The Master of Public Administration offers options in health administration and criminal justice. The mission of the program is to develop and enhance the theoretical and practical understanding, knowledge, and skills of current and future managers in public service with particular emphasis on the North State region. A major feature of this program is administration in a nonmetropolitan setting.

Graduate Advising Requirement

Advising is mandatory each semester for all Public Administration students. Units taken outside the discipline of Public Administration must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and the student's graduate advisory committee. Consult with the Graduate Coordinator for specifics.

Requirements for the Master of Public Administration

Completion of all requirements as established by the departmental graduate committee, the graduate advisory committee, and Graduate Studies, to include:

1. Completion of an approved program consisting of 36-37 units as follows:
   1. At least 30 units in the discipline of Public Administration.
   2. At the discretion of the academic program, a maximum of six semester units of special session credit earned in non-matriculated status combined with all transfer coursework may be counted toward the degree requirements.  This applies to special session credit earned through Open University, or in courses offered for academic credit through Professional & Continuing Education. Correspondence courses and UC Extension coursework are not acceptable for transfer. Not more than six units from another department within the University, and only with approval by the graduate advisory committee.
   3. Not more than three units of internship coursework and only if the student's graduate committee or the Graduate Coordinator agrees that the internship is a meaningful educational experience. Internships are encouraged for pre-service students.
   4. Not more than nine units of POLS 697, POLS 699T, or POLS 680B combined; not more than three units of POLS 699T. POLS 697 topics cannot be the same as POLS 680B papers or thesis topics.
2. Completion and final approval of one of the following three plans as specified by the student's graduate advisory committee.
   1. Comprehensive Examination Plan
      1. Preparing for the Comprehensive Examination: students shall enroll in POLS 680A the semester before they intend to take the Comprehensive Examination. Students are provided lists of suggested readings. The exam involves synthesis and practical application of public administration theory, knowledge, and skills acquired in the program.
      2. Written Comprehensive Examinations: the candidate shall complete and pass a written examination in public administration.
      3. Grading: each examination shall be graded as pass or fail.
      4. Repeating the Written Comprehensive Examination: the candidate may repeat the examination once.
      5. Approval by the departmental graduate committee and the Graduate Council on behalf of the faculty of the university.
   2. Professional Paper Plan
      Enrollment in POLS 680A and POLS 680B and successful completion of a professional research paper (policy analysis) of sufficient range in subject and method to demonstrate a broad acquaintance with the relevant theory and methodology and a capacity for in-depth analysis and investigation. The completed paper shall be presented before interested faculty and graduate students and approved by both members of the graduate committee.
   3. Thesis Plan
      The candidate shall submit an acceptable thesis based upon research developed by the student and agreed to by the student's graduate advisory committee.
      1. Thesis Proposal: A proposal (prospectus or detailed outline) of the thesis must be submitted and approved by the graduate advisory committee before the student begins the thesis. The proposal includes at least a statement of the problem or hypothesis, the basic research methods to be employed, justification of the study's value, and estimated time of completion. The proposal is a formal document that must have appropriate attention given to the matters of format, documentation, and quality of writing.
      2. Registration in POLS 699T: the student should register for POLS 699T no earlier than the third semester in the program and in accordance with their thesis plan. However, it is advisable that students complete most of the program coursework before registering for POLS 699T. An approved thesis proposal is required for registration in POLS 699T.
      3. Approval of Thesis: the thesis shall be approved by all three members of the graduate advisory committee.
      4. Oral Defense: a required oral defense of the thesis shall be conducted by the candidate's graduate advisory committee. Interested faculty may attend. The oral defense is generally limited to matter within the scope of the thesis. The candidate may repeat the oral defense one time if failed by the committee on the first attempt. The time and place of the defense must be noted in print and circulated to Graduate Studies at least one week prior to the date. The Political Science and Criminal Justice Department should be notified of the oral defense two weeks prior to the date.
3. Approval by the department graduate committee and the Graduate Council on behalf of the faculty of the University.
   
   The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this master's.

Course List

Course	Title	Units
Core Requirements
POLS 602	Public Administration and Democracy	3
POLS 631	Research Methods	3
POLS 660A	Public Management	3
POLS 660B	Public Personnel Administration	3
POLS 660C	Public Budgeting and Finance	3
POLS 662	Organizational Theory in the Public Sector	3
Culminating Activity
Select three to four units from the following:		3-4
Comprehensive Examination: 1
Select three units of an elective course.
Professional Paper:
POLS 680A	Research Plan/Culminating Practicum
POLS 680B	Culminating Practicum
Master's Thesis (in exceptional circumstances):
POLS 699T	Master's Thesis 2
Options
Select one of the following:		15
General MPA
Criminal Justice
Health Administration
Total Units		36-37

¹

Students selecting the Comprehensive Examination must enroll in POLS 680A Research Plan/Culminating Practicum the semester prior to taking the Comprehensive Examination.

²

Must be taken for three units.

General MPA Electives

Students pursuing the Option in Criminal Justice or the Option in Health Administration select six units from the following; General MPA students must take 15 units.

Course List

Course	Title	Units
POLS 600	American Institutions and Public Organizations	3
POLS 601	State and Local Government	3
POLS 652	Legal and Ethical Issues in Health and Human Services	3
POLS 653	Environmental Policy and the Law	3
POLS 654	Behavioral Health Policy and Administration	3
POLS 655	Aging Policy	3
POLS 656	International Public Administration	3
POLS 657	The Criminal Justice System: Institutions and Public Policy	3
POLS 658	Criminological Theory	3
POLS 659	Collaborative Community Management	3
POLS 661	Seminar in Public Administration	3
POLS 664	Public Policy in Health and Human Services	3
POLS 665	Issues in Global Public Health	3
POLS 667	Administration and Planning	3
POLS 668	Public Policy Formation	3
POLS 669	Public and Non-Profit Program Evaluation	3
POLS 671	Topics in American Politics	3
POLS 672	The U.S. Presidency	3
or POLS 673	The U.S. Congress
POLS 689	Intern/Fieldwork Public Admin	1-3
POLS 689P	MPA Professional Internship (recommended for pre-service students)	3
POLS 697	Independent Study	1-6

The Option in Criminal Justice

Course List

Course	Title	Units
POLS 657	The Criminal Justice System: Institutions and Public Policy	3
POLS 658	Criminological Theory	3
Select one of the following:		3
CRIM 476	Police Administration and Management
POLS 651	Seminar in Judicial Politics
POLS 654	Behavioral Health Policy and Administration
Select six units from the General MPA Electives		6
Total Units		15

The Option in Health Administration

Course List

Course	Title	Units
Select three of the following:		9
POLS 652	Legal and Ethical Issues in Health and Human Services
POLS 654	Behavioral Health Policy and Administration
POLS 655	Aging Policy
POLS 664	Public Policy in Health and Human Services
POLS 665	Issues in Global Public Health
Select six units from the General MPA Electives		6
Total Units		15

Graduate Grading Requirements

All courses in the major (with the exceptions of Independent Study - 697, Master's Project - 699P, and Master's Thesis - 699T) must be taken for a letter grade, except those courses specified by the department as ABC/No Credit (400/500-level courses), AB/No Credit (600-level courses), or Credit/No Credit grading only. A maximum of 10 units combined of ABC/No Credit, AB/No Credit, and Credit/No Credit grades may be used on the approved program (including 697, 699P, 699T and courses outside the major). While grading standards are determined by individual programs and instructors, it is also the policy of the University that unsatisfactory grades may be given when work fails to reflect achievement of the high standards, including high writing standards, expected of students pursuing graduate study.

Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average in each of the following three categories: all coursework taken at any accredited institution subsequent to admission to the master's program; all coursework taken at California State University, Chico subsequent to admission to the program; and all courses on the approved master's degree program.

In addition, no course in which a grade lower than B- is earned will be counted toward the fulfillment of any graduate degree requirements.

Continuous enrollment is required. At the discretion of the academic program, a maximum of six semester units of special session credit earned in non-matriculated status combined with all transfer coursework may be counted toward the degree requirements.  This applies to special session credit earned through Open University, or in courses offered for academic credit through Professional & Continuing Education.

Graduate Time Limit

All requirements for the degree are to be completed within five years of the end of the semester of enrollment in the oldest course applied toward the degree. See Master's Degree Requirements for complete details on general degree requirements.

Graduate Requirement in Writing Proficiency

All students must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. Graduate students in Public Administration will demonstrate their writing competence through POLS 602 or the first graduate seminar in which they enroll. The instructor of that seminar will certify to the Graduate Coordinator that the student has met the requirement. Students should consult with the Graduate Coordinator for specifics.

Prerequisites for Admission to Classified Status

1. Satisfactory grade point average as specified in Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Admission Requirements.
2. Approval by the department and Graduate Studies.
3. An acceptable baccalaureate from an accredited institution, or an equivalent approved by Graduate Studies.
4. Evidence of American Government/Politics coursework at the post secondary level or successful completion (B- or higher) of POLS 355 is strongly recommended.
5. Completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 (80 on the internet-based TOEFL) by all applicants who have not attended post secondary educational institutions for at least three years where English is the principal language of instruction.

Advancement to Candidacy

1. Development of an approved master's degree program plan. The Graduate Coordinator works with the student in the development of the degree program plan. The plan must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator and the Office of Graduate Studies.
2. Completion of at least 15 units of the student's approved master's degree program plan.
3. Formation of a graduate advisory committee.
   1. Students selecting the thesis option must have a committee of three faculty members. At least two of the three faculty members on the committee, including the chair, must be chosen from the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice.
   2. Students selecting the professional paper plan must have a committee of two faculty members. The chair of the committee must be a faculty member in the Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice who holds a terminal degree in the field.
   3. For students who select the comprehensive exam plan, the Graduate Coordinator organizes the graduate advisory committee and is responsible for the guidance of the student through the completion of the degree.
4. For students completing the thesis or professional paper, graduate advisory committee approval of the student's thesis proposal or professional paper topic and enrollment in POLS 680B.