• When did USI institute its MPA program?

• Why should I enroll in the MPA Program?

• What information and skills are taught in the MPA program at USI?

• What is the job market like for individuals with an MPA degree?

• Who will benefit from the MPA Program at USI?

• What types of jobs are held by people with an MPA degree?

• What are the admission requirements?

• What is the tuition?

• Is financial aid available?

• How can I obtain more information about the Program?

• What is the background of the students in the Program?

• How many students are in the MPA Program?

• When do classes meet?

• What courses are offered?

• When can I begin the Program?

• How many courses are students required to take?

• How quickly can I complete the Program?

• Do students receive assistance in finding employment after they graduate?

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When did USI institute its MPA program?

The MPA program began in the spring, 2003 with one course in strategic planning. The Program now offers two to three courses each semester.

Why should I enroll in the MPA Program?

There are three major reasons why individuals who work for government agencies or nonprofit organizations should enroll in the MPA Program.

• The MPA degree is the preferred, terminal degree for anybody who currently holds or hopes to acquire a supervisory position in government or nonprofit organizations.

• Many government agencies and nonprofit organizations use the MPA degree as a gate keeping devise when making decisions about whom to hire or promote.

• Courses in MPA programs teach information and skills that directly pertain to the problems confronting administrators in nonprofit organizations and governments agencies. Due in large part to the highly regulated nature and limited resources of the nonprofit sector, knowledge and skills that administrators in government agencies and nonprofits must possess are different than the training required of administrators in the private sector.

What information and skills are taught in the MPA program at USI?

Graduates of the program acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to be creative, ethical, analytical, and visionary leaders. Individuals enrolled in the MPA program will:

• Become knowledgeable of the laws, rules, norms, and traditions that shape the internal structure, efficiency, and innovativeness of public sector organizations.

• Be able to formulate creative solutions to problems confronting government agencies and not-for-profit organizations.

• Obtain knowledge of how institutions in the public sector shape and are shaped by economic, social, and political environments.

• Acquire practical skills and knowledge bases necessary for the management of public sector organizations: grant writing, budgeting, public speaking, human relations, public relations, electronic communication, and report writing.

• Master an understanding of how key concepts and theories can be used to formulate practical solutions to problems associated with public and non-profit administration.

• Gain knowledge of data bases, web sites, printed material, and other information-based resources pertaining to the management of public sector organizations.

• Learn how to gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative data relevant to decision making in public organizations.

• Understand the ethical consequences of decisions made by managers in the public sector.

What is the job market like for individuals with an MPA degree?

The number of jobs in government and the nonprofit sector is growing. For example, nonprofits now account for one out of twelve jobs in Indiana. The payroll for nonprofit organizations in Indiana is about 6.6 billion dollars.

Who will benefit from the MPA Program at USI?

Individuals interested in a career involving government or a nonprofit organization who want to:

• Improve management-related job skills and performance

• Obtain leadership positions within their current organization

• Begin a career in a public sector organization

• Strength academic credentials and knowledge of the public sector in preparation for law school

What types of jobs are held by people with an MPA degree?

Individuals with an MPA degree are employed as managers in nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and heavily regulated private corporations. It is common for heads of government departments, chief executive officers of nonprofit organizations, and people working in government affairs divisions of large corporations to have an MPA degree.

In addition, the number of attorneys with MPA degree is increasing. An MPA degree is particularly useful for attorneys who practice administrative law or work for law firms that lobby government.

What are the admission requirements?

Students with a BA or BS degree in any major may be admitted to the MPA program. It is not necessary to have earned a degree in political science or in another social science field.

To be unconditionally admitted to the program, a student must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. However, students with lower GPAs are often conditionally admitted if their background suggests they will succeed in the program. Students who are conditionally admitted must earn a B or better in their first two graduate courses and be recommended for admission by their professors.

The documents that need to be submitted as part of the admission process are listed on the MPA web site. Among the materials that must be submitted are transcripts, recommendations, and scores on the GRE.

If a student is unsure whether he would benefit from the MPA program (or is unable to assemble all the admission materials on time), he/she may be admitted as a special/guest student. Special/guest students must have a GPA of 2.0 or better. They are not required to submit recommendations or GRE scores. Special/guest students can take up to two MPA courses.

Students may be admitted to the program at the beginning of any semester (summer, fall, or spring). Since courses do not have to be taken in any particular order, admitted students can begin taking classes immediately after admission.

What is the tuition?

USI is committed to offering affordable graduate programs. The graduate tuition and a cost estimator can be found at the following links:

Graduate tuition: http://www.usi.edu/ADMISSN/costs.asp

Cost estimator: https://www.usi.edu/admissn/ssl/costestimator.asp

Is financial aid available?

Since the MPA program is a part time program, students are not eligible for grants or loans that require full time enrollment status. Information about student loan programs can be obtained from the office of Student Financial Assistance ( http://www.usi.edu/finaid/gs/grad_finance.asp ). This office administers federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs, working with students to determine their financial need and identify sources of assistance.

In addition, some corporations and government agencies pay the tuition of employees enrolled in graduate programs.

USI employees may apply for a tuition waiver.

How can I obtain more information about the Program?

The director of the MPA program is Dr. Matthew Hanka. He can be reached at 812-461-5204 or emailed at mjhanka .

Information about the Program can also be found on the MPA web site (http://www.usi.edu/libarts/polsci/MPA/). This site can also be accessed from USI’s main page (http://www.usi.edu/). On the main page, select Political Science from the drop-down menu. Then click on the "Master of Public Administration" link.

What is the background of the students in the Program?

Most students are working professionals who attend school part-time. Almost all students work in state or local government or for a nonprofit agency. A few students work in the private sector but hope to have a career in a heavily regulated industry, in a government agency, or in a nonprofit organization. Students who do not have prior work experience in an administrative capacity may also be admitted to the program, although they may be required to complete an internship.

How many students are in the MPA Program?

Enrollments in most classes range between 15 and 20 students. No class enrollment exceeds 25 students.

When do classes meet?

Since almost all students in the program are working professionals, classes meet in the evenings during each fall, spring, and summer term.

It is possible to complete the program in two years by taking two courses during each term. The majority of classes meet on campus 6 or 7 times during a semester between 6:00 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., but additional course work is completed on-line.

What courses are offered?

There are 12 courses required of all students. In addition, students can elect to take an internship course for credit. The internship is only required for students who have not worked fulltime in a government agency or nonprofit organization.

Required Courses
PA601--Organizational Behavior
PA603--Technology Issues in Public Administration
PA606--Public Personnel Administration
PA609--Budgeting
PA611--Leadership Skills
PA614--Interpersonal Communication within Organizations
PA615--Legal Aspects of Public Administration
PA618--Research Methods in Public Administration
PA631--Fundraising and Volunteer Administration
PA632--Public Administration
PA644--Process Analysis
PA653--Ethics in Public Administration

Internship
PA695--Internship in Public Agency

When can I begin the Program?

You may enter the program at the beginning of the fall or spring semesters.

How many courses are students required to take?

The program is designed to meet the needs of current and future administrators in both government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Students take a common set of 12 courses. Student can also complete an internship. The internship is optional for those students who have worked in a government agency or nonprofit organization for a year or more.

How quickly can I complete the Program?

The MPA program is a part-time program. Most students take two courses each fall, spring, and summer term and complete the Program in two years. Some students opt to take one course each semester and move through the Program at a more leisurely pace.

Do students receive assistance in finding employment after they graduate?

Ms. Pamela Doerter is the MPA program’s career coordinator. Utilizing the resources of the Career Resource Center, she works to place current student and alumni in positions in government agencies and nonprofit organizations.