Accelerated Master of Public Administration Degree (BA/MPA or BS/MPA)

The Accelerated Master of Public Administration (BA/MPA or BS/MPA) dual degree program at Rutgers SPAA is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to build career options into their undergraduate curriculum. Qualified students have the opportunity to earn a Master of Public Administration (MPA) while taking up to 18 credits (six courses) of the MPA program as an undergraduate, and complete both degrees in five years.

The program is especially relevant to Public and Nonprofit Administration majors, but it is also suitable and applicable for students from all undergraduate disciplines.

Quick Facts

  • Modality: On Campus | Online
  • Credits: 18 (taken as an undergraduate for the second concentration requirement)
  • Courses: 6 graduate courses taken during undergraduate study, at undergraduate level tuition rate (if taken during fall and spring semesters)
  • Application Deadline: Undergraduate junior year
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  • Program Director: Suzanne Piotrowski, PhD

Curriculum

Once accepted into the 42-credit Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program, students take 18 credits (six courses) of graduate MPA courses during their senior undergraduate year. This program satisfies the undergraduate second concentration requirement (must complete 18 credits).

As undergraduates, students take six (6) MPA courses, including two (2) MPA program electives, as follows:

Tuition Rates

MPA courses taken as an undergraduate in the fall and spring semesters are charged at the undergraduate level tuition rate and are double-counted for undergraduate and graduate credits.

Accelerated MPA students are limited to fall and spring semesters only. Students are eligible to take summer and winter sections once they become graduate students. Students are not considered to be graduate students until they officially apply and are accepted into the MPA program and graduate with their bachelor's degree. Students who take graduate courses during the summer and/or winter sessions will be charged the graduate level tuition rate.

After receiving their undergraduate degree, students continue with the Master of Public Administration degree, taking MPA graduate courses until completing the required 42 credit hours for the MPA degree. Post-undergraduate degree credits carry the graduate level tuition rate.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for the BA/MPA or BS/MPA degree need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Must have completed 75 credits by the end of junior year
  • Must be a matriculating undergraduate student at a school on the Rutgers-Newark campus, (School of Public Affairs and Administration, School of Arts and Sciences–Newark, School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers Business School–Newark)
  • Must have a cumulative GPA of a 3.00 or higher
  • Must complete the MPA admissions application during junior year

To Apply

How to Apply (MPA) >

Questions?

If you have questions about a program or the application process, contact Aaron Gibbs, associate dean of student and academic services, at algibbs@rutgers.edu.