Program Overview

Master of Public Administration Program

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is offered by the Steven J. Green School of International & Public Affairs at Florida International University.

Accelerated BA in Psychology/MPA Degree Pathway

The Accelerated BA in Psychology/MPA Degree Pathway is a new accelerated (4+1) degree pathway for qualified BA in Psychology students to be admitted into the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. This pathway allows students to take up to four courses (12 credits) towards their BA in Psychology and MPA degrees, expediting their progress towards completing the MPA degree and saving time and money.

Admissions Requirements

To be admitted into the Accelerated Degree Pathway, students must meet the following requirements:

• Overall GPA of 3.25 or better
• Letter of recommendation from a faculty member at FIU or from a supervisor
• Current resume
• Letter-of-intent (not to exceed three double-spaced pages) explaining how earning the Master's of Public Administration is consistent with long-term career goals
• Application to the combined pathway after having completed at least 75 credit hours in the bachelor's degree program
• Students must apply prior to the semester in which graduate credits will be counted towards their undergraduate degree program

Courses Counted Toward both Degree Programs

Students admitted into the Accelerated (4+1) BA in Psychology/MPA Degree Pathway can take up to four courses from the following list to satisfy both their bachelor's and MPA degree requirements:

• PAD 6053: Political, Social and Economic Context of Public Administration (must be taken within the first two semesters after acceptance into the Accelerated Degree Pathway)
• Students may select at least two of the following courses to be double counted:
  • PAD 6227: Public Finance and the Budgetary Process
  • PAD 6306: Policy Analysis and Planning
  • PAD 6417: Human Resource Policy and Management
  • PAD 6434: Leadership and Decision-making
  • PAD 6701: Quantitative Methods in Public Administration
  • PAD 6726: Applied Research Methods for Accountability in Public and Non-Profit Organizations (Prerequisite: PAD 6701)
  • PAD 6718: Smart Governance
• If only two courses are selected from the above list, students may select one additional graduate-level course to be double counted, with a course number of 5000 or higher and a prefix of PAD, PUP, URP, or URS

Program Requirements

Students in the Accelerated (4+1) BA in Psychology/MPA Degree Pathway must:

• Consult their advisor regarding substitutions of the courses mentioned above for undergraduate courses in their program
• Pass graduate courses with a grade of "B" or higher to count them toward their MPA degree
• Fulfill all the MPA requirements to receive their MPA degree

Pathway Programs

The MPA program offers various pathway programs, including:

• BPPS/MPA Degree Pathway
• Accelerated BA in Psychology/MPA Degree Pathway
• General Accelerated 4+1 MPA Degree Pathway
• Joint JD / MPA
• Joint MSCJ / MPA
• Accelerated BSCJ/BSCS MPA Degree Pathway

Graduate Certificates

The MPA program offers graduate certificates in various areas.

Professional Development

The MPA program provides opportunities for professional development.