MPA Frequently Asked Questions

Our MPA program offers the flexibility to complete your degree on a timeline that fits your schedule. Students may start the program in the Fall or Spring semesters. Courses are also offered during the summer. The minimum time to a degree is based on the following options with summer enrollment and satisfactory academic progress:

• Accelerated: 3 semesters (12 months)
• Full-time: 4 semesters (1.5 years)
• Part-time: 6 semesters (2 years)

General Requirements for Admission:

Admission into the program will be based on several factors to ensure a talented and diverse student body, including:

• Completed online application to the School of Graduate Studies; application fee, $50
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 or higher, verified by official transcript(s)
• Statement of purpose of around 250-500 words describing how your current experience or education prepare you for the Master of Public Administration degree, and how this degree will contribute to your future goals or career development
• Two letters of professional or academic reference
• Curriculum Vita/Resume

Please see the university calendar for more information.

Clayton State offers some of the most affordable tuition for an MPA program in the state of Georgia. The most up-to-date information on graduate tuition rates and fees for Online Master’s Programs is provided by the Bursar’s Office.

Most Fall and Spring semester courses are short, 8-week sessions covering the same amount of content as a 16-week semester-long course. Summer courses are 9-week short sessions. Students design their course schedule based on their timeline to complete the program:

• Accelerated: 5 courses each in the Fall and Spring semester and 2 in Summer
• Full-time: 3 courses per semester
• Part-time: 2 courses per semester

Sample course maps are available to help you plan your schedule.

Degree Requirements

The MPA Program consists of 36 credit hours. The following 3-credit courses comprise the core curriculum:

POLS 5010 – Public Administration
POLS 5050 – Research Methods and Applied Statistics
POLS 6060 – Public Administration Human Resource Management
POLS 6230 – Local Government Administration and Finance
POLS 6250 – Organizational Theory and Management
POLS 6060 – Ethics in Public Administration

Students will also take fifteen credit hours (5 courses) of program electives. The final three credit hours are earned by completing either an internship or a capstone course.

More detail on program requirements and courses offered is available in the Academic Catalog.

No, standardized test scores are no longer required for applicants to the MPA program.

For questions about applying or more information on the program, contact the School of Graduate Studies by email at graduate@clayton.edu.