NEXT STEP: THE MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (MPA) DEGREE PROGRAM After earning the Certificate, students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 may elect to change their status so they can complete the MPA degree. A “change of status” requires a new graduate application; however, materials such as letters of recommendation may be reused from the student’s previous application to the Certificate program. All courses taken as part of the certificate would transfer and be counted toward the completion of the MPA degree, as follows:
PBAD 8131
Survey of Public Administration for the In-‐Career Professional (3)
Certificate Course
PBAD Foundations of Public Administration (3) 7631
MPA Course Equivalent
PBAD 8132
Theory and Practice of Public and Nonprofit Management (3)
PBAD Public and Nonprofit Sector Management (3) 7134
PBAD 8133
Human Resource Management for the In-‐Career Professional (3)
PBAD Public Human Resource Management (3) 7430
PBAD 8134
Ethics of Administration for the In-‐Career Professional (3)
PBAD Ethics for Public Serving Organizations (3) 7130
PBAD 8135
Theory and Practice of Public and Nonprofit Budgeting (3)
PBAD Budgeting in Public Serving Organizations (3) 7230
The MPA degree requires a total of 39-‐credit hours where, in addition to core management courses, students pursue an area of concentration in public management or nonprofit management. Completion of the MPA degree requires an additional 24-‐credit hours of coursework beyond the certificate. Additional Requirements for the MPA Degree PBAD 7530: Research Methods for Public Serving Organizations (3) PBAD 7531: Public Program Evaluation (3) PBAD 7638: Capstone Seminar (3) *PBAD 7730: Internship (3) 12-‐credit hours of approved concentration courses * In consultation with the program director, in-‐service students may use 1) their current position for the internship or 2) complete an additional seminar course.
The remaining MPA degree requirements may be completed at the University’s main campus and, pending availability, online. ABOUT THE MPA PROGRAM AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY Since 1973, Georgia Southern University’s nationally ranked MPA program has been a leader in the advancement of public and nonprofit education throughout the state of Georgia and beyond. Today, the MPA program is recognized as one of the top graduate programs at Georgia Southern University, boasting a dedicated core faculty and an alumni base that is nearly 700 strong!
The MPA program’s curriculum has been structured to meet the needs of both pre-‐service students and in-‐service practitioners. Most courses are scheduled in the evening at the University’s main campus in Statesboro, Georgia, and meet only one time per week. Moreover, the curriculum is designed for full-‐time or part-‐time study. In 2011, the MPA Program gained membership in the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC), which is comprised of academic programs and institutions committed to furthering research and education in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. On July 1, 2012, in recognition of the MPA program’s continued growth and development, the program was made part of the newly established Institute for Public and Nonprofit Studies (IPNS). The IPNS serves as the focal point for scholarship, teaching, and professional service in the field of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Public and Nonprofit Management at Georgia Southern University, throughout southeast Georgia, and beyond. For additional information on the MPA Program or the Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management, please contact the Institute for Public and Nonprofit Studies at: www.georgiasouthern.edu/IPNS or 912-‐478-‐1400.
