwdg/news.shtml.

Degree Requirements

The degree requirements given below are effective for students admitted to the program in the Spring Semester of 2006 or after.  Students who entered prior to Spring of 2006 may graduate under the requirements effective when they entered the program or can choose to adopt the Spring 2006 requirements.  Full time students should be able to graduate in two academic years.

The MPA degree requires completion of 36 credits.

Core Required Courses:

• PolS 551: Quantitative Research Methods 

• PolS 554: Foundations of Public Administration

• PolS 555: Human Resources Management 

• PolS 557: Public Budgeting and Finance 

• PolS 558: Organization Theory

• PolS 559: Program Evaluation/Policy Analysis

• PolS 562: Local Government Administration or Pols 500: Leadership and Government Administration

• PoLS 560: Ethics and Public Service

Electives:

Students will select three elective courses that support both their intellectual interests as well as their professional/career objectives. These three courses will be identified and selected in cooperation with either the MPA Director or the student’s Professional Paper Chairperson. Pre-career students (those entering the program with fewer than two years of professional work experience) will be required to complete a 3 credit hour, 300 work hour internship as one of the three elective courses. Elective courses may be taken outside the Political Science Department and may include one 400 level course.

Capstone and Professional Paper:

The Capstone course (PoLS 574) is taken during the student's last semester of course work.  The purpose of the Capstone is to allow MPA students an opportunity to effectively integrate underlying theories, concepts, themes, and patterns found throughout the program's course work into a final, Professional Paper.  This Professional Paper should constitute a significant scholarly and/or practical research project. A final presentation of the course and/or project will be given to Public Administration and Political Science faculty, student peers, and other interested parties. All MPA students in the program are expected to attend these final Capstone presentations.

Skills to be Acquired:

Upon graduation, MPA students are expected to have achieved the following:

1. Written communication and analytical skills: the ability to gather and analyze disparate sources of data, and communicate major findings, conclusions, and recommendations in a well organized and clearly written manner.

2. Critical thinking/problem solving skills: the ability to discover or interpret underlying patterns, use of logical reasoning, and integrating/explaining diverse points of view.

3. Oral Skills:  The ability to express ideas and convey information to others in an effective manner.

Comprehensive Exam

The purpose of the comprehensive exam is to verify the student's mastery of the general concepts derived from the course of study, the integration of those concepts across course topics and the ability to apply the material to real-world administrative problems. Comprehensive exams can be take at any point following the completion of all eight of the core courses.

Internship

The purpose of the internship is to provide the degree candidate with a meaningful learning experience within the context of American public administration. Each three-credit internship course must entail a total of 300 hours (20 hrs/wk over a 15 week semester) for the three credit requirement. Often, the internship is completed during the summer months between the student's first and second year in the degree program.

Most students serving an internship are placed in government agencies. However, nonprofit agencies, or public service oriented organizations are also permissible. The work experience should provide the candidate with a realistic exposure to the work environment of a public sector organization. Ideally this would include the organization's clientele and its broader political context, as well as the internal organization dynamics of the agency.

Division of Graduate Education (DGE) Requirements

It is crucial and imperative that all graduate school requirements and deadlines are met.  Failure to do so may delay a timely graduation.

Approved Program of Study

A Graduate Program of Study & Committee Form must be filed with the DGE by the end of the second semester of enrollment. The Program of Study delineates the student's time table for expected course work as well as the name of the student's advisor-mentor and the names of the examining committee. The Program of Study must be approved by the MPA Director and other participating faculty. Graduate Program Forms necessary for this process may be obtained from the Political Science Department, the DGE, or on-line at www.montana.edu/wwwdg/forms.shtml.

Application to Graduate

An Application for the Advanced Degree Form must be filed during the final semester of course work. If the candidate expects to graduate during either the Fall or Spring semester, this application must be filed by the 3rd Friday of the term. One copy of this form, to be signed by the candidate's mentor/advisor, may be obtained from the Political Science Department, the Graduate School or on-line at www.montana.edu/wwwdg/forms.shtml.

Time Limit

The Division of Graduate Education at MSU requires students to complete all requirements in six years from the time the first course is taken. If necessary, more than six years may be approved through petition to the Graduate Student Academic Appeals Board.  However, ordinarily if a student runs over the six year limit the graduate school requires a repeating of courses.  The number of repeat courses is dependent upon the amount of time over the six year limit.

Grades

Students must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA; no grade lower than a C will be accepted. Students may take one course pass/fail unless with the approval of the MPA Director and the Instructor.

Other: Each candidate for the MPA is responsible for making sure that all departmental and Graduate School requirements for the advanced degree have been completed and that all procedural deadlines are met.

Important Links

Professional and Scholarly Organizations

• American Society for Public Administration

• Public Administration Theory Network

• American Political Science Association

Division of Graduate Education Forms

• Graduate School Application Forms (see above link)

• Application for Advanced Degree (see above link)

• Delete/Add memo (see above link)

• Graduate Program Study and Committee Form (see above link)

• Graduate Committee Revision Form (see above link)

• Graduate Program Change (see above link)

For further information regarding the political science department and faculty see the political science web page at: www.montana.edu/polisci, or contact the MPA Director at: eaustin@montana.edu.
 

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Updated: 9/10/07