Public Administration (M.P.A.)
Master of Public Administration. Major in Public Administration.
The Department of Politics and Philosophy at the University of Idaho offers the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree for students interested in careers in the governance and management of local governments and communities. Students can expect to leave the program with intellectual and analytical skills, and the practical experience needed to enhance their ability to serve local governments and communities. The program is public service oriented and is delivered in partnership with communities in Idaho and Washington.
Practitioner involvement in this program provides students with a more relevant and practical education than that found in more traditional programs. Academic faculty members work closely with local government professionals to deliver courses and professional development opportunities.
The program requires 36 hours of coursework, which includes an 18-hour core:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| POLS 555 | Public Administration Theory | 3 |
| POLS 557 | Governmental Budgeting | 3 |
| POLS 565 | Local Government Law | 3 |
| POLS 572 | Local Government Politics and Administration | 3 |
| POLS 575 | Public Personnel Administration | 3 |
| POLS 558 | Research Methods for Local Government and Community Administration | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Students develop their specific interests in local government by choosing 12 to 15 hours of elective courses in consultation with and approval of their advisor. These courses may be chosen in alignment with the bioregional planning and community design graduate program or other UI graduate programs. Students must also complete a final comprehensive examination.
Students with little or no public administration experience are required to complete a 3 to 6-hour internship to gain hands-on experience in the governance of local governments and communities. In-service students must complete 3 hours of POLS 559 (Field Based Research) in lieu of the internship.
The MPA program is available in both the traditional on-campus and online formats. Though no specific undergraduate preparation is required for the MPA, applicants must have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and three letters of recommendation.
The MPA is also offered with the University of Idaho College of Law through a joint JD/MPA program. JD/MPA applicants must meet all the requirements for admission to the College of Law; applicants must apply to both the College of Law and the College of Graduate Studies for admission into the JD/MPA program.
Concurrent Degree in Law and Public Administration
The University of Idaho’s joint JD/MPA degree program provides students with the opportunity to earn both degrees in three to four years. Students must apply separately to and be admitted by the College of Graduate Studies/Master of Public Administration Program, the College of Law, and the Concurrent JD/MPA Degree Program.
The Master of Public Administration is a professional degree for those who seek leadership positions in government and public service. It is ideal for law students who intend to practice for local governments as city attorneys, prosecutors, and public defenders, and who intend to assume leadership roles in local, state, and federal agencies and governments. Students in the MPA program learn the mechanics of government, but the program is fundamentally designed to prepare professionals who hope to run governments. The program is public service oriented, and is delivered in partnership with communities in Idaho and Washington.
The MPA is offered in both traditional and online formats. The MPA program requires 36 hours of coursework and is built around an 18-hour core curriculum (see above). The program also requires an internship (3 to 6 hours) and 12 to 15 hours of elective credits.
By double counting two courses (6 hours) in the program toward the JD, and after fulfilling the elective requirements for the MPA, students may complete the JD/MPA degrees with an additional 9 to 12 hours of coursework beyond the JD curriculum. Students must also complete a final MPA comprehensive examination.
The courses to be double-counted must be taken after matriculation into the JD program of study. Under law school accreditation standards, there are limits to the total number of distance education credits that can be counted toward the JD; any MPA classes taken by distance education that are credited toward completion of the JD will count against that limit (see ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure Standards 306(e) and 311(d)).