Department of Political Science

Entrance requirements

1. 3.00 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate degree from an accredited institution.
2. Three strong letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors and/or persons well acquainted with the applicant's education and abilities.  Letters should be submitted directly to the Director of the MPA program.
3. A minimum score of 290 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general examination.
4. Applicants with a GPA between 2.75 and 2.99 and/or score of less than 290 on the GRE test may be admitted to the program on a provisional status at the discretion of the MPA director.  A personal interview may be required.

Graduate assistantships

All students applying for a graduate assistantship must have their GRE scores (verbal and quantitative) on file at the time of application.  All graduate assistants in Political Science are required to take 9 hours of course work per semester.

Advisement

1. The MPA director may waive the internship requirement for students who have appropriate and sufficient prior work experience in public or not-for-profit organizations.  Students with prior work experience in the public or not-for-profit sector should submit a letter to the MPA director requesting a waiver in the internship requirement along with a copy of his/her resume.  Students for whom an internship requirement is waived must still take a three hour course to substitute for the internship.
2. All MPA students in consultation with the MPA director will select an area of concentration (cognate field) within the MPA degree.  Students shall take elective courses from the list of courses for the area of concentration he/she has selected.  Exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the MPA director.
3. All MPA students should work closely with the MPA director in completing their required and elective courses, internship, Advisor Approved Program of Study, and comprehensive examination.
4. Students interested in pursuing a thesis option should establish a thesis committee consisting of three graduate faculty members and select one of the members to serve as chair of the thesis committee.  The chair of the committee will guide the student through the entire thesis process.

Degree Requirements (Minimum of 39 hrs)

1. Required Core:
   
   

   Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
   PLS 673	Policy Analysis	3 hrs
   PLS 676	Quantitative Methods of Political Science and Public Policy	3 hrs
   PLS 752	Public Personnel Management	3 hrs
   PLS 753	Management Techniques and Organizational Behavior	3 hrs
   PLS 756	Financial Management for State and Local Government	3 hrs
   PLS 771	Seminar in Public Administration	3 hrs
   PLS 778	Ethics and Leadership in the Public Sector	3 hrs
   	Total Core	21 hrs

   Note:  If the student has taken a 500-level required course for undergraduate credit, he/she shall substitute   a 600 or 700-level course selected with the approval of the advisor and the department for the course already taken.

2. Internship:  (PLS 781 In-Service Training in Public Administration).  In-service training in an approved local, county, state, federal, non-profit or other approved agency (unless waived for candidate with adequate experience). 0-3 hrs
3. Research:
   1. Non-thesis option.  Complete required core courses and up to 18 hours of courses in student’s chosen area of concentration (see #4 below).
   2. Thesis option.  Complete required core courses, PLS 799 Thesis (6 hours), and up to 12 hours of courses in student’s chosen area of concentration (see #5 below).
4. Areas of Concentration:  The MPA student will take the required courses in his/her area of concentration and will select other courses to fill out the elective requirements depending on whether the internship is waived and which research option is selected. Required area of concentration courses:  9-18 hrs
   1. Local Government Management:
      
      

      Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
      PLS 776	Local Public Service Delivery	3 hrs
      PLS 777	Local Government and Politics and Administration	3 hrs

   2. Public Policy:
      
      

      Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
      PLS 762	Public Policy and Program Evaluation	3 hrs
      PLS 763	The Policy Process	3 hrs

   3. Public Safety:
      
      

      Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
      PLS 772	Introduction to Public Safety Services	3 hrs
      PLS 773	Hazard Analysis, Mitigation, and Preparedness	3 hrs
      	Total	39 hrs

   Within each area of concentration, students may use the additional course(s) to pursue more specialized interests.

5. Comprehensive Examination.  The Director of the MPA Program will prepare and administer a written comprehensive examination covering the general field of public administration, reflected in the required core courses offered.  All students except those who choose a thesis option and successfully complete a master’s thesis will be required to take and pass a written comprehensive examination.  Students who do not perform at satisfactory level on their comprehensive examination will be required to pass an oral examination until all course requirements for the degree have been satisfied.

Accelerated Master of Public Administration Option

Eligible Missouri State University majors in political science may apply for preliminary acceptance into the Master of Public Administration program after admission requirements for the accelerated master’s option have been satisfied.  If accepted, the undergraduate requirements for PLS 673 (Policy Analysis), PLS 676 (Quantitative Methods of Political Science and Public Policy), and PLS 781 (In-service Training in Public Administration) can be counted for both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

In addition, PLS 771 (Seminar in Public Administration) can be taken during the student’s senior year and can also count toward both degrees.  This option gives exceptional undergraduate students the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ten semesters and a summer.  Contact the Director of the MPA Program for further information and guidelines.

Before enrolling in a course to be counted as both undergraduate and graduate credit and to count the course toward the master’s degree, an undergraduate student must be accepted into the accelerated program and receive prior approval from the graduate program director, department head of the undergraduate program, and the dean of the Graduate College.  Acceptance into the program and all approvals must be completed prior to the end of the Change of Schedule Period for the course(s).  See the Graduate College for further information.

Admission Process for the Accelerated MPA Option

Immediately prior to or during the junior year, the prospective student should discuss the possibility of participating in the Accelerated Master’s Degree program with their undergraduate advisor and Department Head of the Political Science Department.  If the student’s academic record and potential are judged strong, the Head recommends the student to the proposed Accelerated MPA program.  Undergraduate students who enter the Accelerated Master’s Degree program should have a sponsor, i.e., a MPA faculty member who will serve as a mentor to the student throughout the undergraduate and graduate programs.

A student must be admitted into the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program at Missouri State University in order to begin taking graduate course work for dual credit.  Students admitted into the Accelerated Master’s Degree program will not be fully admitted into the Graduate College until completion of their undergraduate degree and fulfillment of all other requirements for admission to the Graduate College (such as the Graduate Record Examination).  Students should be awarded the bachelor’s degree upon completion of a minimum of 125 hours of combined graduate and undergraduate course work and degree specific requirements.

To be admitted into the Master’s of Public Administration program, you must meet specific requirements:

Admission requirements for the accelerated MPA option

1. Public administration and political science undergraduate students must have at least junior standing and a minimum of 60 credit hours.
2. Applicants must have a minimum 3.50 GPA in the public administration or political science curriculum and 3.00 overall GPA.
3. Students in the Accelerated Master’s Degree Program must maintain a 3.50 GPA in the public administration and/or political science curriculums and maintain a 3.00 overall GPA to remain in the program.
4. Transfer students will be allowed into the Accelerated Master's Degree Program.  Transfer students must have a minimum of 30 graded hours of course work at Missouri State University before they can be accepted into the program.
5. A maximum of 12 credits of accumulated graduate hours may be applied toward completion of their undergraduate degree requirements.  The following courses will be allowed:
   
   

   Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
   PLS 673	Policy Analysis	3 hrs
   PLS 676	Quantitative Methods of Political Science and Public Policy	3 hrs
   PLS 771	Seminar in Public Administration	3 hrs
   PLS 781	In-Service Training in Public Administration	3 hrs

Program description 

The Certificate in Public Management (CPM) is a post-baccalaureate program designed to enable practitioners in government and non-profit organizations to acquire knowledge and skills in public administration without pursuing a full master’s degree.  This is an ideal academic program for individuals working in mid-level jobs who have not previously received professional training in public administration.  While the focus is on the public sector, the courses teach leadership and problem solving skills that apply to the non-profit sector as well.

The CPM requires a total of 18 hours of graduate credits involving a mix of required and elective credits.  The courses are the same as those offered to MPA students.  The courses must be completed within four years of admission into the program.  The program does not require a comprehensive examination, area of concentration, or a capstone research requirement.

Admission to the MPA program from CPM

Admission to and successful completion of the CPM in no way guarantees admission to the MPA program.  Students who are enrolled in or have completed the CPM must apply separately for admission to the MPA and comply with the MPA admission standards and the requirements of the Graduate College, including completion of the GRE.

The CPM is designed for persons in management positions who need a limited number of selected courses in contemporary methods, skills, and models of management.  On occasion, however, a person may pursue the CPM and then decide that it would be desirable to pursue the MPA degree.  All CPM credits may be applied to the MPA.

Requests for information

For information about the Graduate Programs in Public Administration, please contact:  Mark Rushefsky, MPA Program Director, Department of Political Science, Missouri State University, 901 S. National Avenue, Springfield MO 65897. (MarkRushefsky@missouristate.edu)

Admission deadlines

Application packages should be received by the program office one month prior to the semester you wish to begin. Students may begin the Fall, Spring, or Summer semester.

Completion requirements

Students must have an overall grade point average of 3.00 for completion of the certificate program.

Required courses - 18 hours total

Required Core - 12 hrs

Elective Methodology Courses: (Choose 1) - 3 hrs

Concentration Subfields (Choose 1) - 3 hrs

Entrance Requirements

1. Normally, applicants with a 3.00 GPA or above in their undergraduate degree from an accredited institution and a combined GRE score of not less than 290 on the verbal and quantitative sections will be admitted to the MGS program in good standing.  A minimum score of 290 is required on the combined verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE, with a minimum of 150 in the verbal or quantitative section and a score of not less than 140 on the other.  All students applying for admission must take the GRE before being admitted into the program.
2. Three strong letters from professors at the undergraduate level and/or persons well acquainted with the applicant’s education and abilities will be admitted to the MGS program in good standing.  These letters are to be submitted to the Director of the MGS program.
3. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA between 2.75 and 2.99 and/or a score of less than 290 on the GRE may be admitted to the program on a provisional basis.  A personal interview may be requested.
4. Foreign students applying for admission to the MGS program who do not have an undergraduate degree from an American university must have completed the equivalent of an undergraduate degree at an accredited university. They must also demonstrate graduate-level proficiency in English by either having achieved a score of 550 on the paper-based, or a comparable score of 71 on the IBT or internet- based TOEFL, or by other equivalent means.

Prerequisite Courses

The MGS program does not require any specific prerequisite courses.  However, an applicant may be advised or required to take undergraduate prerequisite courses in areas pertinent to the MGS program.  For example, an applicant with little or no statistical training will be required to take an undergraduate course in statistics, or a student who has little knowledge of global affairs may be advised to take an undergraduate course in international and/or comparative politics before enrolling in the respective graduate seminars in these two fields.

Graduate Assistantships

All students applying for a graduate assistantship must have their GRE scores (verbal and quantitative) on file at the time of application.  All graduate assistants in Political Science are required to take 9 hours of course work per semester.

Degree Requirements (Minimum of 39 hours)

1. Required Core:
   
   

   Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
   PLS 705	Seminar in Comparative Politics	3 hrs
   PLS 713	Seminar in Foreign Policy Decisionmaking	3 hrs
   PLS 715	Comparative Public Administration	3 hrs
   PLS 721	International Political Economy	3 hrs
   PLS 732	International Relations in Theory and Practice	3 hrs
   PLS 737	Seminar in International Organizations	3 hrs
   	Total	18 hrs

2. Research.  A student will be required to complete 3-6 hours in one of the following two options:
   1. Non-Thesis Option – Complete required core courses (18 hours), and 21 hours in chosen cognate field (see below), including PLS 780
   2. Thesis Option – Compete required core courses (18 hours), and 15 hours in chosen cognate field, and 6 hours of PLS 799.  The thesis option is only open to students who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.70.
3. Cognate Fields.  The MGS candidate, in consultation with the Program Director and with approval of the department head, may choose one of the following four cognate fields: 15-18 hrs
1. International Relations/Comparative Politics.  PLS 635, 642, 644, 645, 646, 648, 650, 757, 771, 780, 781, 782, 797; HST 643, 656, 659, 661, 671, 688, 740, 760; ECO 620; GRY 607, 697
2. Public Administration:  PLS 673, 755, 759, 762, 763, 780, 781, 782, 797; MGT 747, 764, 765; LAW 682; PLN 605, 670, 671, 672
3. International Economics and Business:  PLS 780, 781, 782, 797; ECO 665, 705, 710; ACC 606; LAW 600; MGT 747, 761; MKT 774
4. National Security:  PLS 717, 719, 772, 773, 782; CRM 740; 745 (students who have completed PLS 717, 719, CRM 740 and CRM 745 are eligible to be awarded the Graduate Certificate in Homeland Security and Defense from the College of Humanities and Public Affairs if the student has completed all the admission and completion requirements for the certificate through the Graduate College)

   Within each cognate field, a student is required to take courses that are related to each other and reflect the student’s strength and interest.  Depending on the research option selected, students will take five or six courses in their chosen cognate field.

4. Comprehensive Examination.  Upon completion of course work, students with a GPA of less than 3.70 will be required to pass a written comprehensive examination covering the core classes.
5. Exit Interview.  Upon completion of course work, all students will be required to undergo an exit interview with the Program Director.
6. Foreign Language Requirement.  Equivalent of two years of courses in any modern language offered either at Missouri State University or at another institution of higher learning.  A student’s language proficiency may be determined by both written and oral examinations in his/her chosen foreign language.  In some cases, foreign students may substitute their native language, if it is not English, for the language requirement if it is related to their cognate field.
7. Quantitative Methods Requirement.  Students without any statistical background will be required to take course work in this area.  Proficiency in quantitative methods must be demonstrated either by passing a Diagnostic Test in quantitative methods or by having completed PLS 676 (Quantitative Methods of Political Science and Public Policy) or ECO 611 (Intermediate Econometrics) or an equivalent course approved by the Program Director.