The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program at the University of Miami is a 48-credit program which students typically complete in two years. University of Miami current undergraduate students now have the opportunity to earn their graduate, MPA, degree in one year. Those students who choose the five-year, two degree option can earn up to 12 graduate coursework credits in their senior year as an undergraduate. The remaining 36 graduate credits may be earned through full-time study in one year and a summer. With only 36 credits and one additional year of work, the five year program at the University of Miami is a financially competitive alternative to other two year MPA programs where tuition may be less.
Students must complete 12 credits from the course list below. No substitutes are permitted. A grade of at least a “B” is required in any undergraduate course that will be counted for MPA credit. *POL 501 and 521 do not fulfill the requirements for “senior seminars.” Political Science majors must complete two senior seminars as part of their 24-credits. All other courses listed above do meet this requirement.
Typically, seniors would take two 500-level courses each semester for credit toward the MPA degree. One course could be taken during intersession and counted toward the 12 credits. Students would officially be admitted to the MPA program in the last semester of their senior year. When undergraduate students take courses that will be counted toward the MPA degree, the course instructors will be notified that these students are MPA candidates. Additional work or different grading expectations may be applied by the instructor. Again, a grade of at least a “B” will be needed for a course to be accepted toward the graduate degree requirements.
Students graduating in spring would take two graduate classes during the summer between their fourth and fifth years, and five graduate classes in the fall and spring semesters of their fifth year. One class during the fifth year intersession could also be used to reduce the course load in one of the semesters.
Students graduating in fall could begin graduate work in the spring semester, with an expected five course load. One graduate course during intersession could be used to reduced the regular semester load. Two graduate courses during the summer and five in the fall semester would complete the degree requirements.