FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MPA Academic Honesty Statement - please read
MPA DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
1. Complete nine core courses - listed below
2. Complete five elective courses
3. Complete internship or file internship waiver request
4. Complete major research paper (MRP)
5. Complete or have waived American Government Requirement
Academic Advising
The MPA Program realizes many of its students work full-time and have other commitments, and therefore has tried to include the majority of information students need to know on the main MPA website. Students should also note the MPA Program manager serves as the academic adviser for the Program. Students are welcome to contact the Program Manager for an advising appointment as often as needed to discuss academic planning, internship and career options and MRP topics. E-mailing the Program Manager is another option for students who have difficulty fitting meetings into their schedule.
Do evening students have to take core courses in any particular order?
(Please note that though it is important to take core courses when they are offered, core courses are offered more often than concentration/elective courses. Please take an elective course if it interests you because it may not be offered again for awhile).
There are no formal requirements other than for Capstone, but the following order and suggestions are strongly recommended:
Administrative Theory (PADMN 6300)
Nonprofit/Nongovernmental Organizations (PADMN 6550)
Research Design (PADMN 6289)
Public Human Resource Management (PADMN 6360)
Public Administration & Law (PADMN 6210)
Governance & the Economy (PADMN 6335)
Public Budgeting and Finance (PADMN 6380)
Public Administration and Ethics (PADMN 6870)
Capstone in Public Administration (PADMN 6890)
• Take Administrative Theory (PADMN 6300) and Nonprofit/Non-Governmental Orgs. during the first one-two semesters of study.
• The Ethics (PADMN 6870) and Capstone (PADMN 6890) courses should be the last core classes taken.
Registration for the Capstone course requires students to have turned in at least a draft of the Major Research Paper to their adviser, as well as turned in an Application for Graduation; students must also have taken at least seven core courses.
PLEASE NOTE THAT MPA COURSES FILL QUICKLY SO IT IS IMPERATIVE TO REGISTER WHEN YOUR APPOINTMENT FIRST OPENS. THE MPA PROGRAM WILL NOT EXCEED ENROLLMENT CAPS UNLESS A STUDENT MUST HAVE THE COURSE TO GRADUATE THAT SPECIFIC SEMESTER.
Am I able to take concentration (elective) classes outside the PADMN designation?
Yes. However, at least one three-credit concentration course must be taken under the PADMN designation. This leaves students up to four classes (12 cedits) that can be taken outside of the program. Approval of the courses must come first from the program manager (before the course begins) to ensure the course has a tie to public administration. Students must also submit a hard copy of the first page of the syllabus for their student file to the MPA office--these must be received before a student is cleared to graduate.
If I take a 5000 level class, will it count towards my MPA?
Sometimes. If a class is offered at the 6000 level, MPA students must register at the 6000 level. Some 5000 level courses are acceptable as concentration classes if they are not offered at the 6000 level. Please email the program manager the course title and description or a copy of the syllabus for review. The program manager will decide if the course is acceptable. Please note 3000/5000 level courses will not be accepted and unless the circumstance is unusual only one 5000 level course will be accepted.
Do I have to maintain a minimum GPA?
You must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA in your graduate work with no individual grade lower than a “C.” You must also maintain a 3.0 GPA in core courses. Students whose GPAs fall below a 3.0, or who accumulate more than 3 incompletes, will be placed on probation. Probation may carry specific requirements that the student must meet in order for probation to be removed.
Do I have to write my Major Research Paper (MRP) in the context of a class?
Preferably. Once the course Research Design has been completed, the MRP may be written in any remaining course and should be completed by the Capstone Course. If the instructor agrees to supervise, s/he will set expectations for progress on the MRP that will be included in the final grade. If the MRP is not completed during the class, it can be finished in subsequent semesters. Please remember students must be registered the semester they graduate--indpendent faculty consultation is available for registration if students do not get their MRP's done during course work.
Who can supervise my MRP?
Any regular faculty member and some adjunct instructors. Please see list for faculty approved. MRP Approved Faculty
When do I have to declare my area of concentration?
Students will be asked to declare their area of concentration after the completion of the first semester.
When do I have to complete my graduation application?
Two semesters prior to graduation; forms are due in the CPPA office on the following dates:
Fall Graduation: June 1
Spring Graduation: November 1
Summer Graduation: February 1
Graduation Application
When do I walk?
The University of Utah holds graduation and commencement ceremonies only in the spring. However, all MPA graduates are encouraged to walk. Please remember you are welcome to walk even if graduating in the fall or summer. Caps and gowns must be ordered ahead of time, but only sign up to walk the day of. College Graduation Information
What happens if I do not enroll in any classes for a semester?
The University of Utah requires all students maintain continuous enrollment by registering for a minimum of three credits during every fall and spring semester from matriculation through completion of all classes. Students are required to be enrolled in at least three semester credits the semester they graduate. If students complete class work, but not their MRP, then they must enroll in three credits of faculty consultation the semester they finish their MRP and wish to graduate. Summer semester is only considered part of continuous registration if it is a semester a student wishes to graduate, otherwise students do not need to register for summer though many do. If a fall or spring semester needs to be missed, please fill out a Leave of Absence Form from theRegistrar's Officeand return it to the MPA Office--a LOA form cannot be filled out for a final semester when a student wishes to graduate. The form should be submitted as early in the semester as possible, with the cut off date being the final day of classes for the semester the student is not attending. The staff will obtain the required signatures and forward copies to the Registrar's Office.
What happens if I fail to complete a course?
Students are encouraged to attend classes regularly and fulfill requirements for each course. If an unusual circumstance arises, students can work with the professor to take an Incomplete (I) (T in some instances is given rather than an I) in the course. Please be advised the University requires I's only be allowed if 80% of the course work is completed. Students have one year to complete the course. If the course is not completed within a year, the I or T will turn into an E, which constitutes as a failing grade. Students will then be required to re-take the course. Students with three I's will be placed on academic probation.
Students are responsible for reading the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities