2016-2017 University Catalog
Public Administration, MPA
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Banner Code: PP-MPA-PUAD
School/Department: Schar School of Policy and Government (formerly SPGIA)
Mission Statement: The Master of Public Administration (MPA) is designed for people who hold or aspire to hold leadership positions in organizations that participate in the development and implementation of public policy. The mission of the MPA program is to give graduate students the opportunity to build their knowledge of politics, public policy and management and to enhance their analytic, problem solving, and communication skills.
MPA students at Mason have the research and cultural resources of the Washington, D.C. area at their disposal. Government agencies representing all levels in the U.S. federal system are located close to the campus, as are the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Institution. Another benefit is the wide range of internship opportunities available in governmental and nonprofit organizations. The MPA Program regularly has internship invitations from national, state, and local government organizations, as well as from nonprofit organizations whose principal work is at the local, state, national, or international levels. Many of these internships are paid positions.
MPA courses are held at the Fairfax and the Arlington campuses during the week and on the weekend in an accelerated format.
An accelerated master’s option is available to students in any bachelor’s program . See listing for specific requirements.
Admission Requirements
Please see the Graduate Admission Policies section in this catalog for general information on graduate admission to George Mason University. Specific information on application requirements and deadlines for the Master of Public Administration program may be found on the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs admissions web site.
Completed applications for fall and spring semesters are reviewed on a rolling basis, with late applications considered on a space-available basis. Students may be admitted for nondegree study and apply a limited number of credits toward the master’s degree should they choose to apply to the degree program later, in accordance with university and school policy.
Academic Policies
Students admitted to an SPGIA graduate program will be terminated from SPGIA upon receiving one grade of F and are no longer eligible to take courses in SPGIA. Per university regulation, students are terminated from the university after accumulating grades of F in two courses or 9 credits of unsatisfactory grades in graduate courses. The catalog contains additional information on university graduate academic policies .
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