A student’s experiential requirement may be satisfied through Prior Experience (PE). Depending upon the type and amount of experience, a student may qualify for a credit reduction as well. There are three categories of PE (Professional, Military, and Volunteer) available to MPA, MSES, MPA-MSES, MIA, and MES students. MAAA and MAAA-MPA students have different guidelines for PE, as they are governed by the University Graduate School.

Applications are available for the different types of PE online via the Current Student Portal in the Forms section. Completed forms will be advanced to the appropriate Faculty Program Director for review.

• PE waivers and credit reductions are granted for experience gained prior to taking courses in the MPA, MES, MIA, and MSES programs.
• Applications for PE must be submitted within the first 24-credit hours or they will be denied.
• Students may be approved for more than one type of PE, but the combined credit reduction cannot exceed 9-credit hours.
• Credit reductions cannot result in the elimination of degree or concentration requirements. Students receiving prior experience credit reductions should carefully plan the balance of their program with an advisor.
• A student may not apply for PE with any of O’Neill’s outside, dual degree programs (e.g., MPA-MA, MSES-JD). All of O’Neill’s outside dual degree programs reflect a discounted credit hour program in an effort to streamline the academic demands for the student. Further credit reductions are not negotiable. This does not apply to O’Neill’s dual MPA-MSES and MAAA-MPA degree.
• Determination of PE credit is made separately from decisions about transfer of credit. Under no circumstances will the prior experience credit and transfer credit total more than 18-credit hours.

• Work must have been full-time, either paid or unpaid.
• To receive a waiver of the degree’s experiential requirement, work experience should roughly equal or surpass that of a summer internship.
• To qualify for credit reduction in addition to a waiver of the experiential requirement, at least two years of relevant full-time work is required.
• Position may be with government, private firm, or nonprofit organization, but the work must be explicitly related to a MPA or MSES career path, regardless of the type of employer.
• Employing entity may be domestic or international. Documentation from supervisors may be required.

Professional Experience MPA Guidelines:

• To receive a 3-credit hour reduction, a student must have 2-4 years of full-time technical, administrative, or policy-level work experience with a government, nonprofit, or private agency.
• 6-credit hours is generally possible for 4-6 years of relevant full-time managerial and/ or policymaking experience in any sector, such as program leadership, budgetary oversight, organizational or staff development, fundraising, analysis, planning, or human resources supervision.
• A 9-credit hour reduction is possible for over 6 years of relevant full-time managerial and/or policymaking experience. At this point, at least one higher-level, multi-year assignment is expected, including responsibility for supervision of staff, budget preparation, or organizational control of public or nonprofit agencies.

• 3-credit hour reduction and experiential waiver:
  • 1 year active duty or full-time guard/reserve service
  • 2 years part-time guard/reserve service
• 6-credit hour reduction and experiential waiver:
  • 2 years active duty or full-time guard/reserve service
  • 4 years part-time guard/reserve service
• 9-credit hour reduction and experiential waiver:
  • 4 years active duty or full-time guard/reserve service
  • 8 years part-time guard/reserve service