Public Administration, MPP

The MPP program offers a professional degree that prepares students for careers as professional policy analysts in government and non-profit organizations. Students enter the program with diverse academic backgrounds, but should have taken statistics, calculus, and intermediate microeconomics. 

Admission Requirements 

• A one-to-three page statement explaining why you wish to pursue an MPP degree.  
• A resume or CV.  
• Transcripts from each post-secondary institution that you have attended. They can be unofficial for admission purposes, but official transcripts must be submitted upon enrollment.   
  • Minimum of 2.75 GPA on all undergraduate coursework.  
  • Minimum of 3.0 GPA on all previous graduate level coursework.  
• The e-mail addresses of at least two individuals who have agreed to write a recommendation letter on your behalf. Ideally, at least one letter is from an academic reference.  
• International students will also need English Language test scores. 
  • Minimum of 79 on the internet based TOEFL, or 
  • Minimum of 6.5 on the IELTS 
• Through the University Scholars Program, students in the BA in Public Policy program can begin MPP coursework during their senior year of the undergraduate program. Admission requirements vary for this program - https://martin.uky.edu/university-scholars-program.  

Degree Requirements

Completion of a minimum of 37 credit hours of graduate work is required.  

• An administrative Core of 25 credit hours covering each of the following areas: statistics, public policy formulation and analysis, public policy economics, organization and management, budgeting, finance, and analytical methods. 
  •  PA 622 PUBLIC PROGRAM EVALUATION  (3) 
  •  PA 624 GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS  (3) 
  •  PA 631 PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT  (3) 
  •  PA 642 PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THEORY AND BEHAVIOR  (3) 
  •  PA 651 THE POLICY PROCESS  (3) 
  •  PA 652 PUBLIC POLICY ECONOMICS  (3) 
  •  PA 690 PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS OVERVIEW  (3) 
  •  PA 692 ECONOMETRICS FOR POLICY ANALYSTS  (3) 
  •  PA 795 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION  (1) 
• An additional 3 credit hours of a guided elective in a policy field:  
  • PPL 583 TAX POLICY  (3), OR 
  • PPL 584 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY  (3), OR 
  • PPL 575 EDUCATION FINANCE AND POLICY  (3) 
• An area of concentration of 3 credit hours in an area of specialization. Must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies-DGS.  
• Capstone Course and Capstone Project PA 681 CAPSTONE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION  (3). All students must take the 3-hour capstone class and successfully complete and defend a capstone project developed in that class. The purpose of the course and the project is to integrate the learning experience of the MPP program and apply knowledge and skills acquired in the program to a policy issue or management problem. Oral presentation of the project before a faculty committee serves as the final masters’ exam. 
• Internship: PA 711 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION  (3). An administrative internship at an appropriate agency for 400 hours. Students with a significant professional experience may substitute an independent study policy paper, a comparable special project, or an additional graduate course. 

https://martin.uky.edu/master-public-policy