Political Science and MPA Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about ISU’s MPA Program

Q:  What does the MPA application process consist of?

A:  It consists of an application to the graduate school for admission to graduate study at ISU; and an application to the MPA program for admission to the program itself. 

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 Q:  What does the graduate school require for admissions?

 A:  You must fill out and send to the graduate school the admission documents found here http://www.indstate.edu/sogs/applynow.htm.  There is an application fee of $35.  You must also send an official copy of your transcript to the graduate school.

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Q:  How do I apply to the MPA program?

 A:  Application to the MPA requires two types of documents. 

 Send us three letters of recommendation.  We prefer letters from academics, but we also take letters from colleagues or employers who are familiar with your work and who are qualified to recommend you for graduate school.

 Also send us a one- to two-paged statement of purpose, telling us why you’d like to study public administration, and how the MPA fits into your career plans.

 We would also like you to send us an unofficial copy (or an official copy, if you have one on hand) of your academic transcripts from your undergraduate institution.  Also include transcripts from any graduate programs from which you may have earned credits or degrees.

 Send your letters of recommendation, your statement of purpose, and your transcripts (if you have your transcripts and are able to send us a copy) to Dr. Stan Buchanan at the Department of Political Science, ISU, 200 N. 7th St., Terre Haute, Indiana 47809.

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 Q:  Do you require GRE scores from prospective students?

A:  No.  American students may submit GRE scores, but they are not required.  In some cases, international students may submit scores from the GRE’s verbal and writing analysis sections in lieu of TOEFL scores.

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Q:  What are the costs?

 A:  US students may find information about expenses here http://www.indstate.edu/sogs/tutition_fee.htm .

 International students may find information about expenses here http://www.indstate.edu/IAC/Applying%20International%20Students/EXPENSES%202006-2007%20Academic%20Year.rtf .

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 Q:  Are distance courses more costly than courses taken in the classroom?

 A:  No.  ISU charges in-state fees to distance students.  The only extra cost is a technology fee of $50 per course assessed to graduate students who take online courses.

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Q:  Is there a difference between the online MPA and the MPA on campus in Terre Haute?

 A:  Yes, but not much.  The online program is designed for people with experience in either public or nonprofit administration or management.  Online students are not required to take the three-credit-hour course, PA 695 (internship in public administration).  Students in residence in Terre Haute, and who also have the required experience, do not have to take PA 695, either. 

 Only those on-campus students with no experience in either public or non-profit organizations are required to take PA 695. 

 Note that the program considers a wide variety of experience as qualifying students for the online program.  Experience could include time spent in the military, in law enforcement, or in a local or regional fire department.  Ask the MPA director about your qualifications if you’re unsure.

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 Q:  How long does the MPA take to finish?

 A:  Full-time students usually take about two years to finish the 36-hour program.  Part-time students may take a little longer. 

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Q:  How do I go about planning the courses I’m going to take?

 A:  Before you begin the program, you and your advisor will put together a program of study (often referred to ask a contract of study).  In it, your coursework will be tentatively outlined.  The contract of study is easily altered when and if your situation changes.

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 Q:  Is the MPA degree I earn online classed as an “online” degree?

 A:  There is no difference, either in terms of transcripts or in terms of wording on the diploma, between an MPA earned by attendance on ISU’s campus--and an MPA earned via distance learning.  In fact, four of our required courses are entirely online, offered via Blackboard.  Both distance and on-campus students must take them to complete degree requirements.  Distance and on-campus students also attend, together, at least three hybrid courses conducted in real time.  And so there is no distinction either by way of coursework, or among methods through which you’ve earned your degree. 

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 Q:  I’ve taken graduate courses at other institutions.  Can they be transferred into my MPA program?

 A:  A qualified “yes.”  ISU’s grad school lets you transfer up to nine credit hours, or three semester courses (quarter-based courses are a different matter) into your ISU MPA program.  However, the transfer of any course must be approved by the MPA director.

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 Q:  I’ve taken graduate courses in other graduate programs at ISU.  May I transfer any of them into my MPA program?

 A:  Again, the answer is a qualified “yes.”  Check with the MPA director.  If the ISU graduate courses you’ve taken are close cognates to courses we might offer in our department, they may be considered as substitutes for PA courses, and therefore may count as credit toward the MPA.

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 Q:   How many courses does the degree require? 

 A:  Students who are not required to take PA 695 (internship) must complete 36 credit-hours of work.  Of those 36 hours, 21 hours are of required courses.  Twelve units, or four courses, are electives.  The remaining three credit hours are taken through PA 697, the capstone course.

 Students who must take PA 695 finish with 39 hours.

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Q:  What is the capstone course all about?

 A:  Each graduate degree contains in its coursework a “culminating event.”  Classically, master’s degrees require the research and writing of a thesis.  A thesis is neither required by us, nor is it an option in the program.  Instead, each student will produce a capstone project at the end of the MPA program.  The capstone will encapsulate, so to speak, major elements of the program in one effort.  Under certain conditions, students may collaborate in their capstone projects.

 

Students work on their capstones through enrollment in PA 697.

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 Q:  Is ISU’s MPA accredited?

 A:  ISU’s MPA has been in existence since 1976.  Like more than half of the MPA programs in the US, though, it is not yet accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).  However, we are a member of NASPAA, and our curriculum follows NASPAA’s guidelines.

 ISU itself is accredited by a regional accreditation organization, and faculty must meet national, regional and institutional standards.