Admissions and Program Policies
Admission
Admission to the MPA program is open to qualified holders of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Applicants must submit all transcripts from prior academic preparation, three letters of reference, a personal statement and completed Pace University application form. (Scores of the Graduate Record Examination are not required.)
Pace University participates under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students with disabilities must notify the coordinator of the disabled students, prior to matriculation, regarding possible educational modification.
Prerequisites
Within the first 12 credits of course work, students will be assessed on their writing skills. This includes analysis, problem solving, and logical argumentation in a correct grammatical context. Those who demonstrate weakness in writing will be required to complete and pass a seven week no-credit workshop in communications (COM 043).
Program of Study
The graduate student may choose to engage in the program full-time or part-time. Full-time students can complete the degree in two years and the part-time student typically needs four years. Both time periods may be shortened by advanced credit from other graduate institutions, and summer and winter graduate study at Pace. For convenience Pace offers some of its MPA classes online.
Master of Public Administration Curriculum
During the first year of study students should focus on completing their core requirements before selecting courses in their track or electives. Core and track foundation courses are designed to develop comprehensive administrative, managerial, quantitative, financial, and analytical skills with a thorough understanding of their applications in the government, health care, or nonprofit sectors. Specialization and elective courses provide the student with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in specialized programs and functional areas. They supplement and complement the core and track foundation courses and facilitate the achievement of professional and career objectives.
The MPA degree culminates with the Capstone Seminar. For the capstone requirement, students can complete either a comprehensive exam or a research project. The project consists of an organizational analysis based on concepts learned in the program and it will be presented in writing to the capstone project faculty sponsors and orally to a panel of faculty members and graduate students in the MPA Capstone Project Seminar. Students must have a cumulative 3.0 index before being allowed to register for the capstone seminar.
Online Study
Pace offers the MPA program online for the Government track only. Full-time students can complete course work in two years and part-time students typically in four years. The program consists of required core courses, track/specialization courses, and elective courses. Additionally, students are required to take six credits of pre-core foundation course work or secure department course waivers based on documented proficiency.
Policies
All students are expected to be familiar with the student handbook and the graduate student policies
Student Handbook Graduate Student Academic Policies and General Regulations