Progressing through the Program

Students may be admitted in Conditional Status if missing prerequisites—American government, microeconomics or statistics, or proof of Excel competency. Those admitted in Conditional Status may take no more than four MPA courses before providing proof of the completion of the missing prerequisites. Missing courses must be taken at a community college, and upon completion sealed official transcripts must be sent to the MPA Director directly, NOT TO GAPE. Proof of Excel competency may be provided as a certificate from a recognized source, or through a competency test with the MPA faculty.

When all missing prerequisites are met, the MPA Director will complete a Change of Classification for the student, who may then continue on with the rest of the MPA courses.

Following the filing of the Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy [pdf], or upon being admitted as a Graduate Student, the student must consult with the MPA Director to create a Candidacy Form, which lists every class that the student will take in the MPA program. This document is the plan of study for the student, and is a contract with the university. Both the student and the MPA Director must sign the form. It must be filed as soon as the student has four course grades, and a completed Change of Classification. Students are encouraged to create the plan of study in their first semester to ensure a smooth and efficient passage through the program. It can then be ready to file when the 4 course grades are available, which may not be until after the date to register for the next semester’s courses.

The final form that students must file is the Graduation Request Form, which is done on line directly with GAPE. Students must complete the paperwork and file for graduation according to the schedule posted on the GAPE website for the graduation date of their choice.

University-wide requirements for progressing through graduate programs can be found at GAPE.