Master's of Public Administration (MPA) degree program
The Master's of Public Administration (MPA) degree program is a flexible, professional program designed for those who wish to hold administrative positions in the wide range of executive environments within the public sector. Graduates are trained for employment with government agencies at the federal, state, or local level, and with regional or sub-state organizations. Opportunities are also available with nonprofit organizations, public interest groups or commissions, private corporations that work with government agencies, and international organizations.
The program serves both pre and in-service students. Pre-service students, without prior administrative experience, enjoy great success in obtaining valuable internships while pursuing their degree and challenging employment upon graduation. For in-service students the program is valuable for building essential skillsets beneficial for their present administrative positions, and career advancement.
The Master's of Public Administration (MPA) degree at Kansas State University prepares both pre and in-service students to serve the public interest and establish themselves as civic leaders. The program emphasizes a theoretically informed and research driven skills based approach to learning, designed to ensure that our students develop specific competencies that prepare them for the challenges of working in the public and non-profit sectors. Our faculty’s approach to education begins with a broad exposure to policy systems, political environments, administrative principals and research methods. Additionally, our students are required to think critically, apply knowledge and seek practical solutions to real world problems. Our low faculty-to-student ratio contributes to a student-centered learning environment in which we are able to instill in our students the ethics of public service and professional management that are critical to the diverse and changing modern workplace.
The program requires 36 credit hours for in-service students and 37 credit hours for pre-service students. It typically takes full-time students 2 years to complete the program.
Full-time graduate enrollment is 9 credit hours each fall and spring semester. A typical full-time student can complete the program in two years.
This includes:
four semesters of full-time study; and
one internship semester*, usually taken in the summer after their first year of study. (*Pre-service students only)
Part-time Students
Students studying part-time must complete thier coursework within six years, but are strongly encouraged to finish the program in six semesters (3 years).
The MPA program can be completed either in-person or online. All core courses and most electives are offered synchronously with the in-person course sections via Zoom. Distance students must be available to attend during scheduled course times.
A degree in Public Administration prepares students for a wide variety of careers, from working with government agencies to international organizations. While completing their degree, our program provides students with the skills and experience necessary to be successful in the competitive career market, through professional internships.
Most recently, our students had internship experiences at:
Manhattan Housing Authority - Manhattan, KS
Flint Hills Breadbasket - Manhattan, KS
Kansas Department of Health and Environment - Topeka, KS
Manhattan Area Resettlement Team - Manhattan, KS
City Manager's Office - Topeka, Kansas
Below is employment data for the last five years from graduates of the MPA program, as well as information on degree completion during 2020-2021 (our program evaluates completion data five years after students enter the program to get the most accurate account of enrollment).
Assuming three courses (nine credit hours) per semester, the prescribed length of our program for full-time students is two years, including one summer session for pre-service student internships.
Nine students entered the program during this period. Six were full-time students. Four of the full-time students in this cohort graduated in the prescribed length of time. The other two full-time students withdrew from the program.
The remaining three students were part-time students (took less than nine credit hours during fall and spring semesters). Two part-time students withdrew from the program before completion. The other part-time student is still activley taking one class per semester. For a part-time student, five years is our benchmark for degree completion.
Once admitted into the program, students will be assigned to one of our graduate academic advisors (Dr. Bernick,Dr. Heidbreder, or Dr. Zhang). Students are strongly encouraged to meet regularly with their advisor in order to plan course work, to map out the Area of Emphasis, and to make career plans.
Upon completing 9 credit hours of coursework, students should meet with their advisor and identify a Major Professor and Supervisory Committee. This committee shall be composed of at least three members (with two or more being MPA faculty).
To be eligible to apply for the program, a student must have a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). Those with at least a 2.8 GPA may be admitted on "probation," or on "special student" category.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores can be submitted for those applying to the program, but they are not required. **For applicants with a GPA below 3.0 at the institution at which they earned their bachelor's degree, GRE scores are particularly important in meeting the GPA requirements for admission to the KSU Graduate School.
English Language Proficiency: The Graduate School requires each international applicant whose native language is not English to demonstrate competence in the English language by making a satisfactory score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and Pearson Test of English (PTE). The TOEFL, IELTS or PTE is required to ensure that language barriers do not jeopardize the student’s progress toward a degree.
Note: Applicants who have received a degree in the last two years from a United States college or university do not have to provide English proficiency test scores.
Note: Applicants who are from registered English speaking countries do not have to provide English proficiency test scores.
There are two types of TOEFL scores: paper-based TOEFL and TOEFL IBT (internet-based TOEFL taken in real time). The test date should be no older than eighteen months from the application deadline.
The IELTS Academic test assesses English language proficiency in the areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking. The listening, reading and writing components of the IELTS test are completed on the same day, with no breaks in between them. The speaking component, however, can be completed up to a week before or after the other tests. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the initial test date.
PTE Academic is a computer-based academic English language proficiency test designed to measure reading, writing, listening and speaking skills, as they are used in an academic setting. The entire three-hour test is taken in one sitting. Kansas State University requires a minimum score of 58 on PTE Academic and a 58 for all subscores (listening, reading, writing, and speaking).
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TEST SCORE REQUIREMENTS
Test
Minimum Score
IBT TOEFL (internet based)
79
TOEFL (PBT)
550
IELTS
6.5
Pearson Test of English
58
Affidavit of Financial Support: U.S. Immigration regulations require Kansas State University to verify that international students have the financial resources to pay for all educational, living, and other expenses
II. Application Deadlines
Deadlines differ between domestic and international applicants, please observe the deadlines relating to your student status.
DOMESTIC STUDENTS
Fall (begins in late August): August 1st
Spring (begins in late January): January 1st
Summer (begins in late May): May 1st
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Fall (begins in late August): January 8th
Spring (begins in late January): August 1st
Our program operates on a "rolling admission", meaning students with fully completed applications may know whether or not they have been accepted at any time before the admission deadline.
III. How to Apply
Those interested in applying for the Master's of Public Administration (MPA) program must complete the following (instructions for international applicants included):
Three letters of recommendation (must be originals on official letterhead uploaded directly to your application by your references)
Transcript(s) from previous college(s) attended
SUPPORTING MATERIALS - INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Statement of Objectives (or Personal Statement)
Three letters of recommendation (must be originals on official letterhead uploaded directly to your application by your references)
Transcript(s) from previous college(s) attended
English language proficieny test (see Requirements for International Students under Admission Requirements for details)
Please request your scores to be sent to Kansas State University. An applicant who has received a degree in the last two years from a United States college/university OR is from a registered English speaking country is exempt from this requirement.
The Department of Political Science offers two types of financial assistance to support graduate students: graduate assistantships and graduate scholarships/fellowships.
The department provides financial aid for assistance with faculty teaching, research, or sometimes both. A graduate assistant's assignment depends on the needs of the department and abilities of the assistant.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Graduate assistants are chosen based on the following:
Academic performance, promise, and intellectual ability
Teaching and research needs of the department faculty
Financial need of the applicant
Minimum 6 hour (full-time) enrollment during term of assistance
Reasonable progress towards Master's degree
Does not hold another paid full-time position
AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE
Graduate assistantships involve a stipend, a tuition waiver and fee reductions. The amount of the stipend changes from year to year and may be obtained by contacting the Director of Public Administration, Dr. Ethan Bernick.
SUPERVISION
Each assistant is assigned to one or two faculty members, depending on the department's needs and the student's preference. Graduate assistants may be asked to help any member of the department faculty, subject to clearance with the student's principal advisors.
DUTIES
Graduate assistants are required to work 20 hours per week in support of their faculty supervisor(s). Faculty supervisors are responsible for notifying their assigned graduate assistant of their obligations for the year, as each graduate assistant is responsible for keeping his or her principal faculty supervisor(s) informed on how these obligations are being met.
CONDITIONS OF ASSISTANTSHIP
All teaching assistants are expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA during the period of appointment and to perform their duties satisfactorily. The department reserves the right to withdraw support if academic performance falls below the 3.0 GPA or if the job performance is not satisfactory.
RENEWAL OF ASSISTANTSHIP
The assistantship is awarded for one academic year. A reapplication is required for each additional year of support.
Graduate Scholarships/Fellowships
The department also offers a number of scholarships/fellowships. These vary in terms of the amount of assistance and the exact requirements of each scholarship/fellowship. To learn more about our department's funding opportunities please visit our Scholarships & Assistantships page.
