Master of Public Administration Program Facts

The MPA degree requires a total of 39-credit hours where, in addition to core management courses, students pursue an area of concentration in public or nonprofit management.  Students may attend classes on a part-time or full-time basis (9-credit hours per semester).  Most courses are offered in-person at the University’s main campus in Statesboro, Georgia, though a few select courses are offered online.  Courses generally meet once per week in the evening and, on occasion, on an abbreviated weekend schedule.  The MPA Program takes four semesters of full-time and one semester of part-time study to complete.

The Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management requires a total of 15-credit hours. Enrolling annually each fall, the entirely web-based curriculum is comprised of five, eight-week courses, which are completed in one calendar year.

Historically, the MPA Program averages 50-60 students enrolled in a given academic semester both full-time and part-time students.  There are six full-time core faculty members, as well as a select few practitioners that teach courses in the program.

More information related to the demographic make-up of the MPA student body can be found in the Georgia Southern University Graduate Studies Fact Book.

Most full-time students graduate from the MPA program in two academic years, whereas part-time students graduate in three to four years on average.

The table below displays the graduation rates for the cohort entering Fall 2013. Of the 10 students who enrolled in Fall 2013, five (50%) graduated within two years and an additional three students graduated within four years. The overall four-year graduation rate, including full-time and part-time students, was 80% or 8 out of 10 students in this cohort.

Fall 2013 Cohort	Initially Enrolled	Graduated within 100% Program Length (2 yrs.)	Graduated within 150% of Program Length (3 yrs.)	Graduated within 200% of Program Length (4 yrs.)
All New Students	10	5	7	8
Percentage Graduated		50%	70%	80%

Internships

The completion of an internship (300 hours minimum) that is relevant to a student’s area of concentration is required of all pre-service students.  In consultation with the program director, in-service students may 1) use their current position for the internship or 2) complete an additional seminar course.  Most full-time students complete the internship requirement during the summer between their first and second years in the MPA Program.  Regardless, a student must have at least 15-credit hours completed in the MPA Program prior to being eligible for an internship.

Students intern, as well as receive professional positions in a variety of governmental and nonprofit organizations, with recent examples including:

• City of Statesboro, Georgia
• City of Savannah, Georgia
• City of Sylvania, Georgia
• City of Atlanta, Georgia
• Georgia Southern University (Provost’s Office, Office of Career Services, Multicultural Student Center)
• Bulloch County, Georgia (Human Resources, County Manager’s Office, DUI Court, Sheriff’s Office)
• Chatham County, Georgia (Crime Analyst, District Attorney’s Office, Metropolitan Planning Commission)
• Boys and Girls Clubs of America (Statesboro, Georgia)
• Boy Scouts of America (Statesboro, Georgia)
• Girl Scouts of America (Statesboro, Georgia)
• Averitt Center for the Arts
• Statesboro Regional Sexual Assault Center
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Blakely-Early County Chamber of Commerce
• Red Cross (Volunteer Coordinator, Syracuse, New York)
• The Development and Education Programme for Daughters and Communities Centre in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai, Thailand
• Choices of the Heart
• Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
• Georgia Victory
• The United Nations, Division of Economic and Social Affairs
• American Red Cross of Southeast Georgia
• Azalea Health and Rehabilitation
• Habitat for Humanity Effingham County
• City of Pembroke, Georgia
• Office of Congressman E. L. “Buddy” Carter
• Department of Health and Human Services – Food & Drug Administration – Office of Regulatory Affairs
• City of Macon Planning and Zoning Commission, Georgia
• Athens Regional Medical Center

Job Placements

Historically, MPA graduates enjoy high rates of employment following graduation. In AY2017-18, 11 students graduated from the MPA program and accepted or continued positions in state or local government, the private sector, or are obtaining further education (Ph.D. program).

Below is the employment, by sector, for this cohort:

• State, provincial or regional government in the same country as the program – 4 students
• City, County, or other local government in the same country as the program – 2 students
• Private sector (research/consulting) – 1 student
• Private sector (but not research/consulting) – 1 student
• Obtaining further education – 1 student
• Status unknown – 2 students
• Total number of graduates during this period – 11 students

Other recent employment examples include:

Local Government:

• Planning and Zoning Coordinator, City of Pembroke, Georgia
• Assistant City Engineer, City of Statesboro, Georgia
• Special Projects Coordinator, City of Savannah, Georgia

State Government:

• Policy Analyst, Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (Georgia)
• Development Officer, University of Georgia
• Senior Staff Attorney, Ogeechee Judicial Circuit
• Clerk of Superior, State, and Juvenile Courts, Bulloch County, Georgia
• Budget Analyst II, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Senior Records Administrator, Fulton County Government
• Executive Assistant, College of Health and Human Sciences, Georgia Southern University
• Academic Advisor, Georgia Southern University
• Public Safety Officer, Georgia Southern University
• Associate Director of Alumni Relations, Georgia Southern University
• Assistant Director of Development, Western Carolina University
• Assistant Volleyball Coach, University of Buffalo

Federal Government:

• Portfolio Manager, U.S. Department of Treasury
• 2nd Lieutenant, U.S. Army
• Air Traffic Controller Specialist Trainee, Federal Aviation Administration

Nonprofit Organization:

• Development Associate, Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine
• International Affairs Specialist, New York, NY
• Regional Coordinator, Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center, Bainbridge, Georgia
• Education Specialist, Boys and Girls Club of America, Statesboro, Georgia

Private Organization:

• Director of Recruiting, One Life America
• Immigration Consultant, Convergys
• Compliance Specialist, Insight Global
• Communications Coordinator, Moreland Associates

Continued with further graduate study:

• University of North Texas
• Elon University School of Law
• Arizona Summit Law School
• University of Nebraska-Omaha

Tuition and Fees charged by Georgia Southern University are approved by the University System of Georgia annually.  Changes in tuition and fee rates are typically effective fall semester each year.  The tuition and fees listed on the links below provide an estimate of tuition, fees, housing, meals, books and supplies.  Actual costs are determined when a student registers for classes each semester and are based on student level, residency, credit hours, miscellaneous course fees, housing and meals.  Please contact the GS Department of Financial Aid with specific questions about tuition and fees.

Related Tuition and Fees Information:

• Tuition and Fees for the MPA Program, Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management, and Graduate Assistants for FALL 2019
• Tuition and Fees for the MPA Program, Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management, and Graduate Assistants for SPRING 2020
• Tuition and Fees for the MPA Program, Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management, and Graduate Assistants for SUMMER 2020
• Tuition and Fees from the Board of Regents of the University System Georgia

A number of MPA students are awarded graduate or research assistantships each academic year.  While some assistants work for academic departments supporting faculty in a variety of teaching and research roles, others work as graduate assistants in the University’s numerous administrative departments.  Graduate and research assistants typically receive a waiver of the standard in-state and out-of-state tuition, along with a monthly stipend during the academic year.

Graduate and research assistantships are awarded each year by academic units and non-academic units on a competitive basis using predetermined criteria, including but not limited to the applicant’s academic record, test scores, recommendations, and other pertinent information.

Students interested in applying for a graduate assistantship (GA) position in the Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies should submit a resume and cover letter (discussing research skills) to mpa@georgiasouthern.edu.  GA positions for Spring 2020 will be awarded in November 2019.  Additional GA opportunities can be found on the College of Graduate Studies website. More information pertaining to graduate and research assistantships.