Public Administration

BA in Public Management +1 for an MPA

Fast track your career

Complete your BA in public management and your MPA in 5 years!

Purpose:

Public Management students, this is your opportunity to complete 2 degrees in 5 years rather 6 years saving time, money, and increasing your ability to compete for jobs in government, nonprofits, and healthcare.  

Benefit:

Students in the public management program at the University of Maine are in a unique situation of having access to both an undergraduate program in public management, meeting the recommended standards of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration and graduate program (MPA) accredited by NASPAA.  There is no other school in New England that provides both.  Normally, an MPA takes 2 years and one summer to complete.  You can complete both your undergrad and graduate degree in 5 calendar years.

How: Begin in your first or sophomore year by talking to your advisor.  You will need to apply during your junior year.  The deadline is Feb 1.  You must have:

• Demonstrated commitment to public service
• Personal interview with the Director of Graduate Programs and Chair
• Undergraduate overall record of 3.5 in the major and overall Public Management GPA of 3.5
• Satisfactory SAT scores (GRE scores are not required for those who have taken the SATs)
• Recommendation from a sponsoring public administration faculty member such as your advisor

The Graduate Committee will review the application.  Final admittance to the MPA is dependent upon completion of the BA.

Program

If you are accepted, you will continue working with your present advisor to develop your plan of study.  During your senior year, you will complete any of the remaining 120 credits of the BA in your senior year and take an additional 9 credits of MPA graduate classes. You will be charged undergraduate rates for graduate courses taken your senior saving considerable money as well as time

Upon completion of the BA, you will be formally accepted into the MPA program.  During your first (and final year) in the Master’s, you will take an additional 24 credits to complete the MPA for a total of 36 credits (rather than 42 credits),

Below is the recommended program