BPPS/MPA Degree Pathway

Combined BPPS/MPA Degree Pathway

The combined BPPS/MPA degree pathway offered by the Department of Public Policy and Administration allows qualified students to earn both 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

  • Overall GPA of 3.2 or better.
  • Letter of recommendation from a faculty member at FIU or from a supervisor.
  • Current resume.
  • Letter-of-intent not to exceed three double-spaced pages explaining how earning the Master’s of Public Administration 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.
  • Application to the combined pathway after having completed at least 75 credit hours in the BPPS program.
  • Completion of at least 12 credits of Public Administration coursework and at least 24 credits of coursework at FIU.
  • Completion of all lower division requirements, including the University Core Curriculum, prior to acceptance to the combined pathway.
  • Attainment of a grade of ‘B’ or better on all graduate courses completed while in the BPPS program.

Courses Counted Toward both Degree Programs

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 Accelerated Degree Pathway.

Students may select at least two of the following courses to be double counted (students may select three 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.

To Apply

  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor to verify your eligibility
  • Complete the MPA application here