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    Mar 29, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2018-2019 Graduate Bulletin [Archived Bulletin]

Master of Public Administration (MPA)


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The Hamline University master of public administration (MPA) gives working professionals the practical knowledge, tools, and skills they need to manage effectively and to meet the complex fiscal and economic challenges of their sector.

The MPA is available at the Hamline University Saint Paul and Minneapolis campuses.  The flexible model is offered in St. Paul and the online hybrid model is offered in Minneapolis.

All students in the MPA program are required to complete forty-eight academic credits. This includes eight required core courses, three elective courses, one final course (either Capstone Skills Development or Master’s Thesis).  For some students, an internship with a government entity is also a program requirement.

NOTE: Requirements for the online hybrid MPA programs are slightly different. Students are required to take 12 set courses.

The MPA program begins with a foundations course, which provides students with a sound foundation in the history, theory, and management standards of the government sector. Other courses (required and elective) provide working professionals with a base of knowledge in a variety of subjects, each necessary to build effective management skills.

 

MPA Degree Requirements (48 credits and 3.0 GPA):


3 Elective courses (12 credits)


Three elective courses must be chosen from among the School of Business graduate level courses.

Course Substitution or Waiver


Student requests for substitution of a required course or courses shall be forwarded to the Program Director whose decision on the request shall be final. No more than two (2) required courses may be substituted.

If the basis for the substitution request is having already successfully completed coursework in a different program at Hamline University or another institution, the student must provide the syllabus or syllabi from the course(s) taken and an official transcript showing successful completion, unless that transcript is already a part of the student’s application file. Under no condition may the course(s) used as the basis of the substitution have been completed more than seven (7) years prior to admission to the MPA.

Waiver of a required course for reasons of extensive professional experience and expertise, documented to have occurred within the last seven (7) years, is at the sole discretion of the Program Director. No more than two (2) required courses may be waived.

In all instances of substitution or waiver of required courses, the student is required to register and successfully complete another course or courses whose total credits equal the number of credits represented by the substituted or waived required course(s).

Time Limit


Generally, it will take students 2-3 years to complete the traditional MPA program; however, 7 years is the allowed maximum.

MPA Application Requirements


  • Online application (no fee for U.S. residents). Application available at: www.hamline.edu/business/mpa/admission-requirements/.
  • A personal statement, up to three pages, answering the following:
    • Why are you choosing to pursue graduate studies at this time in your career, and what are you hoping to accomplish by doing so?
    • What makes the Hamline graduate program you have chosen appealing to you? What skills do you seek to strengthen; what challenges do you seek to overcome?
    • At Hamline, we believe in the power of teams. Thus, we teach and have students practice teaming skills throughout the program. Please describe a team experience - either excellent or difficult - that you have had and what you learned from the experience.
  • A résumé.
  • Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate work. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must submit both the original and an official or a certified course by course English translation. The Hamline University School of Business reserves the right to require applicants to have their academic records evaluated by an academic credential evaluator.
  • Two recommendation forms detailing your qualifications to pursue advanced study written by people unrelated to you who are familiar with your academic and/or professional history. These forms will be sent to recommenders you identify as part of your online application.
  • Writing sample of your academic or work-related writing, at least three pages in length, written solely by you in the last two years.

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