College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Political Science University of South Carolina
AC
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Master of Public Administration
Accelerated MPA Degree
Program
USC’s accelerated MPA Program enables
students to complete both their Bachelors
and Masters degree programs in as little as
five years. With this program students can:
What Recent
Graduates Say
About USC’s
MPA Program:
“My MPA certainly
made me rise to
the top of the list
as compared to the
candidates without
similar credentials.”
- John Auvil,
Budget Analyst,
Federal Railroad
Administration
• Develop the skills sought by employers in
the public and non-profit sectors.
• Gain valuable professional experience and
contacts through internships and capstone
projects.
• Reduce the normal time to obtain the
MPA degree.
• Save money on graduate tuition.
Who Should Consider an
Accelerated MPA Degree?
Good students from any major who are
motivated to serve the public by working in
public affairs.
When Should I Begin
Planning for the
Accelerated MPA Program?
• Students can take full advantage of the
program by applying in their junior year
to begin taking MPA classes in their final
undergraduate year. But first semester
seniors can also begin taking classes. • Students should have taken Introduction
to American Government (POLI 201)
and a quantitative methods or statistics
class as part of their general education
program (e.g. POLI 301, but a number of
departments’ methods courses may fulfill
this requirement).
• The earlier that one begins to think about
a career in public service, the easier it will be
to enroll in appropriate electives and to avail
oneself of internship and other work-related
opportunities.
The University of South Carolina is an equal opportunity institution.
Admission Requirements
• Juniors with a 3.4 GPA can be admitted
to the accelerated program
• Juniors with a 3.0 GPA can apply to take
MPA courses using “senior privleges”
• During senior year students must meet
normal MPA admission requirements
• Students must have a passion for public
service!
How Do I Obtain Both
Degrees So Quickly?
• Students enroll in graduate courses
for graduate credit during their final
undergraduate year.
• Students double-count up to 12 hours
of academic credit toward both the
undergraduate and graduate degree.
Where do University
of South Carolina MPA
graduates work?
Graduates from our program have been
very successful on the job market and
currently work in all levels of government,
non-profit organizations, and the private
sector. The Director of the MPA Program
can provide more information on possible
career opportunities.
If you are interested in learning more
about USC’s Accelerated MPA Program,
please contact:
Professor Chris Witko
Director, MPA Program
Department of Political Science
Gambrell Hall, Room 323
phone: 803-777-4547
e-mail: [email protected]