how to apply
GRE scores Three letters of recommendation An official transcript from all colleges and universities attended A resume A statement of purpose
Application decisions are made on a continuous basis throughout the year, generally up to Aug. 1 for fall admission, Dec. 1 for spring admission and May 1 for summer admission. Students interested in an assistantship, however, must have all materials in by April 1 for fall admission.
master of public administration
Admission criteria: Applicants should have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 and competitive GRE scores in the 60th percentile on at least two of the three scales (verbal, math and analytical).
Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of more than 13,500 students on campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of nearly 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.
While all majors are accepted, applicants from programs other than the social sciences or business may be required to take prerequisite courses. Time out of school, work history and recognized achievement in the field are also considered in the application review.
$53 MILLION Saint Louis University graduate students are typically awarded more than $53 million in financial aid each year, 25 percent of which is awarded in the form of scholarships, grants or assistantships/fellowships.
$10.5 MILLION
Saint Louis University typically awards more than $10.5 million in scholarships/grants to SLU graduate students.
CONTACT INFORMATION James F. Gilsinan, Ph.D. Director, M.P.A. program Department of Political Science
graduate.slu.edu
Saint Louis University 3750 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103
saint louis university
Phone / 314-977-3285 Email / gilsinanjf@slu.edu Web / slu.edu/x12622.xml
速
slu_official
One N. Grand Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63013
Applications to graduate programs at SLU are made using an online process, which you can begin by visiting graduate.slu.edu and clicking apply. Prospective applicants will be required to submit:
ABOUT SLU
Downtown St. Louis
PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from Saint Louis University is a versatile graduate degree designed for mid-career public sector professionals and pre-service students. It equips you for a career in the public or nonprofit sectors at the local, state or national levels in: Government administration Policy analysis Nonprofit management Government relations Earning your M.P.A. from SLU will ensure that you possess proficiency in management principles and techniques, research and evaluation skills, and the identification and analysis of individual and institutional values as they relate to social, economic and political behavior. In addition, the program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration, so you can be sure the curriculum reflects the current trends in professional education towards training experts in the field.
The Mission of the SLU M.P.A. Program Inspired by the Jesuit conviction that the world is good and human beings can make it a better place for all to live and grow, the Master of Public Administration at Saint Louis University prepares students for public service who are ethically grounded, technically competent and empathetic to the culturally diverse needs of all community members. Reflecting the values and mission statement of its home department, political science, the M.P.A. degree enables students to assess the root causes of political phenomena, developing the skill of thinking globally while acting locally.
“The guidance I received from the professors and their interdisciplinary approach to education were truly unparalleled. Thanks to the M.P.A. degree from SLU I have picked up many valuable skills in research and evaluation, which gave me a great advantage at every step in my career.” Monika Korolczuk, M.P.A. 2011
program features
Curriculum
Ethics
innovation
A theme stressed in all of the M.P.A. coursework is the need to consider the ethical implications of particular policies, research approaches and political platforms. In keeping with the Catholic, Jesuit mission of both the University and the program, concern for the underserved in society is a touchstone for judging the ethical dimensions of public actions.
SLU’s M.P.A. program collaborates with public service agencies in the St. Louis area to help build new leaders through innovative professional certificates. Our program focusing on providing economic development training for elected and non-elected officials has received national honors while our recently launched law enforcement leadership certificate is helping police commanders in the St. Louis area research improvements to their department’s operations.
The M.P.A. program requires 36 credit hours of coursework consisting of 18 credit hours of core courses and 18 credit hours of concentration courses and electives.
Experience An integral part of the M.P.A. program at Saint Louis University, internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable, practical knowledge and enhance their future employment prospects. If you are a pre-service student, you will need to complete an internship in addition to the course work the M.P.A. requires. Internships are available with: Municipal governments Community development agencies Law enforcement Arts councils Other governmental and nonprofit agencies
Public policy Political science Public health Social work
In addition, the program requires an internship (three credit hours) for students with limited professional experience in the public sector. Students also must complete a capstone project that focuses on researching a particular issue in public administration.
Research
Required courses include:
During your final semester at SLU, you will complete a research project that takes the theoretical and practical knowledge you’ve gained and applies it to a particular aspect of public administration. Past students have studied issues ranging from the effects of public transit stations on home values to the effectiveness of municipal recycling programs.
PPS 541: Administrative Law
This capstone project will provide you with a portfolio to present to potential employers that demonstrates your mastery of problem identification, appropriate research protocols and implementation strategies for constructive organizational change.
Elective courses are available in:
PPS 512: Budgeting and Finance PPS 503: Issues in Public Administration PPS 540: Organizational Theory PPS 515: Public Sector Economics PPS 501: Research Methods
Sociology
Earn a Dual Degree A dual degree credits certain courses as fulfilling the requirements of both the primary program and the secondary program. This allows you to complete all the necessary coursework for an M.P.A., usually within one additional semester. Possible combinations for M.P.A. students include: Law: J.D./M.P.A. Social work: M.S.W./M.P.A. Political science: M.A./M.P.A. An accelerated bachelor's to master's is also offered in partnership with the School for Professional Studies Bridge Program.
Careers As a graduate of Saint Louis University’s M.P.A. program, you will be prepared to work in a variety of settings in the public, private and non-governmental sectors. Positions held by past graduates include: Executive directors of nonprofit agencies Budget analysts for municipal governments City managers Development officer for major health care institutions Government relations liaison for a major university You will also be joining a network of Billiken alumni who are employed across the St. Louis metropolitan area. These graduates have found jobs working at municipalities, foundations, community organizations, investment companies, private developers, health care providers and planning firms.
Core Faculty SLU’s faculty put their knowledge into practice in ways that contribute to the city of St. Louis and the greater metropolitan region. They’ve been involved with improving the delivery of social services in declining neighborhoods, studying discrimination in the home mortgage industry and, with the assistance of graduate students, researching how families can help ex-offenders reintegrate into the community.
Political Science Ellen P. Carnaghan, Ph.D., Department chair
Democratization Russia Mass politics and political change Comparative politics Robert Cropf, Ph.D.
American public administration Public policy Public finance Public budgeting James Gilsinan, Ph.D.
Public policy and criminology Organizational theory Fr. Richard Quirk, Ph.D
Civic renewal Ethic models and political philosophies United States housing policy
Kenneth F. Warren, Ph.D.
Administrative law Electoral politics and polling American national politics Jason Windett, Ph.D.
State and local politics Gender and race in politics Research methods
Sociology Daniel Monti, Ph.D.
Business-community relations Civil unrest Urban community and politics Civic culture Scott Cummings, Ph.D.
Steven Rogers, Ph.D.
American politics Formal and quantitative methods
Urban and community development Social inequality Development policy