Public Administration

Master’s and Doctoral Programs

Graduate opportunities

In the Department of Public Administration at the University of North Texas, we prepare you for a leadership role in a public or nonprofit organization or for a career in academia. This is accomplished through an innovative curriculum leading to either a Master of Public Administration degree or a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Public Administration and Management.

Our programs offer you:

• The state’s best public administration (city management/urban policy) master’s program, according to U.S. News & World Report (It ranks 9th nationally.)
• Courses focusing on timely and critical topics such as city and county management, economic development and growth management, managing a nonprofit organization, and emergency and disaster planning, among others
• Faculty members who have relevant work experience and are involved in a number of professional associations (They have also published numerous books and articles in leading journals.)
• Many opportunities for meaningful, hands-on research

The M.P.A. program, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, teaches you time-tested management theories for real-world application. We have a strong network of more than 1,200 alumni and are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (1029 Vermont Ave. NW, Suite 1100, Washington, D.C. 20005-3517; telephone 202- 628-8965). This distinction means the program meets or exceeds high standards of excellence in education.

The doctoral program emphasizes developing new knowledge through research and theoretical inquiry. It has an emerging national reputation propelled by faculty members engaged in cutting-edge research. We offer specializations in emergency management, financial management, nonprofit management and urban management.

Our faculty members sponsor a monthly Public Administration Colloquium Series that engages students in a vigorous discussion of current research in the field and competing viewpoints on public administration issues.

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

M.P.A. program

You must meet the admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School as well as those of our program, which include:

• Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university, with at least 15 semester hours in fields related to public administration
• Minimum 3.0 GPA on the last 60 semester hours of course work
• Satisfactory scores on all three parts of the GRE

Admission is determined using multiple criteria, including your academic performance and potential, as well as other materials. In some cases, we may request letters of recommendation attesting to your intellectual and leadership abilities, a written essay describing career objectives and explaining how the M.P.A. degree will help you meet those objectives, and/or a current résumé showing all work experience.

Completed applications are reviewed at various times during the year. Admission deadlines for the fall semester are Feb. 1, April 1 and May 15. The spring semester admission deadline is Dec. 1.

Ph.D. program

You must be admitted to the Toulouse Graduate School as well as fulfill the following program requirements:

• Complete the departmental application at http:www.padm.unt.edu
• Demonstrate competency in core public administration course work
• Earn satisfactory scores on all three parts of the GRE

We encourage you to complete the application process by Jan. 15 for admission in the fall semester. More information about graduate school and program admission requirements is at www.unt.edu/catalog www.unt.edu/catalog

Degree requirements

M.P.A. degree

• 24 semester hours of required course work in public administration
• 12 to 15 semester hours of electives or in an area of specialization (outlined below)
• 3-semester-hour internship (for pre-career students, outlined below)
• Final written comprehensive examination

Areas of specialization

• Emergency management
• Financial management
• Human resources management
• Local government management
• Nonprofit management

Internships for pre-career students

If you do not have government work experience, a paid internship provides an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge and develop professional skills essential for a successful career. You can receive 3 semester hours after completing an internship. Our internship coordinator will help you find an internship; you are responsible for developing the qualifications and interpersonal skills necessary for employment.

Ph.D. degree

• 12 semester hours of core courses in public administration and management
• 12 semester hours of research methods courses and departmental exam
• 15 semester hours in a minor field
• 12 semester hours of non-dissertation research
• 12 semester hours of dissertation hours

Additional information is available at www.padm.unt.edu and in the Ph.D. Degree Program Handbook available from the Ph.D. program coordinator.

Financial assistance

Several financial assistance options are available to you, and we recommend investigating them when you apply to the program. Non-Texas residents who receive at least $1,000 a year in scholarship funds may also be eligible for in-state tuition rates. The options include:

• Hatton W. Sumners Fellowships ($20,000 each; five available)
• Alumni scholarships (up to $1,000 each)
• The E. Ray Griffin Alumni scholarship (for tuition and fees)
• Competitive awards from the Texas City Management Association
• Competitive awards from the Government Finance Officers Association of Texas

The department has additional information about financial support from outside sources. Information about federal financial assistance programs is at financialaid.unt.edu.