Public Administration, Bachelor’s Degree to M.P.A.

Note: The Early Entry Bachelor’s Degree to M.P.A. in Public Administration is open to any major at UA Little Rock as long as they meet program requirements.

Exceptional undergraduate students may apply and be accepted into the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program and begin working toward their graduate degree while completing their baccalaureate degree. The Early Entry MPA program is open to all undergraduate majors. The program offers a streamlined process for graduating students who want to pursue professional careers in public or nonprofit organizations.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate students may apply and be accepted provisionally into the MPA graduate program any time after completing 75 or more hours of undergraduate course work. However, at least 90 hours of undergraduate coursework must have been completed by the time the first MPA course is taken.
All applicants must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA at UA Little Rock in order to be considered.

How to Apply

Complete an Early Entry Program form. (Contact the UA Little Rock School of Public Affairs for the form.)
Complete an interview and gain approval for admission from the MPA graduate coordinator.

Note: The MPA graduate coordinator’s decision is final and cannot be appealed. The Early Entry form must be approved by the MPA graduate coordinator before the student begins graduate course work. Failure to obtain prior approval negates the ability to “double count” courses.

After the Early Entry program form is approved by the MPA graduate coordinator, complete the online graduate application to be officially accepted into the MPA program and the UA Little Rock Graduate School.

Program Restrictions

Students must meet with the MPA graduate coordinator upon acceptance to map out and approve the course of study.
Accepted students get provisional status in the Graduate School, pending the award of their baccalaureate degree.
If at the end of the baccalaureate degree, the student has failed to meet the Graduate School admission requirement for the MPA program of 3.0 overall GPA, the student will be dismissed from the MPA program.
Students accepted into the Early Entry program will be subject to the same policies as traditionally matriculated students.
The Early Entry program may not be used in conjunction with the credit reservation program; therefore, no graduate courses taken before admission to the Early Entry program may be applied to the MPA degree.

Graduate Credit

Early Entry students will be required to enroll in only one course their first semester and they must make a B or better in the following course in order to continue the program:
PADM 7301 The Profession of Public Administration
Early Entry students can only enroll in 12 hours towards their MPA as an undergraduate student. These courses will count towards both the baccalaureate degree and the MPA degree.
Students must complete their baccalaureate degree before they complete 15 hours of graduate MPA coursework.

*Early entry students can enroll in only 12 MPA hours as an undergraduate.

Public Administration Courses

To see the courses and detailed information for the Public Administration, MPA degree, see link below:

Public Administration, MPA, select the Graduate Catalog at catalog.ualr.edu.