Master of Public Administration
Degree Overview
The Department of Public Administration’s master’s degree program provides opportunities for students to prepare for employment or advance their careers as public administrators. The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) program is intended to produce graduates equipped with the public management skills and analytic techniques needed for successful careers in government, non-profit and closely related business fields. The program appeals to professionals in government, public service, voluntary and non-profit agencies and other organizations concerned with the interaction between the public and private sectors.
The University of Central Florida’s M.P.A. program is the largest in Florida. It is especially oriented toward the problems of local government, including issues of growth management and the environment. Students may engage in applied research and development through the Institute of Government and the Florida Growth Management Conflict Resolution Consortium.
M.P.A. courses are offered at the UCF Orlando campus in the evenings and on some Saturdays. Most courses are also available at the UCF Brevard/Cocoa and Daytona Beach campuses. In addition, our courses are increasingly incorporating web-based instruction in their delivery for added student convenience.
Prerequisites
This program does not have any specific prerequisites other than the completion of an accredited undergraduate degree.
Admission Requirements
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required of all graduate students. Minimum requirements for regular admission are:
- a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for the last 60 attempted semester hours of undergraduate study (or)
- a total score of 1000 or higher on the verbal-quantitative sections of the GRE
Individuals whose native language is other than English are required to have a minimum score of 220 (computer-based test, or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Students are expected to be computer literate upon entry to the program or are expected to obtain these skills immediately upon admission to the program.
Program Of Study
The M.P.A. program consists of required core courses, electives selected in consultation with the adviser and a capstone experience. As part of the public administration graduate education, students will be required to take classes in such subjects as:
- Public Administrators in the Governance Process
- Public Administration in the Policy Process
- Analytic Techniques for Public Administration I and II
- Public Organization Management
- Public Financial Management
- Public Budgeting
- Human Resource Management
- Strategic Planning and Management
An advanced curriculum of courses that concentrates on a specific area relevant to the practice of public administration may be taken within the Department of Public Administration or from other departments. Those elective courses offered within the department will provide an emphasis on state and local government; however, other emphases may be developed in consultation with the adviser.
Those students without practical administrative experience in the public sector are strongly advised to complete an internship as part of their advanced curriculum.
The official program of study for the Master of Public Administration is available online in the UCF Graduate Catalog.
Application Process
Students can apply at any time throughout the year. Please see the UCF academic calendar for application deadlines. Applications are completed on-line, through the UCF Office of Graduate Studies website.
No interview or letters of recommendation are required for regular admission. Please send an e-mail to pagrad@mail.ucf.edu if you have questions about the program or application procedures.
UCF Graduate Studies On-line application
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