Combined BPPS/MPA Degree Pathway – Bachelor’s to Master’s Program

The Department of Public Policy and Administration allows qualified students to earn both BPPS and MPA degrees in a shorter amount of time than typically required for earning degrees sequentially. A student admitted to the combined degree pathway will be considered to have undergraduate status until the student applies for graduation from their bachelor’s degree program. Upon conferral of the bachelor’s degree, the student will be granted graduate status and be eligible for graduate assistantships.

Admissions Requirements to the Combined Degree Pathway

1. Overall GPA of 3.25 or better.
2. Letter of recommendation from a faculty member at FIU or from a supervisor.
3. Current resume.
4. Letter-of-intent not to exceed three double-spaced pages explaining how earning the MPA is consistent with long-term career goals. Students may also use this letter to discuss their passion for public issues or policies and to communicate to the admission committee if they feel that their admission file does not properly reflect their potential to succeed in graduate school.
5. Students can apply after having completed 75 credits in the BPPS program.
6. Students must apply prior to the semester in which graduate credits will be counted towards their BPPS degree program.

Courses Counted Toward both Degree Programs

Students accepted into the combined degree pathway may count no more than 4 of the MPA courses (maximum of 12 credits) listed below toward satisfying both the BPPS and MPA degree requirements:

PAD 6053: Political, Social and Economic Context of Public Administration must be taken within the first two semesters after a student is accepted into the combined degree pathway.

Students may select at least 2 of the following courses to be doubled-counted (students may select 3 courses):

• PAD 6227: Public Finance and the Budgetary Process
• PAD 6306: Policy Analysis and Planning
• PAD 6417: Human Resource Policy and Management
• PAD 6434: Leadership and Decision-making
• PAD 6701: Quantitative Methods in Public Administration
• PAD 6726: Applied Research Methods for Accountability in Public and Non-Profit Organizations (Prerequisite: PAD 6701)
• PAD 6718: Smart Governance

If only two courses are selected from the above list, students may select one additional graduate-level course to be double counted. The course must have a course number of 5000 or higher and have a prefix of PAD, PUP, URP or URS.

With advisor approval, students in the combined degree pathway can substitute these graduate courses for the equivalent required or any elective BPPS courses listed in the program catalog, with the exception of PAD 4934 Integrative Seminar in Public Policy and Service, which must be taken by all BPPS majors.

Students must pass graduate courses with a grade of B or higher to count them toward their MPA degree. Students accepted into the combined degree pathway must complete all of the requirements of the MPA to receive their MPA degree.

To Apply:

• Schedule an appointment with your advisor to verify your eligibility
• Complete the Master's application here
• Submit the application materials to Daniella Long at dlong@fiu.edu