Public Service, M.P.S.

The MPS degree requires 40 credit hours for graduation. 35 credit hours are required from core and elective courses with the remaining 11 from practicum, international, and capstone.

Concurrent MPS/MSW

A student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock may pursue the MPS and MSW degrees under a concurrent degree program, which allows cross-credit for certain specified courses. The concurrent degree program offers potential savings by allowing some credits earned in the MPS program to count toward the MSW degree and some credits earned in the MSW program to count toward the MPS degree. Please contact the program coordinator for concurrent degree plans.

MPS Curriculum (19 hours)

Core Course

Social Change Option (Three credit hours)

To earn these credits, students will have the option of several courses related to the dynamics of social change. Current offerings include:

Field Service Projects

Electives (Twelve hours)

The student’s faculty advisor will work with the student to choose a group of elective courses that are of interest to the student and that will be appropriate for the student’s future career. Elective courses help develop a specialty or concentration focus and have the potential to significantly sharpen the area of professional expertise. The faculty advisor will help the student concentrate on the overall learning objectives for these courses, integrating them with the practicum and capstone.

Concurrent MPS/JD

Students at UACS and the UALR Bowen School of Law may pursue the Juris Doctorate (JD) and MPS degrees under a combined degree program which allows cross-credit for courses. The combined degree program offers a potential savings of credit hours in the total credit hours otherwise required for both degrees. A student in the combined degree program must complete all the requirements for the JD degree as specified by the Bowen School of Law and all requirements for the MPS degree as specified by UACS.

Concurrent, MPS/MPH

Students at UACS and the UAMS Boozman College of Public Health may pursue the Master of Public Health (MPH) and MPS degrees under a concurrent degree program which allows cross-credit for courses. The concurrent program offers a potential savings of credit hours in the total number of credit hours otherwise required for both degrees. A student in the combined degree program must complete all the requirements for the MPH degree as specified by the Boozman College of Public Health and all requirements for the MPS degree as specified by UACS.

Concurrent, MPS/MBA

Students at UACS and the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business may pursue the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and MPS degrees under a concurrent degree program. A student in the program must complete all the requirements for the MBA degree as specified by the Walton College and all requirements of the MPS degree as specified by UACS.

Executive Master of Public Service

The EMPS degree is designed for mid-career public service professionals. It requires a total of 36 hours, completed in 8-week long “semesters” over a 2 year period, and is offered solely online. It consists of the 11 following courses, plus one 3-hour elective.

Required Courses

Limit on Attempts at Passing a Course

1. Students are limited to two (2) attempts to pass a course. If a student receives a D or an F twice in the same course, the student will be dismissed from the program.

2. Course withdrawals are not counted as course attempts for the purpose of this policy.