Department of Political Science and Public Affairs

Master of Public Administration

Mission Statement

The Master of Public Administration program seeks to train individuals to assume management and leadership positions in the public and non-profit sector.

Objective 1. To provide students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities identified as important to job entry and career advancement.

Objective 2. To help students develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities to act ethically and effectively as public administrators.

Objective 3. To help students apply general public management knowledge and skills in problem solving and addressing community needs.

Objective 4. To encourage students to demonstrate commitment to public service, particularly in internships, organized projects, external involvement, and class focus on service and application.

The MPA Program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).

Application Requirements

Persons seeking admission to the MPA program must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and show promise of high quality work on the graduate level. While there is no specific undergraduate course of study for admission, students must meet the prerequisites for courses in American National Government and Statistics. Students may begin the program during the Fall, Spring and Summer terms. Only completed applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

A completed application consists of the following:

Completed Graduate Application for Admission Online
One official copy of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts
Official scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Millers Analogies Test (MAT) taken within the past five years
A 500-1,000 word statement of purpose
Two letters of reference
A Certificate of Immunization
A current resume highlighting professional and personal accomplishments, as well as linguistic abilities, computer expertise, and leadership experience.
$25 application fee
TOEFL- for students whom English is not a native language. Minimum acceptable scores:
- Minimum of 550/667 on the paper-based test (PBT)
- Minimum of 240/300 on the computer-based test (CBT)
- Minimum of 96/120 on the Internet-based test (iBT)

Admissions

To be granted regular admission status, a student must average a minimum of 90 points on the applicant evaluation form as scored by the Admissions Committee. The program has two admissions categories: regular and provisional. An interview may be scheduled when determined by the Admission Committee.

Provisional Admission

Applicants who score under 90 on the admissions formula may be granted provisional status. While holding this status, students must earn no final course grade below “B” to qualify for regular status. All courses taken in provisional status must be approved by the MPA program coordinator or department chair. The coordinator will review the files of provisional students after completion of nine hours. Under certain circumstances, a student’s file may be reviewed at the completion of six credit hours.

Non-Degree (Special) Admission

Applicants who apply after the published deadline for full consideration for admission or have not submitted all required documents for evaluation may be assigned non-degree admission status with the approval of the Graduate Dean. While in this status, a student may register for no more than two courses after completing the Non-degree Admission Agreement for Graduate Studies. This form requires the signatures of the student and the Graduation Studies Administration. The Admissions Committee does not review files for non-degree students. Any student who registers under this agreement understands that no more than two courses taken in non-degree status may count towards the MPA degree, and that admission in non-degree status is independent of consideration for admission as a regular or provisional student. Students admitted in non-degree status are not eligible for financial aid. Students may take no more than 15 hours of course work in the provisional and non-degree status combined.

SSU Degree Scholar

Juniors or Seniors SSU bachelor degree graduates with a final GPA of 3.5 or above may apply for admission to SSU Degree Scholar program. Applicants to the SSU Degree Scholar program must submit the standard application, except there is no standard test requirement (e.g., GRE, MAT, GMAT). Completed applications will be reviewed, and a formal decision on admission rendered by the Admissions Committee. SSU Degree Scholar students will be accepted as a Provisional Admission and must enroll in the Fall or Spring semester immediately following graduation (i.e. May graduates enroll in Fall, December graduate enroll in Spring).

Fast Track Option

Juniors or Seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and at least 1000 on the SAT may apply for admission to the Fast Track program. Applicants to the Fast Track program must submit the standard application.
Completed applications will be reviewed, and a formal decision on admission rendered by the Admissions Committee. Fast Track students may enroll in and receive graduate credit for up to three MPA courses; these courses are: PADM 6830, 6832, and 6840. Six of these credits may also count towards the undergraduate degree. A student must earn a grade of “B” or better in each MPA course to be allowed to continue in the Fast Track program. All Fast Track students must complete a Fast Track Internship Experience the semester following receipt of the bachelor’s degree.

Academic Probation and Suspension

Students are expected to remain in good academic standing. To be in good standing, a graduate student must maintain an institutional cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better in all graduate credit courses. A student who falls below a 3.0 overall grade point average at any point during the program of study will be placed on academic probation. A 3.0 grade point average must be earned upon completion of an additional nine semester hours to have the academic probation removed. After completion of nine credit hours, if the student fails to meet the 3.0 GPA requirements, s/he will be suspended from the program. Only credit earned in graduate courses at Savannah State University may be used to repair deficiencies in grade point average. In addition, students who receive two (2) “C’s” in core courses in the program at any stage of their study (regardless of their overall GPA) will be dismissed from the program.

A student who is suspended or dismissed may not be readmitted to the program for one full year. If readmitted, the student must first successfully retake the courses where “C” or below grades were received before registering for new courses.

Admissions Appeal

A student denied admission to the MPA program may appeal the decision in writing to the Department Chair. The student will be required to provide additional information in support of the appeal. A student whose appeal is denied by the Department Chair may appeal to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. The final decision on an appeal will be made by the Graduation Studies Administration.

Graduate Student Advisement

The Department chair or the coordinator of the MPA program advises all incoming students during their first semester of enrollment. Each student is then assigned to a faculty advisor for the remainder of their academic career. The advisor will help the student plan a program of study consistent with the student’s field and goals and will approve all course selections prior to registration. Students are free to discuss courses and career options with any member of the faculty, but their advisement forms should be signed by the designated faculty member. Students may request a change in advisors by contacting the chair in writing. If the request is granted, the student and the advisors will be notified in writing. In the spirit of continuous quality improvement, students evaluate advisement annually. Their observations are used to improve the advisement process.

New Student Orientation

Appropriate orientation to a new graduate program is an important key to success in graduate studies. All incoming MPA students are required to participate in scheduled group orientation programs held at the beginning of the semester and throughout the first year of enrollment (18 hours). Many questions about the program and institutional resources are addressed in the orientation sessions. Individual faculty members also schedule library and computer systems orientations for students in introductory classes.

Non-Academic Suspension

Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the standards of the student code of conduct at Savannah State University. The University reserves the right to exclude at any time any student whose conduct is deemed improper or unethical, detrimental to the welfare of the college community. Faculty or fellow students in the MPA Program may initiate charges against a current student by filing a written charge with the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Transfer Credits

Up to nine graduate semester credit hours may be transferred from a graduate institution accredited by a regional accrediting body, if the student has earned a “B” or better in each course within the past five years. The student requesting transfer credit must provide a copy of the following information for each course for which transfer credit is requested: the name of the course; catalog description; course syllabus; a letter of recommendation of the Dean or the Dean’s designee related to the student’s status during enrollment at the previous or current graduate program.

Internship

The internship requirement is common among universities and colleges granting degrees in public administration and related fields that require the student to have practical field experience. The public service internship is an integral part of the student’s professional education because it provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge and skills acquired in the course work phase of the program. Pre- service students may be assigned to the professional positions in the public or non-profit sectors, and their job performance is evaluated periodically by their agency supervisor, in consultation with the internship coordinator. At Savannah State University, in-service students are exempted from the 300-hour internship. An in-service student is a student who, at the time of the internship assignment, is holding a job that requires at least a bachelor’s degree for entry, and who has held that job for at least one year. Students must have completed the core requirements and have a grade point average of 3.0 in the MPA program before enrolling for credit in the internship. Students in the Fast Track program will complete two internship experiences, one in the semester following receipt of the bachelor’s degree (minimum of 120 hours) and the second after completing the core courses.

Student Outcomes Assessment

The Master of Public Administration Program is committed to offering a high quality educational experience. Students are expected to participate in a variety of methods used to assess learning outcomes.

Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Organizations and Leadership

Admission Requirements

Completed admission applications are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a required minimum grade point average of 2.50
Statement of career goals and objectives
Relevant experience considered

Graduate Certificate in Museum Administration

Admission Requirements

Completed admission applications are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a required minimum grade point average of 2.50
Statement of career goals and objectives
Relevant experience considered