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Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration

The Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration (M.P.N.A.) is designed to prepare leaders of government and nonprofit agencies who are committed to the public good and skilled in managing human and financial resources to serve the public interest and build and improve our communities.

The M.P.N.A. program is available in three formats: regular classroom-based courses, Web-enhanced courses in which students meet every other week in the classroom and do online work in between classes, and in a totally online format. You can choose the format you prefer, depending on your individual preferences or circumstances, including a mix of all three formats.

There are four sets of courses required to complete the M.P.N.A. degree. 

• Five core courses in the M.P.N.A. program provide a solid grounding in the essential theories, processes and skills needed by managers in today's rapidly-changing environment. These courses total 18 credits and are required for all students in the program. 
• Three track courses provide focused study in either public administration or nonprofit management, for a total of 12 credits.  
• Six elective credits allow students to pursue their particular interests. Students may take advantage of 2-credit elective courses that are offered regularly in the M.P.N.A. program or take track courses from outside their selected track; they can also select graduate level courses from any program in the College of Management. 
• The M.P.N.A. capstone course provides an opportunity for students to complete their degree program with a significant study or project that integrates learning from previous courses and life experience, creating a coherent picture of leadership and management in the public and nonprofit sectors at the community level.

As an M.P.N.A. graduate, you will be better able to:

• understand and respond to diverse community needs;
• analyze and develop effective policies and programs;
• manage and measure successful organizational performance;
• meet the ethical demands of leadership; and
• work more collaboratively across organization and sector boundaries.

M.P.N.A. Course Requirements (40 credits)

Prerequisites

Because this program does not require a GMAT, GRE or equivalent test, a special assessment process has been developed for evaluating your application. This process may generate requirements for admission that include preparatory work in a required discipline that may not count toward graduation. This preparatory work assures that high-quality instruction is maintained throughout the program. Students studying on an F-1 student visa and distance learners in the online M.P.N.A. program may submit GMAT scores in lieu of assessment. Assessments must be completed before an admission decision is made and before any graduate classes can be taken.

The M.P.N.A. offers a special assessment for students who have not completed the GMAT or GRE (one of these three is required to evaluate your application). The assessment is offered free of charge and can be taken on-site at the College of Management or—for distance learners—proctored at a remote location. The assessment may generate requirements for admission that include preparatory work in a writing or math. This preparatory work does not earn credits toward graduation but instead ensures that all students are capable of high-quality masters-level instruction.

All M.P.N.A. students must complete the following:

MGMT 600 Practical Research Methods for Managers (2 credits)  Note: This course must be taken the first semester of graduate work.
MGMT 620 Organizational Behavior (4 credits)
ECON 635 Economics of Social Issues (4 credits)
MKTG 600 Marketing Management (4 credits)
PADM 689 Strategic Management of Information in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (4 credits)

Tracks (12 credits) Choose one of the following tracks: 

Public Administration Track

PADM 600 Public Administration Foundations (4 credits)  Note: This course should be taken before the other track courses, in the first or second term of the program.
PADM 650 Policy Analysis and Planning (4 credits)
PADM 672 Public Finance (4 credits)

NPM 600 Nonprofit Management Foundations (4 credits)  Note: This course should be taken before the other track courses, in the first or second term of the program.
NPM 671 Financial Decision Making in Nonprofit Organizations (4 credits)
NPM 672 Nonprofits and Social Change (4 credits)

It is possible to take courses in both tracks, students should consult with their advisor before doing so.

Electives (6 credits)

Choose from any M.P.N.A. or College of Management graduate level course.

Capstone (4 credits)

PADM 695 Seminar in Community-oriented Management

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College of Management Admissions Requirements

College of Management Graduate Degree Programs

The College of Management offers three graduate degrees: the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), the Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration (M.P.N.A.), and the Master of Management Information Systems (M.M.I.S.). The M.B.A. is designed to prepare you for a professional career in business or for-profit organizations. The M.P.N.A. prepares you for a career in government and not-for-profit organizations. The M.M.I.S. prepares you for leadership of your organization's information systems and technology-related areas. In addition, graduate certificate programs are offered in project management and MIS.

The College of Management graduate programs are offered in three formats: regular classroom-based courses, Web-enhanced courses that meet every other week in the classroom with online work in between classes, and fully online courses.

Together, the graduate programs in the College of Management have more than 1,400 alumni, most of who continue to live and work in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Desired College of Management Graduate Program Outcomes

Graduate programs in the College of Management are designed to enhance the management skills and knowledge of experienced adults. Mastery of management skills is a process that engages you throughout your professional life. For this reason, the desired outcomes of the three graduate programs focus on an ongoing process of learning and mastery. At the heart of the college's graduate programs is the expectation that accomplished managers:

• know themselves, especially their values, well enough to develop an appropriate management style, philosophy and set of ethical guidelines;
• have developed a universe of management concepts, paradigms and "maps," and are dedicated to exploring and creating ever-better ways to manage;
• know when to take initiative and responsibility and when to empower others, and anticipate the consequences of their actions;
• work effectively and sensitively with people of other races, gender, ethnic and age groups;
• communicate effectively in writing, speaking and listening in a variety of settings;
• know content, process and applications in key organizational areas;
• understand how to motivate people, design work, evaluate the performance of others and provide an environment for personal growth;
• obtain, understand, analyze and evaluate quantitative and qualitative information, manage modern information-handling technologies, and synthesize information from a variety of sources for decision making;
• think strategically when identifying issues, problems and opportunities, evaluating alternatives, and implementing appropriate actions;
• identify an organization's philosophy and goals, and derive objectives from them;
• analyze internal resources and the external economic, political, legal and cultural environment in order to make strategic choices;
• develop and implement a plan of action integrating activities of the various parts of an organization;
• provide visionary direction for an organization and contribute to the process of innovation and creative development; and
• envision, understand and facilitate change and anticipate the possible impacts on the organization.

Student Information

Admission Requirements for College of Management Graduate Programs

Materials submitted to the College of Management Graduate Program Office become the property of Metropolitan State University and are not returned. Applicants should allow 7-10 business days for review once all required application materials are received and sent to the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee.   

To be considered for admission to the M.B.A., M.M.I.S, M.P.N.A., or certificate programs, you must submit:

• Application - complete the Metropolitan State University Graduate Programs Application, including a $20 nonrefundable application fee (waived for baccalaureate graduates of Metropolitan State);
• Official Transcripts -  showing a baccalaureate degree or equivalent earned from an accredited institution with grade-point average or narrative description describing courses completed from all schools attended after high school and transcripts from any graduate or professional programs;
• Test Scores
  *M.B.A. applicants must submit official Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores - examinee copies are not acceptable. Note: If you already possess an earned Ph.D., D.D.S., M.D., or J.D. degree from an accredited U.S. institution or are participants in a College of Management special program, the requirement for the GMAT or assessments may be waived.
  *M.M.I.S., M.P.N.A. and certificate program applicants should submit recent assessment scores;
• Current resume - two years of professional work experience is required for M.B.A. and recommended for M.P.N.A; one year is required for the M.M.I.S.
• Goals Essay - a word-processed paper (double-spaced and approximately two pages) explaining "Why the Master's Degree Would Help Me Achieve My Professional Goals," with specific reference to the M.B.A., M.M.I.S., M.P.N.A. or certificate program; significant achievements; planned career and community or personal activities, including what you can contribute to the program;
• Two References - (using the required reference form) from employers or others who can attest to the importance of the master's degree in enhancing your professional development and commenting on your ability to pursue and successfully complete a graduate program. Faxed or electronic references are not accepted. (Not required for certificate programs).

In addition to the above admission documents required of all College of Management graduate students, international students should note the requirements described under Admission Information earlier in this catalog and are required to submit the following documents:

• Official TOEFL score if you received your undergraduate degree outside the United States. Permanent residents, political refugees, resident aliens and international students on a nonstudent visa who received an undergraduate degree outside the U.S. must also submit official TOEFL scores. Official TOEFL scores must be sent directly to the College of Management Graduate Program Office at Metropolitan State University. Examinee copies are not accepted.
• Official copy of a course-by-course transcript evaluation if your undergraduate degree was received outside the United States. The international course-by-course transcript evaluation conducted by an independent agency, such as Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or World Evaluation Services (WES), must be sent directly to the Graduate Program Office. Examinee copies are not accepted.
• Financial support documents, verifying funds for two years of study. 
• Photocopy of the information page in your passport.

Additional documents required for F-1 international students currently in the United States on an I-20 from another college or university who wish to transfer to Metropolitan State include the following items:

• Official transcripts from all U.S. colleges attended
• Transfer verification form
• Photocopy of current I-20, visa and entry stamp, I-94

Note:  International students may apply for classroom based degree programs only. Applications from international students for the MIS or Project Management Certificate programs will not be accepted. These students will be referred to existing degree programs.  

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester, August 1     
• Spring Semester, December 1
• Summer Term, April 1

Application Deadlines - International Student Applicants

• Fall Semester, May 1
• Spring Semester, September 1
• Summer Term, No summer admissions

Application deadlines will not be waived. Applications for admission are not considered until all requirements are met and fees received. International student applications are not processed until specified program prerequisite courses are successfully completed and official course-by-course transcript evaluations, TOEFL, GMAT or assessment scores are submitted. If you are unable to complete the assessments prior to admission, a GMAT or GRE score can be substituted. Admission is not granted, nor is an I-20 issued, without fulfilling all of the requirements for international student admission.  NOTE: I-20s are not issued for certificate programs.

Admission Decisions/Categories

The College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee evaluates your application for evidence of undergraduate scholarship, professional experience and demonstrated aptitude for successful graduate business study. If you meet all application requirements, you are given full admission to the program for which you applied. If you have one or more prerequisite courses to complete and your application otherwise supports the conclusion that you can successfully undertake graduate study, you may be granted conditional admission to a program. As a conditionally-admitted student, you must complete these prerequisites prior to completing any graduate course work. Applicants denied admission may not take graduate level courses in the College of Management graduate programs. 

Reapplication for Denied Applicants

If your application for admission to a College of Management graduate program is denied, you may reapply for admission to that same program only after a minimum of six months has passed after the denial. You will need to demonstrate a substantive difference in the reapplication to be considered for admission.

If your application to one College of Management graduate program is denied, you may apply for another College of Management graduate program. A new application form must be accompanied by a $20 application fee, a new goals essay, updated resume, two new references and GMAT scores and/or assessment test scores appropriate to the degree for which you are applying.

English and Quantitative Competence Assessment

All College of Management students, except those in special international cohort programs, are expected to demonstrate English and quantitative competence at a level to ensure success in graduate studies. If your abilities are assessed to be inadequate for graduate study, you may be required to enroll in appropriate undergraduate courses until your skills have been brought to a satisfactory level. These undergraduate courses must be successfully completed prior to taking any graduate level courses.

Orientation

Once you are fully admitted to a College of Management graduate program you will be required to attend a graduate student orientation session before or during your first semester of course work. If you do not attend an orientation session, a hold will be placed on your records preventing you from registering for further graduate classes until you attend orientation.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

You must maintain satisfactory academic progress to remain in a College of Management graduate or certificate program.

• Only courses for which you receive a letter grade of C (2.0) or better count toward degree requirements; and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required for graduation.
• If you receive a letter grade of C+ or below in any graduate course, you will be placed on academic probation.  If you receive a letter grade of C+ or below in two courses, or if your cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters, you will be dismissed from the graduate program.
• If you have been dismissed from a College of Management graduate or certificate program for unsatisfactory academic progress, you may apply for readmission after one calendar year has passed. To reapply, submit an updated resume and a letter to the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee indicating what circumstances have changed and how you plan to successfully complete the program. The admissions committee reviews your request and responds in writing. 
• Only courses in which you receive a letter grade are applied toward your degree. The option of a competence/no competence with a narrative transcript is not available to College of Management graduate students. Only internships are graded using pass/fail criteria.

Appeal of Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Removals from the Program

If you are removed from a graduate or certificate program for unsatisfactory academic progress, you may appeal the removal to the College of Management dean. The appeal must be in writing, and it must provide specific grounds for the appeal. The appeal is due to the dean within 30 days of the date of the letter notifying you of the decision to remove you from the program. The dean has 30 days to respond, in writing, to the appeal. Appeals received after 30 days will not be considered.

Reactivating into the M.B.A., M.M.I.S., M.P.N.A., or Certificate Programs

If you are a student in good academic standing who has not registered for courses for three or more consecutive semesters, you must apply to reactivate into the degree program. To reactivate, submit an updated resume and a letter to the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee expressing a desire to reactivate into the M.B.A., M.M.I.S., M.P.N.A., or certificate degree program. The admissions committee reviews your request and responds in writing, specifying degree completion requirements and deadline for completion. You may be required to satisfy degree requirements in force at the time of reactivation, even if those requirements differ from those in force at the time of original admission to the degree program.

Extensions

You have five years from your first semester of graduate study to complete your degree program requirements and two years to complete your certificate requirements. You may request an extension of the time limit by writing to the College of Management Graduate Programs Office. Such requests must be received prior to the expiration of the time limit. Requests for extensions should include your reason(s) for requesting the extension, a summary of your plan to finish graduation requirements, and a specific date for the extension to expire. Extension decisions are made by the College of Management Graduate Admissions Committee and are not automatic.

Registration by Undergraduate Students

With permission of the college, you may register for graduate level prerequisite courses during your last semester of undergraduate studies.

Transfer Credits

Once fully admitted, you may transfer up to 16 credits into your graduate program. A course is accepted in transfer only if it has been completed within the last five years from an accredited institution, no degree was granted, and a letter grade of B or better was earned in the course. Courses are accepted in transfer upon the approval of the graduate programs director in consultation with discipline coordinators. 

College of Management Outstanding Student Award

During your final semester of course work, you may be nominated by the faculty for the College of Management Outstanding Student Award. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of their academic performance in their graduate degree program, as well as achievements in their community and professional contributions. All finalists are recognized in the commencement program, and the outstanding student receives special recognition during commencement.

Accreditation

Metropolitan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.

Affiliation

The College of Management is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and ascribes to its curriculum standards.

College of Management

Office Location:  1300 Harmon Place, Minneapolis, MN 55403
 
Mailing address:  1501 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Phone:  612-659-7290

E-mail:  COM.GraduatePrograms@metrostate.edu

Web site:  http://choose.metrostate.edu/comgradprograms 

Faculty

David Bahn, Allen Bellas, David Bouchard, Kathleen Chalekian, Grover Cleveland, Steven Creason, Dennis Daly, Timothy Delmont, Jennifer Dosch, James Fatzinger, Janet Henquinet, Ken Hess, Roger Israel, Katryna Johnson, Nancy Nentl, Hameed Nezhad, David O'Hara, Narasimha Paravastu, Roger Prestwich, Jayant Saraph, Francis Schweigert, Michael Sher, Adrianne Slaymaker, Joel Wilson, Michael Wilson, Minh Vo, Carol Bormann Young, Kenneth Zapp.

Career Advising

At Metropolitan State, we understand that most students in the MPNA Program are pursuing a master's degree to enhance their professional careers. As a result, we provide not only an outstanding academic and intellectual experience but also career advice and assistance on a very individualized basis. This may include:

• Discussions with the MPNA Faculty Coordinator or other faculty members regarding career direction and transition.
• Information about regular professional positions and internships that may be available in public and nonprofit organizations.
• Assistance in professional networking in the student's chosen field.
• Connections with MPNA alumni and other students who may be helpful to a student's career.
• Help in developing mentoring relationships with MPNA students, alums and other professionals who can provide valuable career guidance.
• Resume review and other services that can help students present themselves most effectively to potential employees.