Master of Public Administration

Master of Public Administration Mission Statement

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state, and federal government, and increasingly non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGO). MPA students can also become managers in a variety of large, public-serving institutions such as universities, hospitals, and multi-national companies. It is our goal that those completing an MPA Program will increasingly be called to work in large national and multi-national organizations in support of the public good. The program focuses on the systematic investigation of executive organization and management. The main objective of the program is to help students in understanding and recognizing the development and principles of the field of public administration, as well as the making, management, implementation, and assessment of public policy in our society today.

Expected Learning Outcomes

  1. To lead and manage in the public, nonprofit, and health care sectors
  2. To understand, analyze, and participate in the public policy process
  3. To analyze, solve, and track public sector problems
  4. To articulate public sector values

Admissions Requirements

  1. Bachelor’s Degree – Student must complete bachelor’s degree from an institution with regional accreditation or equivalent verification in the case of international degrees. An international degree must follow university policies in existence for certifying international degrees and/or credit.
    • Recommended undergraduate course work: Two courses that focused upon American National Government, State and Local Government, or any equivalent courses focused on the three branches of government, or courses about government structure, policy making, and administration and budgeting.
  2. Undergraduate Grade Point Average – Students must have achieved an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher on a four (4)-point scale.
  3. Letters of Reference – Two letters of reference from the applicant’s undergraduate instructors or one letter from an instructor and one from a professional source are required.
  4. Personal Statement – Submit an essay detailing the student’s purpose for attending the LMU MPA program, relevant skills, qualification, preparation, and a statement of goals after completing the program.
  5. Transfer Credit – A maximum of nine (9) graduate credit hours closely related to the MPA degree will be allowed in transfer by approval of the program’s Admissions Committee.
  6. Entrance Interview – An entrance interview may be requested if one or more requirements are not met.

Graduation Requirements

  1. A minimum of thirty (30) credit hours of graduate course work, including all required courses, is required for graduation with the Master of Public Administration degree General, Nonprofit, and Health Care Policy tracks.
  2. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet or exceed this standard of academic progress in the subsequent semester will result in dismissal from the program.
  3. All students must complete a comprehensive examination.
    1. Students must complete all required courses in the program prior to taking the comprehensive examination.
    2. Comprehensive examination will be administered in the semester prior to graduation. For instance, students planning to graduate in the Spring semester should complete their comprehensive examination by the end of the preceding Fall semester.
    3. Students must schedule their comprehensive examination with the program director by the eighth week of the semester that they plan to take the examination.
    4. The comprehensive examination is graded on a pass/fail basis.
    5. Students unable to pass the comprehensive examination will be required to retake sections for which they did not receive a passing grade. Failure to successfully pass all sections of the comprehensive examination will result in a failure to meet graduation requirements. Students have up to three (3) attempts at a section to achieve a passing score. Students that do not achieve a passing score in a section must enroll in a one (1) hour independent study per section failed to refocus their studies and retake the examination.
  4. Completion of all program and university assessments and surveys.

Curriculum & Standards

The curriculum of the MPA program at LMU is designed to enhance a student’s academic qualifications. All classes are preparatory coursework for post-graduate goals in programs leading to a terminal degree. Please note that the semester’s schedules and/or coursework and timeframes are subject to change based upon individual student needs or as determined by the Admissions Committees and Program Directors.

Non-PADM Electives

Students may, upon consultation with their advisor, choose up to nine (9) hours of approved MSCJ courses.

Degrees and Certificates