Should YOU be interested?
Are you committed to bettering your neighborhood, your community, your country? Interested in serving the public? Dedicated to improving the human condition through public service? Are you civic minded?

What kinds of students enroll in your programs?
The MPA program serves a diverse student clientele. Some are mid-career professionals in the public or nonprofit sector, some are looking for opportunities to change their career paths, and some have recently completed their undergraduate studies and realize the need for professional training to launch successful careers. 74% of our students are part-time and most of them have full-time jobs.

What is the current job market for MPAs?
Employment demand for professionals to provide leadership, financial management, policy analysis and other such skills has never been stronger. The Chicago region alone is home to numerous state and federal agencies, major nonprofit organizations, and more local governments than any other metropolitan area in the country. Opportunities for internships and ultimately for placement in government agencies and the non-profit sector are exceptionally good.

What is the Master in Public Administration degree?
The UIC-MPA curriculum is designed to provide both pre-service and working students with the theoretical understanding, analytical tools, and up-to-date information needed for successful careers in the public service. The program informs students of the broad contexts of the profession; provides an understanding of organization theory and organizational behavior; teaches the principles of human resource management and financial administration; instructs how to apply qualitative and quantitative techniques to solve problems and answer questions; introduces a broad range of management methods and tools, and explores current issues facing managers and administrators in the public setting. In addition to completing formal course work, each student participates in team-based field work that integrates classroom learning with practical experience. Each student also has the option of participating in an organized internship placement with a public service agency.

Through a combination of elective and required courses, students may pursue specialized concentrations in the following areas:

• Information Technology - includes courses in information systems and other applications, the use of the internet in government, the management of information technology, and special topics courses in areas such as geographic information systems.
• Financial Management - included courses in budgeting, the management of the financial affairs of government, accounting, economics, and special topics courses in areas such as public finance.
• Public Management - includes courses in organizational theory and public management, innovative management practices, program evaluation, and special topics courses in decision making, strategic management, and leadership.
• Survey Methods - includes courses in survey planning and design, sampling and estimation methods, the psychology of survey measurement and cross-cultural survey measurement.
• Local Government Management - includes courses in local government management, intergovernmental management, and urban expertise across the university in courses such as urban policy, urban politics, and local economic development.

What about program administered financial assistance?
University Fellowships are awarded through competitions conducted by the UIC Graduate College. Each graduate program submits the names and credentials of applicants it feels deserves consideration in the campus-wide competitions. Included in this category is the Abraham Lincoln Graduate Fellowship Program -- a program intended to increase the number of students from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in graduate and professional programs of study. Fellowships include tuition and service fee waivers and provide annual stipends.

Graduate Assistantships are awarded at the program level and at the discretion of the Director. They are normally awarded on an academic year basis beginning in August. MPA students may be hired as research assistants to PA Program faculty or to other CUPPA research and academic units. MPA students are also occasionally hired as research assistants on projects funded by various governmental and nongovernmental agencies. Assistantships include a stipend based on the number of hours worked and a tuition and service fee waiver.

Tuition and Service Fee Waivers are awarded by the PA Program through Graduate College funding on a semester basis. Eligible degree-seeking students must be in good academic standing and registered for 12 credit hours for that semester (8 credit hours in the summer).

Prospective and continuing students interested in funding opportunities for full-time study should contact Sean Kennelly, Assistant Director at 312.996.2160 or sean@uic.edu.

When are classes offered?
Almost all classes are offered in the evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday thru Thursday. Occasionally a class will be offered at an earlier time during the week (i.e. 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)

Who teaches? Part-time or full-time faculty?
In general, full-time faculty teach required courses and courses within their specialties. The program's full-time faculty is comple¬mented by several distinguished, adjunct professors who are recognized practitioners in the areas of public policy, management, and administration. Part-time faculty teach courses in their specialties.

HOW TO APPLY

What are the prerequisites for admission?
There are no specific course prerequisites for our programs. We accept students with a variety of backgrounds and degrees. Applicants must have a baccalaureate from an accredited college or university with a grade point average of at least 3.00 (A=4.00) for the final 60 semester hours of undergraduate study. In exceptional cases, applicants with grade point averages lower than 3.00 (but above 2.75) may be admitted on limited standing, with clearly stated conditions that must be met for conversion to full graduate standing.

What is required to apply to the MPA Program?
Applicants must submit the following: Graduate College Application; application processing fee of $50 (checks only with your SSN on it payable to University of Illinois; credit cards are accepted if submitting the application online); official transcripts (sealed) from all undergraduate institutions attended; three letters of recommendation (sealed and signed) from former professors or supervisors; one-two page personal statement; resume; sample of your written work no more than 8-10 pages double spaced in length; GRE scores (optional for MPA applicants but required if applying for department administered financial aid); Application for Graduate Appointment Form (if you wish to be considered for a research assistantship. All of these materials should be sent in one complete package directly to the PA Program.

Do I need to take the GRE?
GRE scores are required for all PhD applicants and for MPA applicants requesting program administered financial assistance. MPA applicants who are not requesting program administered financial assistance are recommended, not required to submit GRE scores. Only recent scores (less than 5 years old) will be accepted.

What is the application deadline?
It is to your advantage to apply earlier than the deadlines listed below. Immigrant and domestic applicants with credits from foreign colleges and universities observe the international application/credential deadline.

**For fullest consideration, fall MPA applicants should apply by February 1st. MPA degree seeking applicants who want to be considered for financial assistance must apply by February 1st, for fall consideration. Although the initial deadline for individuals seeking financial assistance for the fall semester is February 1, MPA applicants whose applications are received after the deadline can still be considered for financial aid. The sooner the application is received, the better chance there is of receiving aid.

How long does it take to get accepted? When will I know?
If you meet the priority deadline (Feb 1st) for fall applications, you will receive a written notice of the PA Admission Committee's recommendation approximately four weeks following the deadline. Shortly after this notice you will receive written confirmation from the Graduate College of their approval of our decision.

When can I start?
MPA applicants may apply for admission for the fall, spring, or summer semesters. PhD applicants may apply for admission for the fall.

Can I transfer credits from other programs?
Students may transfer up to 27 credit hours with the following restrictions: courses must carry graduate level credit; courses cannot have been used toward another degree; courses must be related to or are a strong equivalent to courses in the PA Program; credit must have been earned within the last seven years; students must have earned an "A" or a "B" for the course; students must receive approval from their advisor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate College by completing the necessary paperwork at the PA Program Office.

How do I apply for program-administered financial assistance?
Applicants must submit an "Application for Graduate Appointment" form to the Public Administration Program in addition to all of the materials required for admission to the degree program. Please note that the deadline to submit an application to the program is earlier for students who want to be considered for program-administered financial assistance.

EXPECTATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Will I have an advisor?
A faculty advisor will be assigned to you at the time of admission.

What kind of computer skills will I need?
All new students will receive an e-mail account. Students will also have Internet access at computer labs located throughout campus. Students are required to use e-mail, the web, and word processing software each semester.

How many courses/credit hours will I need to graduate?
Students must complete 52 credit hours (approximately 13 classes) to receive the MPA degree. This includes 8 required courses (32 hours total) and the required capstone course (4 hours). Students must take three courses (12 hours) in a selected concentration plus one additional course (4 hours) of the student's choosing selected in consultation with the student's advisor.

How long does it take to finish?
Full-time students (three classes or more per semester) generally finish in two years (five semesters total, completing the internship during the intervening summer session). Part-time students (one or two classes per semester) generally finish in three (two classes per semester, completing the optional internship course or a core course during the second summer in residence) to six years (1 class per semester).

How often are courses offered?
Required courses are generally offered twice each academic year. Elective courses are offered at variable intervals.

What if I need to take a semester off?
The Graduate College allows students to take one semester off. Additional time must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and requires completing paperwork.

Do I have to take an internship?
Students have the option of working in an organization such as a governmental agency, community group, or non-profit organization. Interns are required to submit written work and meet with professor on periodic basis to review work experience. Students who have no prior work experience in the public or non-profit sectors are strongly recommended to register for this course. Students may substitute four internship course credits for the "at-large" elective course required of all MPA students. Students may take more than one Field Experience course. However, only four credits of PA 490 will be counted toward the MPA degree.

What kind of job can I expect to get with this degree?
Included among the positions secured by recent program graduates are:

Federal Government
Director of Disability Programs, Social Security Administration
Program Analyst, Office of Inspector General
Management Specialist, Transportation Security Administration
Executive Officer, Illinois Army National Guard
Human Resources Specialist, Department of Veteran's Affairs

State Government
Chicago District Commissioner, Illinois State Police
Special Projects Director, Illinois Child Care Bureau, Illinois Department of Human Services
Senior IT Project Manager, Chicago Transit Authority
Assistant Laboratory Director, Joliet Forensic Science Laboratory, Illinois State Police
Associate Dean, Graduate College, UIC
Assistant Dean of Communications, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, UIC

Local Government
Budget Analyst, Office of Budget and Management, City of Chicago
Captain, City of Chicago Police Department
Assistant City Manager, City of Deerfield Beach, Florida
County Administrator, Peoria County, Illinois
Chief Operations Research Analyst, City of Chicago, Department of Police
Deputy Commissioner, City of Chicago, Department of Planning and Development
Non-Profit Organizations
Associate Director, McCormick Tribune Foundation
Director of Development, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
Associate Director, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
Director of Grants, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
Executive Director, Mayer and Morris Kaplan Family Foundation

Private Organizations
Associate, Kane, McKenna, and Associates (consulting firm specializing in municipal finance)
Senior Policy Analyst, The QED Group, LLC
Senior Civil Engineer, Superior Property Services
Finance and Employee Benefit Manager, Jane Addams Resource Corporation

• organization skills
• budgeting skills
• statistical skills
• managing people skills
• decision making skills
• policy analysis skills

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