Public Administration (MPA)

Program Overview

The mission of the MPA Program to educate and prepare the next generation of diverse graduate students and undergraduate students with professional skills to compete technically and professionally in the field of public service. The program is designed to enhance the career goals of professionals in government, special interests, and lobbying groups, nonprofit and professional organizations.

The Bowie State University's MPA Program is NASPAA Accredited. NASPAA is the global standard in public service education. It is the membership organization of graduate education programs in public policy, public affairs, public administration, and public & nonprofit management. Its nearly 300 members - located across the U.S. and in 14 countries around the globe. For more information about the accreditation, visit NASPAA and Program Data Information webpage.

The Certificate in Public Administrations a 18-credit program that can also be pursued under the MPA program. It will provide professional development for officials from a broad cross-section of specialties across the public sector.

The MPA degree program is consistent with Bowie State University's goal of developing new programs. It also addresses a number of the statewide educational goals articulated in "Educating for the 21st Century: The Maryland Plan for Post-secondary Education."

The MPA degree is an evening school program. The explosion of technology is creating a rapidly changing workforce. As a result, many professionals will experience several career changes in their adult lives. Evidence indicates that we can anticipate a larger number of adult students seeking advanced degrees and various certifications in evening school programs in institutions of higher learning.

Even though the MPA degree program targets adult professionals, it is open to all individuals who meet the academic requirements for admittance.

View the MPA Student Handbook online (PDF).

Program Objectives

• To develop professionals who will perform effectively as administrators, analysts, general managers, and leaders in public sector and public-oriented organizations.
• To develop the skill level and knowledge base of students in the theory and application of new technologies now in use in order to access, analyze, and utilize information that is pertinent to the field of public administration.
• To develop and strengthen students' research and analytical skills, enabling them to perform problem-solving activities across a broad spectrum of professional disciplines.
• To develop students' capacity to information literate in order to conceptualize and interpret the social, economic and political environment in which public administration takes place.

Typically, students who qualify for the MPA degree program are those individuals who have the traditional bachelor's degree in the social sciences and allied fields such as political science, sociology, economics, engineering, nursing, etc. The Certificate in Public Management has the same requirements as the MPA program. These programs target diverse populations which include, but are not limited to, the disabled, women, and minorities.

The course of study for the Master of Public Administration degree requires 36 credit hours. The core curriculum includes 18 semester hours and 18 semester hours in a selected area of concentration. Initially, students would be able to choose a general concentration in public administration or concentrations in public policy and management (PPM) and human resource management (HRM).

Departmental Requirements

Core Courses (18 credit hours)

PUAD 601 -> Concepts of Public Administration

PUAD 502 -> Qualitative Research

MGMT 511 -> Organizational Behavior

PUAD 524 -> Public Budgeting

MGMT 571 -> Human Resource Management

MGMT 584 -> Management Statistics

General Concentration (18 credit hours)

PUAD 530 -> Public Policy Analysis

ECON 522 -> Public Finance

PUAD 604 -> Evaluation Research (Pre-req. PUAD 502)

PUAD 610 -> Intergovernmental Relations Seminar

MGMT 741 -> Organizational Development

One Elective

Concentration Courses

Public Policy and Management (18 credit hours)

ECON 522 -> Public Finance

PUAD 530 -> Public Policy Analysis

PUAD 604 -> Evaluation Research

PUAD 605 -> Manager in Technological Society

PUAD 610 -> Intergovernmental Relations Seminar

One Elective

Human Resource Concentration (18 credit hours)

MGMT 501 -> Managing Public & Private Organizations

PUAD 530 -> Public Policy Analysis

MGMT 577 -> Labor Management Relations

MGMT 741 -> Organizational Development

MGMT 672 -> Human Resource Management Seminar

One Elective

Certificate in Public Administration

The Department of Management, Marketing and Public Administration also offers an 18-credit Certificate in Public Administration. The certificate program is well suited to those individuals who already hold graduate degrees in non related fields, but serve as program executives/managers in a publicly funded or nonprofit organization.

All other applicants who are eligible for the Certificate in Public Administration shall have been employed as a program executive/program manager of a publicly funded or nonprofit program for no less than five years.

Applicants should have managed human and financial resources with responsibility for supervising and/or directing five or more employees.

All other applicants who may be considered for admission are as follows:

• Bachelor’s degree in both related and non related field and show demonstrated professional work experience in a publicly funded or nonprofit organization as a program manager/executive with responsibility for human and financial resources;

• Applicants will also be considered for the Certificate in Public Administration who may not have completed a bachelor’s degree, but who may have extensive professional work experience as a program executive/ program manager in a publicly funded or nonprofit organization with responsibility for managing human and financial resources. This category of applicant will also show participation in community work as well. Applicants who fall under this category will receive consideration for admission on a case-by-case basis.

Students must have an approved program of study that is prepared by the graduate advisor. The student must complete a Request for a Certificate application upon completion of the requirements for a Certificate in Public Administration. An application may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. The completed application must be returned to the Office of the Registrar.

Based upon advice from the advisor, Certificate in Public Administration students may select five courses from the following, as shown below:

Certificate in Public Administration (18 credit hours)

PUAD 605 -> Managers in a Technological Society

MGMT 511 -> Organizational Behavior

MGMT 571 -> Human Resource Management OR

MGMT 741 -> Organizational Development

MGMT 584 -> Management Statistics

One Elective Course

Admissions

At the time of formal admittance to the Master of Public Administration degree program or the Certificate in Public Administration, the Program Coordinator assigns an Advisor for each student—within their respective areas of concentration. Advisors are available to assist students in the development of their programs of study and to answer questions regarding areas of concentration and course offerings. As previously mentioned, students are encouraged to review their academic progress reports online every semester, and they should have a current copy when requesting advisement. Students are encouraged to use the Bowie State University website in order to review semester course offerings, semester start dates, and online registration procedures.

To the extent possible, students are encouraged to register early so as to assure a place in class. Questions concerning graduate records and admissions should be directed to the Graduate Registrar’s Office.

CONTACT: Angela Isaac, 301-860-3447, aisaac@bowiestate.edu. Routine registration matters should be directed to bharrington@bowiestate.edu.

MPA Admission Requirements

The pedagogy undergirding the MPA degree is directed toward preparing students for leadership roles in management positions in the public and nonprofit sectors. The program is designed to enhance the career goals of entry to middle level professionals. Thus, the overarching goal of the program is to develop skills in critical thinking, social research, public policy and other types of analyses, human resources and organizational management in public and nonprofit agencies. Students also develop skills in both formative and summative evaluation research.

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or better (on a 4.0 point scale). Applicants with a cumulative grade point average between 2.5 and 2.74 may be granted conditional admission if approved by the MPA coordinator after consultation with MPA faculty. Conditional admission will be removed with the attainment of a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better after the completion of the required perquisites and the first nine graduate credit hours. If the student fails to accomplish same, he or she will not be allowed to continue in the MPA degree program.

The minimum MPA Program prerequisites for students entering the program shall include undergraduate course work in the following:

1. Principles of Micro and Macro Economics or ECON 598 (combined course work in Micro/Macro Economics).
2. College Statistics.
3. College Algebra.

If you have any of these courses as prereqs you will be assigned the courses as part of your requirement and you must complete these courses before you can take your core MPA Courses that require those courses as prerequisites. You must pass these three courses and received a grade of "C" or above.

Applicants also will be admitted conditionally if they have not met all of the prerequisite requirements for admission to the program. In some instances, additional prerequisites may be required whose undergraduate majors have not adequately prepared them for the rigors of the coursework in the MPA. Additional undergraduate courses may be assigned.

There will be no waiver of the prerequisite course requirements. A student cannot take any graduate courses in the MPA program until they have completed the required prerequisites with a grade of C or higher. No one will be allowed to take the MPA Comprehensive Examination or graduate until all prerequisites have been completed.

Applicants who have admissions material outstanding may be granted provisional admission if it is determined that he/she meets the admissions requirements for the graduate degree program. This determination will be made by the degree program or its designee. Full admission will be granted upon receipt of missing or incomplete admissions material by the Office of Graduate Admissions. If the provisionally admitted student does not have missing or incomplete admissions material submitted by the last day of classes of the semester in which provisional admission was made, the students will not be allowed to continue in the graduate degree program.

You are directed to the Graduate School for answers to any questions you may have concerning residency requirements for tuition waivers, Room 1312 CBGS.

Application for Admission

Persons seeking to take graduate MPA classes on a degree basis must complete a graduate application, pay the application fee, and have official transcripts from all colleges or universities, he or she has attended, sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions at Bowie State University. Continuing students, who have not been enrolled at Bowie State for more than one year but less than seven years, are required to complete a Readmission Application. Priority dates have been established for the submission of applications for each entering term. These dates insure the timely processing of graduate applications. Applications submitted after this date will not receive the same guarantee of timely processing and in the case of some programs, acceptance will not be made due to enrollment capacities.

The priority date for the admission application packets for Graduate School should be completed by the following dates:

• Fall semester - April 1 deadline
• Spring semester - November 1 deadline
• Summer semester - April 1 deadline

Admission requirements may vary by graduate program. Review the specific admission requirements relevant to the MPA degree program. Send the application and all required materials to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Center for Business & Graduate
Suite 1312
Bowie State University
14000 Jericho Park Road Bowie,
Maryland 20715-9465

Transfer Credits

We accept up to 6 Transfer Graduate credits from other institutions are transferable under the following conditions:

1. Courses accepted for transfer must have been earned at a college or university that is accredited by a regional accrediting body authorized by the U.S. Department of Education.
2. Courses for transfer have to be designated as graduate level courses by the institution at which it was taken. Courses offered as a workshop or as continuing education at other institutions and are not designated as a graduate level course are not acceptable for transfer.
3. Six credits may be transferred into the MPA degree program.
4. The courses for which transfer is sought must have been completed with a grade of "B" or better and must be relevant to courses and degree requirements offered in the degree program to be pursued by the student. A course accepted for transfer credit can only be viable for use to satisfy program requirements seven years from the date of completion. The seven years will include the date on which the master’s degree program in which the student enrolls at Bowie will be completed. The MPA program coordinator after consultation with the MPA faculty will make the decision on the transferability of a course.
5. Transfer of credits into a degree program may not be used to offset required seminar courses.
6. Credits used to satisfy the requirements for one master's degree may not be used for satisfying the requirements the MPA degree.
7. Credits are not to be used for two degrees at either the graduate or the undergraduate level.

Procedure for Transferring Credits

1. Submit the following to the graduate advisor: a. Copy of the course description of course to be transferred into Bowie State University b. Official copy of transcript from institution at which the course was taken reflecting the final grade earned in the course.
2. The student’s advisor will review the course description to determine if it will satisfy requirements of the degree program and falls within the number of credits allowed for transfer.
3. The advisor will include the course on the student’s Program of Study if the determination is made at the time the student is starting the program. If a Program of Study has been completed and accepted by the Graduate School then a Change of Program form will be used to accept and reflect the transfer course.
4. To accept a course for transfer taken after a student has begun the degree program, the student must get prior approval from the advisor using the Request Permission to Take a Course at Another College/University form.
5. The completed forms must be submitted to the Graduate School for approval.
6. The approved forms will be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for placement in the students file.
7. Credits are not to be used for two degrees at either the graduate or the undergraduate level.

Admission of International Students

Admission to the Graduate School may be granted to international students whose academic and personal qualifications promote success in a graduate program of study. Applicants must hold the equivalent of a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree and a grade point average equivalent to a 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale. International students are expected to read, speak, understand and write English fluently. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 (213 computer-based), and Test of Written English (TWE) with a minimum score of 4.0. Students who have completed two (2) full academic years of study at an accredited U.S. higher education institution, with a minimum of 18 credits completed with a grade of B or higher, may have the TOEFL requirement waived.

The following items must be submitted to the Graduate Admission Office:

1. Applicants are required to submit an Application for Admission, along with a non-refundable application fee. The University is able to accept only U.S. currency.

2. An official copy of the undergraduate transcript indicating type of degree (BA or BS) and a notarized translation of this transcript if it is not in English. The Graduate School requires an applicant to submit the transcript to an official evaluation center at the applicant's expense for a course by course review. The University will provide the names and contact information of evaluation services.

3. A notarized statement (Affidavit of Support) indicating the sponsor's willingness and ability to provide full financial support for the student. The I-20 AB will indicate the estimated annual educational expenses. The estimated annual cost of education will be established each year and will be available in the Office of Admissions.

4. A statement from the sponsor's bank indicating current balance sufficient to carry out sponsorship for one academic year. Students also may sponsor themselves by submitting their personal bank statement indicating sufficient funding, and a letter to the University indicating the self-sponsorship. Affidavits of support as well as bank statement may not be older than six months.

5. All international student applicants must present an official record of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Non-native speakers of English will be required to meet with a graduate school advisor prior to enrolling in any graduate courses.

After receipt of the required documents and after clearance by the International Student

Advisor, the Graduate School will make an admission decision. If accepted to the Graduate School, a SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non-Immigrant F-1 Status) will be issued. A student visa may be obtained by presenting a payment receipt for the SEVIS I-20, along with the SEVIS I-20 and documentary evidence of financial support to the U.S. embassy in the student's home country. Information concerning the SEVIS I-20 fee can be found at www.fmjfee.com. Please note that F-1 students must attend school full-time. Registration for nine (9) credit hours is considered full-time enrollment at the graduate level.

F-1 students are not eligible for state or federal financial support, including scholarships, grants, and fellowships. The applicants must rely fully on private sponsors (family, friends, etc.) or on personal sources of income.

To ensure adequate time for admission review, applicants inside the U.S. must apply four months before the application deadline. Applicants outside the U.S. must apply 10 months prior to the date of entry to allow time for the exchange of correspondence, evaluation of all necessary documents and the settling of financial, immigration and housing matters.

Applicants may contact the International Student Advisor 301-860- 3830 or Graduate Admissions 301-860-3448 for information concerning graduate admission to Bowie State University.

Other Requirements

There will be no thesis for the completion of the MPA degree. However, all degree requirements must be completed within a maximum of seven consecutive years. In addition, students must pass a three-hour comprehensive examination within a maximum of three attempts.

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