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The James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research

Political Science & the James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research
AD 205
Phone: (208) 885-6328
Fax: (208) 885-5102
Moscow, ID 83844-3165
 melanier@uidaho.edu




Master of Public Administration
Program Information

The MPA Program at the University of Idaho has been designed in accordance with the Guidelines and Standards for Professional Master's Degree Programs in Public Affairs and Public Administration prescribed through the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). The MPA Program is offered on a cooperative basis at the University of Idaho, Boise State University, and Idaho State University. Most credits earned under the MPA Program at one of these institutions may be transferred to either of the other institutions.

It is anticipated that students in the MPA Program will come from widely differing academic and professional backgrounds. The program's goal is to provide present and prospective public administrators with the basic intellectual preparation necessary for them to understand and adjust to a changing and challenging environment by introducing them to the theories and practices of administration, management, and social sciences research as these relate to effective performance in public organizations. A minimum of thirty credits is required for the MPA degree. Eighteen of these must be at the 500 level. All courses must be approved by the MPA advisors.

Internship
In addition to the minimum required thirty credits, a three credit public service internship is required for students without appropriate work experience in the public or nonprofit sectors. Internships are individually arranged with an appropriate government agency or nonprofit organization.

Thesis
Students may select either a thesis or a non-thesis option. The thesis counts six credits toward the degree, and is done in the area of emphasis selected by the student. Oral exams will be given over the thesis.

Comprehensive Exams
Students selecting a non-thesis option must take comprehensive examinations. The written exam is taken on one day. The oral exam is given, as needed, approximately one to two weeks after the written. Exams are given once per semester. The written or oral examination may be retaken a second time in the next scheduled exam period. No student may retake the exam more than once. The repeat examinations must be taken within a period of not less than three months or not more than one year following the first attempt.  



Master of Public Administration Program Admission Requirements

  1. Students must apply for admission and be accepted as a matriculated student in the College of Graduate Studies at the University of Idaho.

  2. Students must possess a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.

  3. Students’ overall GPA must be 3.0, or higher. Students with a lower GPA are, on rare occasion, admitted provisionally with the approval of the College of Graduate Studies and the recommendation of the Department of Political Science. Provisional status will be changed upon the completion of conditions stipulated at the time of admission.

  4. Student must have taken and submit Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores that are no more than five years old

  5. Student must complete the following prerequisite courses, or their equivalent prior to or as soon as possible after admission
    1. Federal Government - 3 semester credits or State-Local Government - 3 semester credits
    2. Three semester credits in a Social Statistics course, such as, Statistics 251. (When applicable, the statistics requirement may be substituted, with permission from your advisor, by such courses as two years of foreign language.)  


Other:
  1. University Deadlines
    Be sure to be aware of and comply with all University deadlines. They are available on the Registrar’s home page.

  2. Graduate School Requirements Questions
    If you have questions or need assistance regarding graduate school requirements please contact the College of Graduate Studies at 885-6243, in Morrill Hall 104, or by email at uigrad@uidaho.edu.

  3. The Master of Public Administration Faculty
         The core MPA faculty is located within the Political Science Department.
               The MPA Program is a multi-disciplinary program with courses and
                instructors drawn from several colleges and departments throughout
                the University.
        
    4. The two advisors for the MPA Program are Dr. Donald W. Crowley,
                Chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs,
                and Dr. Johoo Lee, Director of the MPA Program. You
                can email Dr. Donald W. Crowley at crowley@uidaho.edu and
                Dr. Johoo Lee.

  4. Employment with a Master of Public Administration degree
    Past graduates of the University of Idaho MPA Program are currently serving in a variety of positions with state, local, and the federal governments including the Idaho Division of Financial Management, Legislative Fiscal Office, Department of Health and Welfare, Department of Employment, Disabilities Determination Office, and the Industrial Commission; State of Washington, State of Alaska, the Presidential Management Intern Program, and various city governments.



Some Examples of Job Sources for Master of Public Administration Graduates
  1. Database of Federal Jobs available across the United States.

  2. The American Society for Public Administration also has information about internships, and other resources that may help students

  3. Idaho State Government Job Postings




Master of Public Administration Curriculum

1. CORE CLASSES
Fifteen credits are required from core classes listed below. Student must choose five courses from the nine courses listed

454/554 Public Organization Theory and Behavior
557 Budgeting in the Public Sector
575 Public Personnel Administration
439/539 Public Policy
556 Governmental Policy and Program Analysis
434/534 Administrative Law and Regulation
451/551 Public Administration (required)
501 Research Methods (may be taken in another program with permission from director, eg. ED 580)
404/504 Political Leadership 


2. AREA OF EMPHASIS - twelve credits

four courses in an area of emphasis (see examples below) or two courses and thesis in an area of emphasis.

or

3. ELECTIVES - twelve credits
four elective courses may be taken in leu of an area of emphasis or two courses and thesis related to elective or core courses. Any number of core courses not being used to fill the core requirement may be substituted for any of the following elective courses.

429/529 Contemporary Political Ethics
404/504 Game Theory
471/571 Intergovernmental Relations
462/562 Natural Resource Policy
464/564 Environmental Politics and Policy
404/504 Women in Politics
437/537 The American Presidency
432/532 The American Congress
467/567 Constitutional Law
472/572 Local Government Politics and Administration
404/504 Nonprofit Organization and Management


AREAS OF EMPHASIS examples

A. Area Policy Studies (to accommodate students with a specific need, to be chosen in consultation with their MPA advisor)

 
B. Environmental and Natural Resources Administration

PolSc 462/562 Natural Resource Policy
PolSc 464/564 - Politics of the Environment
AgEc 451 - Land and Natural Resource Economics
AgEc 551 - Natural Resource and Environmental Economics
For 484 - Forest Policy and Administration
For 586 - Social Ecology of Natural Resources
Geog 420 – Land and Resource Regulation
Geog 427 - Decision-Making in Resource Management
Geog 520 - Land and Resource Regulation Seminar
Rec 493/593 - Management of Leisure Services
RRT 470 - Interdisciplinary Natural Resource Planning
RRT 486 - Public Involvement in Natural Resource Management
RRT 490 - Wilderness Management
RRT 494 - Natural Resources Communication
RRT 571 - Human Dimensions of Ecosystem Management
RRT 587 - Research Literature in Resource Recreation and Tourism
Substitution of applicable courses may be made with permission from your advisor.


C. State, Local, and Non-Profit Administration

PolSc 572 - Local Government Politics Administration
PolSc 551 - Intergovernmental Relations
PolSc 552- Administrative Law and Regulation
SOC 315 - Community Service Learning
ECON 408 - State and Local Finance
GEO 599 - Introductory GIS
Substitution of applicable courses may be made with permission from your advisor.


D. General Public Administration
Any of the above listed core courses that have not been used to satisfy a core requirement may be taken for this area of emphasis. In addition, the following examples courses could be used:

Bus 378 - Project Management
Bus 441 - Labor Relations
Bus 478 - Seminar in Operations Management
Bus 530 - Managing Technical Teams
Bus 533 - Strategies for Managing Complex Systems
Bus 534 - Management Technology and Technological Change
Econ 407 - Public Finance
Econ 408 - State and Local Government Finance
Substitution of applicable courses may be made with permission from your advisor.


E. Community, State and Regional Planning

PolSc 572 Local Government, Policy and Administration
PolSc 471/571 - Intergovernmental Relations
Geog 330 - Urban Geography
Geog 385 - Geographic Information Systems [GIS] Primer
Geog 420 - Land and Resource Regulation
Geog 427 - Decision-Making in Resource Management
Geog 520 - Land and Resource Regulation Seminar
Geog 544 - WSU Environmental Assessment
AgEc 467 - Economics of Rural Community Development
Substitution of applicable courses may be made with permission from your advisor.


F. Public Finance, Management, and Budgeting

PolSc 556 - Governmental Policy and Program Analysis
PolSc 557 - Governmental Budgeting
PolSc 575 - Public Personnel Administration
Acctg J430/J530 - Accounting for Public Sector Organizations
Econ 407 - Public Finance
Econ 408 - State and Local Government Finance
Econ 430 - Regional/Urban Economics
Econ 441 - Labor Economics
Substitution of applicable courses may be made with permission from your advisor.


G. Public Works Administration

CE 372 - Fundamentals of Transportation Engineering
CE J433/J533 - Water Quality Management
CE 474 - Traffic Systems Design
CE 482 - Project Engineering
CE 484 - Engineering Law and Contracts
CE 524 - Water Resources Planning
CE 532 - Environmental Engineering Unit Processes
Substitution of applicable courses may be made with permission from your advisor.


H. Criminal Justice

Soc 430/530 - Deviance
JS 401 - Justice Policy Issues
JS 422 - Inequalities in the Justice System
JS WS 505 - WSU Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
JS WS530 - WSU Criminal Justice: Process and Institutions
JS WS541 - WSU Seminar in Corrections
JS WS550 - WSU Planned Change in Criminal Justice
JS WS570 - WSU The Police and Society
JS WS580 - WSU Women and the Criminal Justice System
JS WS591 - WSU Seminar in the Administration of Criminal Justice
JS WS592 - WSU Topics in Criminal Justice
Substitution of applicable courses may be made with permission from your advisor.




Master of Public Administration Study Plan


STUDENT:       


STUDENT NUMBER:       



Prerequisite Courses:

1.  Federal Government or State/Local Government
2. Statistics 251, or higher (or an acceptable substitution, with advisor’s permission)



Core Courses: (five required)

   454/554 Public Organization Theory and Behavior       
          
   557 Governmental Budgeting       
          
   575 Public Personnel Administration       
          
   439/539 Public Policy       
          
   556 Governmental Policy and Program Analysis       
          
   452/552 Administrative Law and Regulation       
       
404/504 Political Leadership
          
   451 Public Administration (REQUIRED)       
          
   501 Research methods       
   (may be taken in another program with permission from director)



AREA OF EMPHASIS - twelve credits
   four courses in an area of emphasis (see examples below)
   or
   two courses and thesis in an area of emphasis.
 
or
 
ELECTIVES - twelve credits
   Four elective courses may be taken in lieu of an area of emphasis.
Any number of core courses not already taken may be substituted for elective courses.


   Elective Courses       
          
   429/529 Contemporary Political Ethics       
          
   405/505 Game Theory       
          
   471/571 Intergovernmental Relations       
          
   462/562 Natural Resource Policy       
          
   464/564 Environmental Politics and Policy       
          
   404/504 Women in Politics       
          
   437/537 The American Presidency       
          
   432/532 The American Congress       
          
   467/567 Constitutional Law       
          
   472/572 Local Government Politics and Administration       
          
404/504 Nonprofit Organizations and Management


AREAS OF EMPHASIS: (twelve credits)       

     Course       
     Course       
     Course       
     Course       


INTERNSHIP

Public Service Internship Required  _____      Not Required  _____  


For more information on graduate programs at the University of Idaho, visit the College of Graduate Studies web site. The site has information on general requirements as well as online application materials.






Other useful links:

  1. Steps to your degree.

  2. Services & Forms - Theses & Dissertations Handbook

    Graduate Handbook for Theses and Dissertations (PDF)  (DOC)
    Guidelines for format and appearance of theses and dissertations.

  3. Services & Forms - Forms
    You must have the free Adobe Reader (for PDFs) or Microsoft Word (for DOCs) to view and print out these forms. After you have finished the form, you may print it out and process for signatures.

    • Appointment of Major Professor and/or Committee Form (PDF)  (DOC)
    • Authorization to Submit Thesis or Dissertation (PDF)  (DOC)
    • Checklist for Thesis/Dissertation Final Submission (PDF)  (DOC)
    • College of Graduate Studies Petition (PDF)  (DOC)
    • GeoRef Form (PDF)  (DOC)
    • Non-thesis Requirement Report Form (PDF)  (DOC)
    • Report of Preliminary Examination and Advancement to Candidacy (PDF)  (DOC)
    • Request to Proceed with Final Defense (PDF)  (DOC)







 
 
 
University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844