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MPA Degree Requirements

Complete these requirements for a master's degree in Public Administration online or on campus.

Admission Requirements

The applicant must meet the School of Graduate Studies’ current minimum general admission requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

  1. A four-year bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university.
  2. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.75 for all undergraduate coursework or an average GPA of 3.0 or greater across the semesters/quarters comprising the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework (based on A=4.0).
  3. A satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For the internet-based TOEFL (TOEFL iBT) an overall score of 79 is required.
  4. Twenty credit hours in the social sciences, business administration, and related fields. Students who do not meet this requirement will be given the opportunity to fulfill it.

Degree Requirements

Students seeking the Master degree at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as particular requirements set forth by the Master of Public Administration Program.

  1. A minimum of 36 semester credits.
  2. A minimum of 27 credits in public administration and up to 9 credits in cognate fields to total 36 credits.
  3. At least one-half of the credits must be at the 500 level.
  4. A maximum of nine credits may be transferred to UND from other institutions.
  5. Course List
    CodeTitleCredits
    Required Courses:
    POLS 500Research Methods3
    POLS 501Political and Public Policy Analysis3
    POLS 531Foundations of Public Administration3
    POLS 532Public Policy3
    POLS 535Public Organizations3
    POLS 536Public Personnel Administration3
    POLS 537Program Evaluation3
    POLS 538Public Budgeting and Financial Administration3
    POLS 580Administrative Internship *3
    POLS 570MPA Capstone3
    POLS Electives or other approved course6
    Total Credits36
     
    *

    Students with a minimum of one year relevant administrative experience may petition the Graduate Program Director to have requirement waived and to substitute a 3-credit elective in its place.

Residence Requirement

There is no residence requirement for the M.P.A. degree; however, at least one-half of the credits for the degree must be taken on campus or as an admitted distance degree student.

Candidacy for the Degree

Admission of a student to the School of Graduate Studies as a degree student in Approved Status implies only that the student has met minimum entrance requirements and will be permitted to take graduate courses, which normally may be expected to lead to a degree. The student has not been admitted as a candidate for a degree. Advancement to candidacy can be granted only after the student has met certain academic requirements in approximately the following sequence:

  1. Completion of 12 semester credits.
  2. A GPA of at least 3.00 for all work attempted.
  3. The appointment of an advisor. The advisor, who must be a member of the Graduate Faculty, will be appointed by the Dean upon the written recommendation of the M.P.A. program director. The advisor is responsible to the department and the School of Graduate Studies for the supervision of the student’s work.
  4. Approval of a Program of Study on a form available from the School of Graduate Studies. The program, which should be developed in consultation with the advisor, must carry the signature of the student, the advisor, and the program director and must be submitted to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for approval.
  5. Completion of the MPA Capstone course with a grade of a B or better.

The student and the advisor will be notified in writing of the advancement to candidacy. Students must complete all requirements for advancement to candidacy prior to the semester in which they plan to graduate.

ABM 5 Year Degree Admission Requirements

The ABM degree program allows exceptional undergraduate students at UND an opportunity to complete the requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees at an accelerated pace.  All requirements for both degrees must be met, and these students may double count up to 12 graduate-level credits towards the requirements for both their Bachelor in Political Science or Public Affairs and their Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree requirements.  ABM students must obtain their MPA degree within 12 months of completing the Bachelor's degree, provided that the degree requirements can be completed in that timeframe. 

High achieving high school students (GPA of at least 3.5/4.0 and an ACT score of 25 or higher) will initially be considered for “identified” status and become eligible for formal admission when they meet the same criteria that undergraduates must meet for admission into the ABM program.  Admission is a competitive process.  The following are minimum eligibility requirements:    

  1. Students must meet the School of Graduate Studies admissions eligibility requirements. 
  2. Students must have completed a minimum of 60 credits, including credits earned from advanced placement and dual credit.  Students must apply before completion of the undergraduate degree.
  3. Transfer students with a minimum of 60 credits-whether from the transfer institution alone or in combination with UND credits-must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 at the time of admission to the ABM program.
  4. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 at UND at the time of admission into the ABM program.
  5. ABM program applicants must submit the standard application to the School of Graduate Studies, the application fee, a personal statement, 3 letters of recommendation, and transcripts. 
  6. Additionally, ABM program applicants must submit a detailed Program of Study that describes the 12 credits of double counted courses, the courses that will be taken after being accepted into the MPA program, the courses that will be taken before graduation from the BS/BA program, and the expected graduation date for each degree.  The submitted program of study must be signed by the student, the student's undergraduate advisor, the student’s graduate advisor, and the MPA Program Director. 

Degree Requirements

  1. A minimum of 36 semester credits {12 (ABM) credits may be part of undergraduate degree program but taken for graduate credit}.
  2. A minimum of 27 credits in public administration and up to 9 credits in cognate fields to total 36 credits.
  3. At least one-half must be at the 500-level.
  4. A maximum of 9 credits may be transferred to UND from other institutions.
Plan of Study Grid
Freshman Year
First SemesterCredits
ENGL 110College Composition I3
MATH 103College Algebra3
POLS 115American Government I3
POLS 116

or POLS 120
State and Local Government

or Global Perspectives
3
Essential Studies: Lab Science4
 Credits16
Second Semester
COMM 110Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
ENGL 130Composition II: Writing for Public Audiences3
Essential Studies: Humanities3
Essential Studies: Fine Arts3
Essential Studies: Social Science3
 Credits15
Sophomore Year
First Semester
POLS 200

or POLS 250
Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector (POLS 200 if pursuing the nonprofit track; POLS 250 if pursuing the public administration track)

or Introduction to Public Administration
3
ACCT 200Elements of Accounting I3
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics3
POLS 215Politics and Diversity3
Essential Studies: Fine Arts or Humanities3
 Credits15
Second Semester
POLS 361

or ECON 210
Nonprofit Management (Undergrad) (POLS 361 if pursuing the nonprofit track; ECON 210 if pursuing the public administration track)

or Introduction to Business and Economic Statistics
3
Undergraduate Free Electives (Recommended 300 or above)12
 Credits15
Junior Year
First Semester
POLS 300Introduction Research Methods3
MGMT 300Principles of Management3
Non Profit or Public Admin Elective3
Undergraduate Free Electives6
 Credits15
Second Semester
POLS 437Administrative Processes3
Non Profit or Public Admin Elective3
Undergraduate Free Electives9
 Credits15
Senior Year
First Semester
POLS 500Research Methods3
POLS 535

or POLS 536
Public Organizations ((Dual counted))

or Public Personnel Administration
3
Undergraduate Free Electives (Recommended 300 level or above)9
 Credits15
Second Semester
POLS 495Senior Colloquium in Political Science and Public Administration3
POLS 501Political and Public Policy Analysis ((Dual counted))3
POLS 537

or POLS 538
Program Evaluation

or Public Budgeting and Financial Administration
3
Undergraduate Free Electives (Recommended 300 level or above)6
 
 Credits15
Summer
POLS 580Administrative Internship (May take during 5th year; see program guidelines for appropriate internship experience)3
POLS 593Problems in Political Science and Public Administration ((or other graduate-level elective))3
 Credits6
Fifth Year
First Semester
POLS 531Foundations of Public Administration3
POLS 536

or POLS 535
Public Personnel Administration

or Public Organizations
3
Graduate-level elective3
 Credits9
Second Semester
POLS 532Public Policy3
POLS 538

or POLS 537
Public Budgeting and Financial Administration

or Program Evaluation
3
POLS 570MPA Capstone3
 
 Credits9
 Total Credits145

MPA Degree Requirements Disclaimer

The requirements on this page are pulled from UND’s academic catalog and may not reflect future terms. Updates are published annually in April.

Graduate Admissions Requirements

In addition to meeting these program requirements, you must also meet the UND School of Graduate Studies admissions requirements to apply for this program.

Graduate Requirements

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Department Contact
Kevin Dunn
Graduate Adm Officer & Advisor
P 701.777.2975
kevin.dunn.1@UND.edu

 

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