Master of Public Administration

North Georgia College & State University offers a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) Program in order to serve qualified, professionally oriented college graduates who aspire to employment in the public sector, in a nonprofit organization, or in a corporate setting having extensive interaction with governmental agencies. The M.P.A. Program is designed to serve students who are currently employed in a public service organization or contemplate a new career in public and human service. The M.P.A. Program is intended to be challenging in order to make a student’s investment of time worthwhile, but also flexible enough to accommodate the schedules of both full-time and part-time students and to allow students with a variety of interests to profit from the program’s curricular options.

 

Applications from prospective graduate students are welcome year round. A student accepted into the program may begin to pursue graduate study in any semester, provided that work begins within 12 months of the student’s offer of admission to the M.P.A. Program.

 

Admissions
The following requirements apply to admission for regular status as a graduate student in the M.P.A. Program.

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution must have been earned. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities at which undergraduate or graduate study was undertaken, whether or not a degree was awarded, must be submitted. (Failure to submit all transcripts may be a basis for denial of admission or subsequent termination from the program.)
• A minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 2.75 (except for those who earned their bachelor’s degrees at least five years ago and have at least five years of professional experience with convincing letters of recommendation being required).
• A combined score (sum of verbal and quantitative scores) of at least 800 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or of at least 420 on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is required.
• Three letters of recommendation on forms supplied by the Office of Graduate Studies & External Programs must be submitted by the applicant’s references.
   

The M.P.A. Program Coordinator will have the option, in appropriate but rare cases, to recommend a student for admission with provisional status.  This may occur where the letters of recommendation are inadequate to establish professional potential, or where the applicant’s undergraduate GPA or test scores are lower than prescribed.  If a provisional student does not earn a 3.0 grade-point average in his or her first six semester hours, this may also be a basis for termination of the student’s status in the program.

 

An applicant whose verbal score is less than 420 on the GRE or 25 on the GMAT must complete BUSA 2108, "Communicating in the Business Environment," or ENGL 3160, "Technical and Professional Writing," and earn at least a "B."  (If the student earns a "C," provisional status may be available as described above.)

 

An applicant whose quantitative score is less than 420 on the GRE or 25 on the GMAT must complete MATH 1101, "Mathematics Models," or MATH 1113, "Precalculus," and earn at least a "B." (If the student earns a "C," provisional status may be available as described above.)

Although the acceptance of any transfer credit is contingent upon approval of the M.P.A. admissions committee, no more than six semester hours of transfer credit may be transferred into NGCSU’s M.P.A. Program under any circumstances.  Transfer credit will not be given for any course in which a grade of less than a "B" was earned.  Other requirements pertaining to transfer credit appear in the "Academic Guidelines" section of this bulletin.

 

Curriculum
The M.P.A. student earns 27 semester hours of core courses and 9 semester hours in a concentration, and must complete an internship.

 

A. Core Courses- 27 semester hours
The core courses (3 semester hours each) are

 

 

NOTE: Students in the public health administration concentration may apply to the M.P.A. Program Coordinator to take a fourth course in the concentration in place of POLS 7220 or POLS 7290. This is subject to approval of the faculty advisor and the M.P.A. Program Coordinator.

 

B. Concentration- 9 semester hours

Each student selects a concentration involving three courses accounting for 9 semester hours of credit.  The student’s selection of a concentration and of any electives in the concentration requires the approval of the faculty advisor.

Criminal Justice Administration

Public Affairs
This is a traditional track.  Students pursuing this concentration may select 9 semester hours of electives from any of the courses listed in the core or the other concentrations or from the following list, subject to approval by the faculty advisor.

Public Health Administration

Not every concentration and elective course may be available at all times.

C. Internship

An internship (POLS 7980, "Internship in Public Administration") is required of all students who do not have at least two years of professional experience in public service organizations as determined by the M.P.A. Program Coordinator.  The internship requires a full-time professional experience in a public service organization for ten weeks.

 

In order to be exempted from the internship requirement, an applicant must document two years of professional experience in public service and apply for an exemption.  The application should be submitted at the time of application to the program.  The M.P.A. Program Coordinator shall decide whether the applicant qualifies for the exemption, subject to review by the M.P.A. Program admissions committee.  Any student who does not secure an exemption in this manner will be expected to complete an internship.

 

D. Comprehensive Examination
Each student is required to take a written and oral comprehensive  examination  during his or her last semester of enrollment.  Successful completion of both portions of the examination is required for conferral of the M.P.A. degree.

 

Graduation Requirements
In order to receive an M.P.A. degree, a student must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit at North Georgia College & State University which are applicable to the core-course and concentration requirement of the M.P.A. and which have not been presented for any other degree.

 

A grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater for all graduate courses and a 3.0 or greater in courses presented for the degree, successful completion of the internship, and successful completion of the comprehensive examination of the program are required for conferral of the M.P.A. degree.  No degree will be conferred on a student who has an unresolved "I" mark remaining on his or her record.  Every course taken by a student will affect the student’s GPA. However, no course in which a grade below a "C" is earned will fulfill any degree requirements; furthermore, the third and subsequent graduate course in which a grade of "C" is earned will not serve to fulfill any degree requirements. If a student repeats a course, all enrollments in the same course will be counted in the computation of the GPA; however, the number of semester hours earned will not increase (except in the case of a special-topics or independent-study course where the topic varies).  Successful completion of the comprehensive examination is also a requirement.

 

Academic Standards

Students are expected to perform in accordance with the standards stated in the “Academic Guidelines” section of this bulletin.

 

No student carrying two "I" marks, either of which has extended over one academic semester, may enroll in additional course work without the written consent of the M.P.A. Program Coordinator.
 

The maximum course load is 15 semester hours in the fall and spring and 12 in the summer. No course, including any course transferred in from another institution, may be presented for credit for the M.P.A. degree if it has been taken more than six calendar years before the date of conferral of the degree.

 

All of the rules, regulations, and standards published in the "Regulations of the M.P.A. Program” are incorporated by reference in this bulletin.  Each student is responsible for obtaining a copy of this document and for adhering to its contents.

 

For Additional Information

Application forms and information regarding the Graduate Record Examination and the Graduate Management Admissions Test may be obtained from the Office of Testing. Transcripts should be sent to the attention of the Office of Graduate Studies & External Programs. The addresses are
 

 

For specific information about the M.P.A. Program, call or write to the M.P.A. Program Office:

Master of Public Administration Program
Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice
Will D. Young Social Science Center
North Georgia College & State University
Dahlonega, Georgia 30597-1001
(706) 864-1916

 

Master of Public Administration Courses

POLS 6106 State and Local Government (3)

Study of the laws and traditions that determine the structures and operations of state and local governments in the United States.
 

POLS 6111 The Presidency (3)

This course provides students with both a historical and analytical perspective of the American presidency. The president's roles as chief executive, ceremonial head of the U. S. government, chief diplomat, titular head of his party, and others are examined. The president's relationship and interaction with the legislative and judicial branches, other governmental institutions, interest groups, and the electorate will be studied.

 

POLS 6112/CRJU 6112 The Judicial System and Judicial Process (3)

A systematic study of the judicial system and its role in the administrative process.

 

POLS 7200 Seminar in Public Administration (3)

An introduction to the discipline of public administration. The course will focus on the characteristics that distinguish the public sector from other arenas of activity, including structure, processes, legal requirements, and expectations of the public.

 

POLS 7220 Politics and Bureaucracy (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7200. A survey of the political relationships that permeate bureaucratic organizations, especially government bureaucracies. The course will focus on relationships among levels and branches of government, government agencies, political parties, news media, and interest groups. Uses of power by government agencies, the role of expertise in enhancing administrative influence, the implications of governmental organization and reorganization, and ethical and unethical behavior in public service will be examined.

 

POLS 7250 Government and Business (3)

A study of the impact that the public and private sectors exert on one another. The seminar will focus on governmental regulation of business, government's role as referee of commercial disputes, business's influence on public policy making, and the opportunity for the rank and file of the public and labor to influence decision making by elected officials and management.

 

POLS 7290 Ethics for Public Service (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7200. A study of ethical and unethical behavior in the public service. Topics will include legal standards, mores affecting ethical behavior, corruption, whistle-blowing, privacy, equity, and the countervailing demands for government activism and individualism.

 

POLS 7300 Public Budgeting (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7200. An examination of the development and structure of the public financial sectors, the principles and roles of operating and capital budgets in public organizations, and the relationships between funding mechanisms and public policy. The course includes an introduction to public economics and financial reporting.

 

POLS 7320 Public Policy Analysis (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7600. A study of models explaining the development of public policies and of empirical methods of analyzing and evaluating public policy. The course includes discussions of principles of strategic planning and public economics, designs for conducting policy research, and ethics as a criterion of sound public policy.

 

POLS 7380 Public Personnel Administration (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7200. Study of systems of employee recruitment, appointment, career development, reductions in force, and termination of employment in the public service. Employee-management relations, including public-employee unions, will be examined. Fair employment practices will be discussed.

 

POLS 7420 Seminar in Intergovernmental Administration (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7200. Seminar examining the laws, regulations, processes, and results that are involved in administering programs jointly involving the various levels of government in the United States.
 

POLS 7460 Local Government Administration (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7200. An examination of the characteristic managerial problems of the several functions of local government such as police, fire, health, social services, transportation, traffic, public works, parks, recreation, and zoning.

 

POLS 7580 Raising Funds and Attracting Grants (3)

A survey of methods and strategies of implementing a fund-raising program and applying successfully for grants. Students are encouraged to complete MKTG 6700 before or while taking POLS 7580.

 

POLS 7600 Statistics for Public Management (3)

Prerequisite: Students may be required to complete remedial preparation as a condition of admission to the M.P.A. Program. For students not enrolled in the M.P.A. Program, permission of the instructor is required. Study of quantitative methods oriented toward decision-making in the public sector. Probability and statistical inference will be introduced. Methods for determining associations between interval-, ordinal-, and nominal-level variables will be presented, including chi-square, gamma, lambda, and linear regression. Research methods and forecasting will be discussed.

 

POLS 7640 Technology in Public Management (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7600. Study of the use of computer technology in public management. Topics include operating systems, word processing, spreadsheet applications, statistical applications, and the role of computers in such public-management functions as capital and human-resource management. The impact of computers on management, labor, and clients will be examined.

 

POLS 7660 Operations Management for Public Administration (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7600. Application of the methods of operations management for optimizing the efficiency of public administration. Methods include linear programming, computer simulation, job design, facility location, forecasting, aggregate planning, inventory control, scheduling, and quality assurance.

 

POLS 7810 Administrative Law (3)

Prerequisite: POLS 7200. Study of the basic legal framework of administrative organization and the rules governing administrative powers and their exercise. The legal procedures for the enforcement of bureaucratic responsibility in a democratic state will be examined.

 

POLS 7890 Public Management (3)

Prerequisite/Corequisite: Completion of other core courses and courses in concentration. A capstone course which integrates the study of managerial techniques to develop professionals who are capable of managing public service organizations effectively and ethically. Discussion and practice in strategic planning and financial reporting are included.

 

POLS 7900 Special Topics in Public Administration (Variable Credit)

Prerequisite: Determined by course content. A seminar on topics which will vary according to instructor and student interest. With a change in topic, this course may be repeated for credit.

 

POLS 7940 Independent Study in Public Administration (Variable Credit)

Prerequisite: Permission of M.P.A. Program Coordinator. Research conducted by a student under the supervision of a faculty member, with regular conferences between instructor and student. A written research report is required; a copy must be filed in the office of the M.P.A. Program Coordinator before a final grade is recorded. With a change in topic, this course may be repeated for credit.

 

POLS 7980 Internship in Public Service (Non-credit)

Prerequisite: Permission of M.P.A. Program Coordinator. Corequisite: POLS 7890. The advanced M.P.A. student, once obtaining a placement in a public service organization, will gain on-site experience and utilize skills obtained in the academic setting. The placement will involve a minimum of 10 weeks of full-time activity under supervision by a qualified manager.

 

 

CRJU 6003 Court Administration (3)

An overview of the criminal court system, focusing on the policy roles maintained by its key participants. This course will pay particular attention to the nature of the court as an informal organization and the interrelationships that determine its operation. The models of the justice system will also be reviewed with an analytic examination of issues as they relate to due process, operational concerns, and policy makers.

 

CRJU 6004 Correctional Administration (3)

An analysis of policy, theory and research pertinent to the management of jails, prisons, and community correctional facilities. Also included are a review of the historical development of correctional policies and a critical analysis of current and future issues of corrections and correctional administration.

 

CRJU 6112/POLS 6112 The Judicial System and Judicial Process (3)

A systematic study of the judicial system and its role in the administration of justice.

 

CRJU 6020 Law Enforcement and Management Systems (3)

This course will discuss factors and issues associated with the management of law enforcement agencies. Supervisory issues such as morale, hiring personnel, and personnel grievances will be examined. Management skills associated with employee motivation, communication, and managing stress will also be discussed.

 

CRJU 6550/SOSC 6550 Law and Society (3)

A general overview of how laws can affect society and how people's attitudes can affect the law. It will deal with several landmark cases and laws including Brown v. Board of Education (desegregation), Roe v. Wade (abortion), prohibition laws, drug abuse laws, and laws against homosexuality. The course will be taught in a seminar format.

 

CRJU 7900 Special Topics in Criminal Justice (Variable Credit)

Prerequisite: Determined by course content.  A seminar on topics which will vary according to instructor and student interest.  With a change in topic, this course may be repeated for credit.

 

CRJU 7940 Independent Study in Criminal Justice (Variable Credit)

Prerequisite: Permission of M.P.A. Program Coordinator.  Research conducted by a student under the supervision of a faculty member, with regular conferences between instructor and student.  A written research report is required; a copy must be filed in the office of the M.P.A. Program Coordinator before a final grade is recorded.  With a change in topic, this course may be repeated for credit.

 

 

HADM 5501 Health Care Systems (3)

A comprehensive study of health-care delivery systems is presented from an international perspective. Emphasis is on comparison/contrast of types of systems, settings for delivery of care, and public versus privately managed care. Variables relative to sociopolitical, cultural, economic, legal, and ethical factors are discussed in relation to health-care systems.
 

HADM 5502 Public Health Administration (3)

An in-depth study of public policy, power, authority, responsibility, and accountability related to public health administration. Topics include public health organizational structures, the role of the government, intradisciplinary/interdisciplinary relationships and communication, scope of practice for various health-care personnel, administrative/leadership theories, change, advocacy, and budgeting. Practicum experience may be negotiated.

 

HADM 5801 Research Methods in Health Care (3)

This course explores the conduct, critique, and utilization of research in health care. Topics include an overview of health-care research including qualitative and quantitative research methodology, planning the research process, and the pragmatics of implementation, interpretation, and utilization of research findings. Ethics and funding sources are presented. Students will design a research proposal and conduct a political study for a selected health-care topic.

 

 

MGMT 6669/PSYC 6690 Organizational Behavior (3)

The study of public and private sector organizations and the role of individual personality, group dynamics, internal and external political influences, interpersonal communication, and ethical behavior.

 

MKTG 6700 Marketing for Nonprofit Organizations (3)

This course examines marketing concepts, methods, and activities as they are applied in public and nonprofit organizations.

 

PSYC 6690/MGMT 6669 Organizational Behavior (3)

The study of public and private sector organizations and the role of individual personality group dynamics, internal and external political influences, interpersonal communication, and ethical behavior.

 

SOSC 6550/CRJU 6550 Law and Society (3)
A general overview of how laws can affect society and how people's attitudes can affect the law. It will deal with several landmark cases and laws including Brown v. Board of Education (desegregation), Roe v. Wade (abortion), prohibition laws, drug abuse laws, and laws against homosexuality. The course will be taught in a seminar format.