Executive Master Public Administration (Hybrid)

FIU is a Carnegie R1 Very High Research institution, a Hispanic Serving Institution, and a Carnegie Engaged University. It is the largest university in South Florida, with over 58,000 enrolled students in Fall 2019, and 85 percent of its student enrollment are minorities or students of color^[1]. FIU is ranked No. 1 in the nation in awarding bachelor's and master's degrees to Hispanic students. It is also ranked No. 12 in the nation in Top Performers on Social Mobility by the U.S. News & World Report, because of its efforts and success in advancing social mobility of economically disadvantaged, minority students.

The Department of Public Policy and Administration is the premier FIU academic unit to provide individuals preparing for, or advancing in, careers in public affairs, public administration, and public policy with the skills and values necessary to be effective and thoughtful leaders, managers, analysts, and citizens. The Department houses the Bachelor of Public Policy and Service (BPPS), Master of Public Administration (MPA), and Ph.D. in Public Affairs. FIU BPPS has been ranked at No. 1 nationwide, two years in a row by BestColleges.com among Accredited Online Bachelor's in Public Policy and Administration Programs. FIU MPA has been ranked at No. 6 nationwide by the U.S. News & World Report among graduate public affairs programs in Hispanic Serving Institutions. Through these nationally first-rated programs, The Department provides outstanding yet accessible education opportunities to predominately minority communities and serving traditionally underprivileged yet highly aspired student leaders. 

Professionals often pursue the EMPA degree to advance their careers in public service and leadership because it is open to all undergraduate disciplines and individuals with five to 10 years of professional experience. The EMPA curricula, rooted in equity, diversity and inclusion, provides the tools to build civic engagement, programs and policies needed to empower minority and disadvantaged residents and further social good. Many EMPA graduates are leaders within our communities managing the most relevant issues of our time such as equitable and inclusive governance and engagement, economic development, municipal management, public budgeting, affordable housing, public transportation, police-community relations, smart cities, public policy analytics, and community sustainability and resilience.

[1] FIU serves a diverse community of students: 61% Hispanic, 15% White Non-Hispanic, 13% Black, 4% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 7% other minority groups.

Career Path

Municipal Management, Public Budgeting Management, Public Transportation Management, Public Policy Analytics, Executive Director, Director of Development, Program Analyst, Mayor, City Manager.

Non-traditional Career Paths

Media

Communications

Human Resources

Foreign Service

Income Range

$32,000 - $118,210

Industry Outlook

FL: 11% ⬆️

US: 11% ⬆️

( Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics and onetonline.org)

Tentative EMPA Schedule*, 2023-2024

Note: *Course schedules and residence travel dates are subject to change.

          **In-person academic residences are required. One or more residences may be waived in extraordinary circumstances. Scheduling conflicts and/or time pressures are NOT extraordinary circumstances.

Summer 2023

In-person residence required: Miami - Travel dates: April 28 - April 30, 2023.

PAD6437: Dynamics of Individual Growth

This course focuses on the importance of small group theory to the personal growth of the administrator, and the role of interpersonal abilities in effectively serving client groups. The course also deals with the expansion of the phenomenological world view of each student; and will look at existential theory and the dilemma of personal growth.  

PAD6053: Political, Social and Economic Context of Public Administration

Examines the context in which public organizations operate, stressing the relationship between such organizations and their multifaceted environment. Emphasis is on examining relevant social and cultural mores and patterns, political values and processes, governmental institutions, economic systems, resource availability, and other environmental factors currently significant to public organizations.

PAD6417: Human Resource Policy and Management

The course focuses on the role of the personnel manager and how the manager performs tasks connected to human resources development, policy and management in public and nonprofit organizations.  

PAD6227: Public Finance and the Budgetary Process

Examines the theory and practice of public budgeting and its relationship to the administrative processes of control, management and planning. Special emphasis will be given to the social balance question; the kinds and scope of government expenditures; the fiscal role of government in a mixed economy; sources of revenue available to government; administrative, political and institutional aspects of the budget and the budgetary process; and problems and trends in intergovernmental financial relations.  

Fall 2023

In-person residence required: Tallahassee - Travel dates: late Oct 2023, FSU football away game week.

PAD6726: Applied Research Methods for Accountability in Public and Nonprofit Organizations

Tools, methods, and concepts employed to reengineer public and nonprofit agencies and to design performance indicators needed to enhance customer satisfaction and strategic service delivery.

PAD6807: Urban and Municipal Government Administration

Detailed examination of problems facing the municipal administrator; of the pressures upon the contemporary urban environment; and of the administration of large metropolitan areas comprised of numerous entities. Emphasis will be on determination of current trends, discussion of cases, and arrival at suggested solutions.

PAD6701: Quantitative Methods in Public Administration

An intensive introduction to statistical and forecasting tools appropriate for public, nonprofit, and health professionals. 

PAD6306: Policy Analysis

This course presents techniques and tools for the practice of policy analysis in public, nonprofit, and health organizations, with emphasis on constructing policy analysis useful to decisionmakers.

Spring 2024

In-person residence required: Washington, D.C. - Travel dates: February 20 - February 23, 2024.

PAD5460: Performance Management

Provides knowledge and skills regarding the work with measures and data to improve organizational performance.

PAD6718: Smart Governance

Examines smart governance systems that use cyber technologies for organizational management and delivery of public services. It explores innovative designs for achieving democratic values effectively.

PAD6056: The Practice of Public Management (**In-person residence required: Washington, D.C. - Travel dates: Feb. 2024 (TBD))

This capstone course for the MPA Program will deploy skills, concepts, and knowledge acquired in previous course work in analytic exercises related to students’ areas of specialization.  

PAD6434: Leadership and Decision-making

Readings and case studies examine how effective leaders in the public and non-profit sectors make decisions in fluid and challenging environments.

Application Requirements

Applicants to the Hybrid Executive Master of Public Administration must:

• Have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution;

• Have five to ten years of cumulative experience with public or non-profit organizations and preferably one to three years of managerial and supervisory experience;

• Submit three academic or professional letters of recommendation from faculty member at your undergraduate institution or from employment supervisors and;

• Demonstrate graduate level writing competency by submitting an essay between 3 and 5 pages in length explaining how earning the Hybrid Executive Master 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 their potential to succeed in graduate school and;

• Submit a GRE Score if your GPA in your last 60 credits of upper division coursework is less than 3.0 and;

• Submit a current resume. 

International Students

• Proof of English Language Proficiency. If you earned a bachelor's degree in a country whose official language is not English, you must demonstrate English language proficiency by earning a passing score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL required minimum score: 550 (paper-based exam) or 80 (internet-based). IELTS required minimum score: 6.5. When requesting official scores, please refer to FIU Institution code 5206. TOEFL / IELTS scores are valid for two years. View list of TOEFL/IELTS-exempt countries.

  • Graduate programs can use the Duolingo English Test.

  • Please visit Duolingo English Test for more information about how to register for the exam.

  • FIU Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 110

• Course by Course Evaluation. If your post-secondary educational history includes coursework outside the United States, you must submit a course-by-course credential translation and evaluation, with grade point average (GPA) calculation included, for all non-U.S. coursework. FIU accepts evaluations/translations from any NACES member evaluation service.

  FIU accepts evaluations/translations from any NACES member evaluation services, below are a few FIU recommends:

  Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., International Education Consultants
  7101 SW 102 Avenue
  Miami, FL 33173
  Phone: 305-273-1616 | Fax 305-273-1338
  www.jsilny.org | info@jsilny.com
  Visit the Josef Silny & Associates FIU Form for details

  World Education Services
  PO Box 745
  New York, NY 10113-0745
  212-966-6311
  www.wes.org | info@wes.org 
  
  Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
  PO Box 514070
  Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470
  414-289-3400 | www.ece.org

• Official Transcripts Translation. If official transcripts are not in English, a second copy of the transcript must be requested for translation. Both the official translation, as well as the original transcripts, must be submitted to FIU.

• Certified Copy of Diploma. If you obtained your degree at a foreign institution.

• As a fully online degree, this program is ineligible to grant/provide F-1 Student visas.

Official transcripts/translations must be submitted directly by the respective institution(s) in electronic format or mailed in a sealed institution envelope to:

Florida International University
Office of Graduate Admissions
P.O. Box 659004
Miami, FL 33265-9003

Transcripts from domestic universities can be sent electronically directly from the issuing institution to   gradadm@fiu.edu. 

How to Apply

In order to be officially considered for admission to the Hybrid EMPA program, students must complete the following steps:

• Submit an application online. Follow the link to start an application online via FIU Graduate Admissions ;

• Submit an application fee. A $30.00, non-refundable, application fee payable by check, money order, or credit card is required;

• Submit official transcripts. Transcripts of all degree granting institutions must be sent directly from each college or university either electronically or in a sealed envelope to the Graduate Admissions Office (Note: If your undergraduate degree was from FIU you don’t need to do this because your student records are accessible by the Department);

• Submit three letters of recommendation, resume, and essay to the Graduate Admissions Office;

• Submit all above documents by the application deadline.

Click here for a PDF of the Graduate Student – Admission Process Checklist

Pursuing your Hybrid EMPA degree is one of the best investments you can make – one that will open doors to personal and professional opportunities. Our tuition costs represent the best value in higher education.

The total cost of the Hybrid Executive Master of Public Administration is $32,000.  Students pay for courses at the beginning of each semester. All fees are subject to change.

Scholarship opportunities available 

Academic Works

FIU offers Academic Works, a website that matches students with relevant scholarship opportunities.  Find the one that’s right for you!  Academic Works is an online scholarship application tool where FIU students can browse and apply for more than 100 scholarships, made possible by the generosity of FIU alumni and friends.  Students can apply after they are matriculated into one of our programs. For more information visit  https://give.fiu.edu/business-governance/scholarships/.

Other Resources

There are other third party resources that prospective students can access while researching on how to pay for school. Below are various links that provide more information on financial aid and scholarship opportunities:

• FinAid

• FastWeb

• BigFuture

Federal Financial Aid

For information on Federal Financial Aid and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), please visit our financial aid page.

Under the revised Florida Board of Governors' (BOG) Regulation 8.002, all institutions of the State University System (SUS) of Florida are required to provide students with a side-by-side Tuition and Fees comparison for continuing education programs. The tuition comparisons are made between a traditional program vs. its counterpart Market Rate/Self-Supporting program. This approach provides students an opportunity to become aware of options that are available upon selecting a degree program of study.

Please click on the following link which will take you to a searchable database that provides the side-by-side tuition and fees comparisons for the Executive Master of Public Administration: https://continue.fiu.edu/programs/side-by-side-tuition-comparison/embed.html

Full-time MPA faculty are internationally and nationally recognized scholars in their respective fields. Many are/were holding leadership positions in national and international professional associations, such as, the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), Association for Budgeting and Financial Management (ABFM), and International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA). For faculty’s research expertise and experience, please visit our website, https://mpa.fiu.edu/about-us/full-time-faculty/.

The MPA program takes pride in its part-time, adjunct faculty. They are established practitioners and leaders in local and regional governments and nonprofit organizations. They provide invaluable best practices and successful practitioner experience of public administration and policy innovations. To know more about their careers and achievements, please visit our website, https://mpa.fiu.edu/about-us/mpa-adjunct-faculty/.

Learn more about the details of our program by listening in to our information session.