Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Stuart School of Business’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Master of Public Administration accelerated master’s degree program combines a solid grounding in business fundamentals and quantitative methods with hands-on problem-solving for undergraduates, along with a practical orientation toward management and policy analysis and implementation at the graduate level.

Career Opportunities

The Stuart Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Master of Public Administration accelerated master’s degree program is designed to prepare graduates for policy, administrative, managerial, and leadership roles across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, as well as to engage in entrepreneurial enterprises and consulting.

Organizations and government agencies that have hired M.P.A. graduates include:

• American Cancer Society
• City of Chicago
• Chicago Police Department
• Chicago Transit Authority and Metra
• Chinese American Service League
• Lincoln Park Zoo
• Lyons Township
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
• Motorola
• State of Illinois

Curriculum

The Bachelor’s in Business Administration is designed to build core business competencies, with a specialization of the student’s choice in an area of business or an academic field outside of business. The M.P.A. curriculum provides a mix of analytical and management focused courses to develop students’ skills in rigorous data and policy analysis, as well as the managerial knowledge needed to effectively implement programs and policies.

Admission Requirements

• Must have completed at least 60 credit hours of applicable undergraduate study and at least one full semester (12 credit hours) at the university
• Must be at least one full semester (12 credit hours) away from undergraduate degree completion in order to apply
• Minimum grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale

The Accelerated Master’s Advantage

• In the accelerated master’s program co-terminal option, students maintain undergraduate status while completing graduate coursework, and can maintain financial aid eligibility when applicable.
• Fewer credit hours required: Accelerated master’s degrees share up to nine hours of course credit, requiring fewer credit hours overall compared to completing the degrees separately.
• A faster start to your career: Undergraduate students currently enrolled can complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in as few as five years.
• Individualized attention: Students receive guidance from both undergraduate and graduate academic advisers and mentoring from graduate faculty in the master’s program.

Program Specializations

• Nonprofit and Mission-Driven Management (M.P.A.)
• Security, Safety, and Risk Management (M.P.A.)
• Economic Development and Social Entrepreneurship (M.P.A.)

Featured Faculty

John Twombly

Associate Dean of Undergraduate Affairs Director of Undergraduate Business Programs Clinical Professor of Accounting and Finance

Roland Calia

Associate Dean of Assessment and Recruitment Director of Master of Public Administration Director of M.S. in Sustainability Analytics and Management Director of M.S. in Project Management Industry Professor of Public Administration

Joanne E. Howard

Industry Associate Professor of Public Administration

Program Details

• Program Type: Accelerated Master’s
• Degree: B.S./M.P.A.
• Department: Business
• College: Stuart School of Business
• Program Location: On Campus
• Meets F-1 Visa Requirements: Yes