Published April 28, 2015
For years, the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree has been seen as the MBA
of the public sector for those looking for leadership and management jobs in nonprofit
and government service positions. The University of Louisiana at Monroe offers one
of the most affordable and highly-ranked online MBAs in the country. Now, those seeking
an alternative can apply for ULM’s newest online offering—the MPA.
“ULM continues to provide opportunities through new and existing academic offerings,”
said ULM President Dr. Nick J. Bruno. “The MPA is one such opportunity. I am confident
this program will provide many individuals with additional career options.”
With an MPA, graduates are supplied with the fundamental public management and policy
analysis skills for professional careers in domestic and international public, non-profit,
and private sector organizations; non-profit and service groups; consulting firms;
and in various levels of government and civic organizations overseeing various departments.
This degree can be completed in as little as 12 months.
“Economic development, workforce development, and career advancement require an educational
foundation. This degree is an example of ULM playing a critical role of providing
that foundation,” said Dr. Joshua Stockley, associate professor of political science.
“Our online-only MPA program allows individuals—graduates of ULM, graduates across
the U.S., and even professionals around the world—to acquire an MPA degree. Also,
this program is unique to other programs in the region because we offer high demand
concentrations in education, health care, criminal justice, private management, and
public management; as well the choice of a fast-track option that allows current undergraduates
to start the MPA program before graduation. This is another example of the innovation
in education at ULM.”
This online program is open to students globally without previous public or private
sector experience, as well as individuals presently employed in the public or private
sector seeking to advance their careers.
Dr. Eric Pani, vice president of Academic Affairs said, “The MPA adds another option
in eULM’s array of high-quality online programs. ULM faculty from several disciplines
designed the curriculum to produce graduates with the knowledge, skills, and ability
to immediately contribute to the workforce. For some people, the degree will lead
to a new career while, for others, it will mean advancement in their current profession.
The MPA is one of ULM’s answers to the call for collaboration and innovation in higher
education.”
The online MPA program is a minimum 36 hour online-only program featuring five unique
concentrations including: administration of health (ADH); administration of justice
(ADJ); administration of education (ADE); management (MGT); and public management
(PMG). The immediate ability to offer these five concentrations is made possible by
preexisting online master’s programs at ULM offered by criminal justice, education,
gerontology, and business.
An MPA degree with these concentrations will prepare individuals for budgeting, grant-writing,
public relations, mediating, leadership, organization, research, policy-writing, human
resources, and much more.
Current ULM students can pursue the fast-track option for entrance into the program.
Undergraduate students must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA), with no
less than a “C” in any political science course.
These students can earn up to 18 MPA degree credits while pursuing their bachelor's
degree.
“Our online-only MPA program supplies an educational and workforce development demand
in the region,” said John W. Sutherlin, associate professor of political science.
“Most of our political science graduates go to law school and graduate school, but
those looking to go into public service have had to go elsewhere. Now, our graduates
and existing professionals looking for career advancement can choose ULM. Our faculty,
our resources, and our relationship with the Delta Regional Authority make ULM uniquely
qualified to meet these demands.”
ULM’s online MPA program is open to any student who meets ULM’s minimum requirements
for admission into ULM’s Graduate School. Prospective students must have completed
an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning.
Applications are now being accepted. For more information about this program, visit
https://www.ulm.edu/onlinedegrees/m_pa.html
