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General Information

The Master of Public Affairs program is an interdisciplinary, professional program that prepares students for positions in local, state, or federal government, quasi-governmental service, or the nonprofit (including philanthropic) arena. It broadens students' comprehension of the economic, environmental, political, and social context in which the public servant works. The course of study requires completion of (1) the M.P.A. core, (2) the concentration requirement, (3) the experiential requirement, and (4) sufficient electives and/or mid-career option credit to total 48 credit hours.

The curriculum of this program as contained in the core requirements encompasses preparation in a broad range of skills relevant to the operation of public agencies. It is based on the academic disciplines but not limited to any one. It is also problem-oriented, bringing the disciplines to bear on critical social, environmental, economic, and administrative issues.

Although the environment of public service is diverse and changing, effectiveness in that environment requires the development of special skills attained through detailed study in a chosen field of concentration. The fields of concentration span the variety of professional specialties found in public service. Thus, the program provides expertise in the core requirements and a specific concentration area, as well as a general working knowledge of public affairs.

The M.P.A. program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA).

Degree Requirements

(48 credit hours)

Before enrolling in the M.P.A. program, students must show proficiency in the foundation areas of computing, economics, government, mathematics, and statistics to facilitate mastery of core course material. Graduate credit is not given for work done to satisfy these undergraduate requirements.

The core requirements of the M.P.A. degree consist of 18 credit hours of work in six courses. Each student must also complete the requirements of (at least) one concentration.

The experiential requirement ensures that each graduate of the M.P.A. program has gained insight into the world of public service by way of an experience outside the classroom. This experience may or may not involve the accumulation of credit hours toward the degree. The remaining credit hours necessary for graduation, if any, are general electives that can be used to add breadth to a student's program; to further explore a field of concentration; or to enhance skills in foreign languages, quantitative tools, or administrative techniques.

Core Requirements

(18 credit hours)

The M.P.A. core is designed to ensure that each student acquires both the prerequisite analytical skills and an understanding of policy issues and governmental processes that compose the environment within which graduates will pursue their careers.

Required Courses
SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA V517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA V540 Law and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.)

Extremely well-prepared applicants may petition the program director to waive one or more of the core requirements on the basis of advanced course work done elsewhere. Students may be exempted on the basis of satisfactory equivalent course work or by examination. Credit hours waived from the core add to the electives a student may use. Students requesting course waivers should contact the appropriate graduate program director for requirements and guidelines.

Concentration Requirements

(12-30 credit hours)

Concentrations give students educational experiences in a substantive area of interest. The course of study in each concentration area is determined in conjunction with an advisor. Up to 3 credit hours of the concentration may be taken in V585 Practicum in Public Affairs, if approved in advance by an advisor.

Concentration requirements may be waived on the same basis as core requirements. Consult with an advisor about course prerequisites.

Experiential Requirements

Each M.P.A. student must obtain professionally relevant experience through one of the following options: an approved internship (0-6 credit hours); SPEA V590 Research in Public Affairs; SPEA V601 Workshop in Public Affairs; the Environmental Fellowship Program; or the Mid-Career Credit Option.

Mid-Career Credit Option

The Graduate Admissions Committee of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs may grant up to 12 credit hours toward the M.P.A. degree for students who have had significant policy-level work experience in their backgrounds. Credit will be granted for work experience gained until the end of the semester in which the student completes 24 credit hours according to the following guidelines:

To receive 3 credit hours, a student must have a minimum of one year's technical, administrative, or policy-level work experience with a government or private agency. Experience should be in policy planning and direction.
6 credit hours will be awarded for one to four years of managerial experience in directing programs, preparing budgets, and making decisions on organizational or staff development, or for one to four years of professional experience in policy analysis or planning.
Those with four or more years of executive assignment may be awarded 9 to 12 credit hours. Applicants must have had responsibility for supervision of high-level staff, budget preparation, and organizational control of public agencies, or executive responsibility for policy analysis or planning.

Application Process and Policies Students are eligible to apply for mid-career credit at the time of application to the M.P.A. or during the first semester of M.P.A. graduate study in order to take full advantage of available credit. Applicants may appeal the initial mid-career credit decision by submitting a request, in writing, for reconsideration and providing additional information to the appropriate program or campus director.

Determination of mid-career credit is made separately from decisions about transfer of credit. Under no circumstances will the mid-career credit and transfer credit total more than 21 hours of the 48 required for the M.P.A. degree. Students receiving mid-career credit should carefully plan the balance of their program with an advisor.

Note: Students may receive more mid-career option credit than they are eligible to use.

Send completed forms to:
Graduate Programs—Office of Student Services
School of Public and Environmental Affairs
801 W. Michigan Street, BS 3027
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5152

General Elective Courses

Graduate courses, or undergraduate courses approved for graduate credit, may be used to complete the overall degree requirement of 48 credit hours.

Criminal Justice Concentration
Environmental Management Concentration
Nonprofit Management Concentration
Policy Analysis Concentration
Public Management Concentration

Fields of Concentration

Concentrations give students a focused educational experience in a substantive area of interest. The concentration is selected in conjunction with a faculty advisor and the appropriate SPEA administrator. Concentrations offered on the Indianapolis campus include:

Criminal Justice Concentration

(18 credit hours)

The criminal justice concentration is for those interested in the issues, methods, and skills involved in the management of criminal justice or related agencies. Students are required to take a minimum of 9 "J" credit hours for this concentration.

Required Courses (12 credit hours)
SPEA J501 Evolution of Criminological Thought and Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA J502 Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V509 Administrative Ethics in the Public Sector (3 cr.)

One of the following:
SPEA J666 Criminal Justice Policy and Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA J682 Criminal Justice Planning and Management (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two courses from one of the following groups:

Group A
SPEA J550 Topics in Criminal Justice (3 cr.)
SPEA J582 Criminal Justice Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA J587 Criminal Violation: Problems and Characteristics (3 cr.)
SPEA J588 Law and Control in Society (3 cr.)
SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs (criminal justice topics only) (3 cr.)
SPEA V580 Readings in Public Affairs (criminal justice topics only) (3 cr.)
SPEA V585 Practicum in Public Affairs (criminal justice topics only) (3 cr.)
SPEA V685 Research Seminar in Public Affairs (3 cr.) (criminal justice only)

Group B

Management, Organizations, and Policy
SPEA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA J550 Topics in Criminal Justice (3 cr.)
SPEA V504 Public Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V512 Public Policy Process (3 cr.)
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V547 Negotiation and Dispute Resolution for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA V564 Urban Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V566 Executive Leadership (3 cr.)
SPEA V569 Managing Interpersonal Relations (3 cr.)
SPEA V570 Public Sector Labor Relations (3 cr.)

Nonprofit Management
SPEA V522 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (3 cr.)

Finance
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)
SPEA V542 Governmental Financial Accounting and Reporting (3 cr.)

Information Systems
SPEA V516 Public Management Information Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA V518 Intergovernmental Systems Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V519 Database Management Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs (non-criminal justice topics) (3 cr.)

Other courses approved by a faculty advisor.

Environmental Management Concentration

(21 credit hours)

Students entering this concentration should have a working knowledge of chemistry and calculus prior to admission. The minimum level of competence needed is equivalent to two semesters of undergraduate chemistry and one semester of calculus.

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA E526 Applied Mathematics for Environmental Science (3 cr.)
SPEA E552 Environmental Engineering (3 cr.)
SPEA V645 Environmental Law (3 cr.)

Electives (12 credit hours)
Four of the following courses or other 500-level or above environment-related courses approved by a concentration advisor.
SPEA E431 Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment (3 cr.)
SPEA E510 Hazardous Materials Regulation (3 cr.)
SPEA E512 Risk Communication (3 cr.)
SPEA E515 Fundamentals of Air Pollution (3 cr.)
SPEA E520 Environmental Toxicology (3 cr.)
SPEA E536 Environmental Chemistry (3 cr.)
SPEA E542 Hazardous Materials (3 cr.)
SPEA E549 Environmental Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA E554 Groundwater Flow Modeling (3 cr.)
SPEA E560 Environmental Risk Analysis (3 cr.)
SPEA E562 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (3 cr.)
SPEA E620 Environmental Analysis Workshop (3 cr.)
SPEA V520 Environmental Policy Analysis (3 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)

Nonprofit Management Concentration

(18 credit hours)

The nonprofit management concentration prepares persons for leadership positions in nonprofit and volunteer organizations. Students receive a professional degree structured around theories, concepts, and practices essential to the policy and management of nonprofit organizations. Students who choose careers in the third sector will be more enlightened practitioners through a clear understanding of the philanthropic tradition in the broadest sense (that is, voluntary action for the public good) and of modern management techniques.

Required Courses (6 credit hours)
SPEA V521 The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr.)
SPEA V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (3 cr.)

One of the following nonprofit theoretical courses:
SPEA V523 Civil Society and Public Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA V524 Civil Society in Comparative Perspective (3 cr.)
ECON E514 The Nonprofit Economy and Public Policy (3 cr.)
HIST H509 History of Philanthropy in the West (3 cr.)
HIST H511 Special Topics in U.S. History: History of American Philanthropy (3 cr.)
PHIL P542 Ethics and Values of Philanthropy (3 cr.)
Other courses approved by the faculty advisor

Two of the following nonprofit application courses:
SPEA V522 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V526 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V557 Proposal Writing and Grant Administration (3 cr.)
SPEA V558 Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V559 Topics in Public Affairs: Leadership and Board Development (3 cr.)
SPEA V602 Strategic Planning of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
EDUC C595 Legal Aspects of Philanthropy (3 cr.)

One of the following general management courses:
SPEA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA V516 Public Management Information Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA V539 Management Science of Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA V566 Executive Leadership (3 cr.)

Policy Analysis Concentration

(17-18 credit hours)

The policy analysis concentration emphasizes applications of statistical analysis, cost-benefit analysis, program evaluation, management science/operation research, and related techniques and approaches to public policy issues in a substantial area.

Required Policy Skills Courses (8-9 credit hours)

Two of the following courses:
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.) or
SPEA J502 Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Public Affairs (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:
SPEA P520 Methods for Planning and Policy Analysis (2 cr.)
SPEA V507 Data Analysis and Modeling for Public Affairs (3 cr.)

Required Policy Field Courses (9 credit hours)
Select three courses with the permission of a faculty advisor. Courses include, but are not limited to, the following:
SPEA E549 Environmental Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA H501 U.S. Health Care: Systems, Policies, and Ethical Challenges (3 cr.)
SPEA H515 Seminar in Health Policy Process Special Topics (3 cr.)
SPEA H640 Topics in Health Services Administration: Health Care Policy Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA J501 Evolution of Criminological Thought and Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA J582 Criminal Justice Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA J666 Criminal Justice Policy and Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA P510 Social Economic Aspects of Human Settlement (2 cr.)
SPEA P515 Physical Systems Development and Infrastructure (3 cr.)
SPEA P540 Community and Neighborhood Development Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA P550 Topics in Planning (3 cr.) (public policy topics approved by an advisor)
SPEA V512 Public Policy Process (3 cr.)
SPEA V520 Environmental Policy Analysis (3 cr.)
SPEA V523 Civil Society and Public Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA V524 Civil Society in Comparative Perspective (3 cr.)
SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs (3 cr.) (public policy topics approved by an advisor)
SPEA V580 Readings in Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V590 Research in Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V597 Land Use Planning (3 cr.)

Public Management Concentration

(18 credit hours)

The public management concentration is a structured program that enables students to develop a managerial perspective. The curriculum ensures breadth of coverage across those areas essential to a managerial career.

Required Courses (12 credit hours)
SPEA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA V561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V602 Strategic Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V639 Managing Government Operations (3 cr.)

One of the following:
SPEA V516 Public Management Information Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA V542 Governmental Financial Accounting and Reporting (3 cr.)

One of the following:
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis for Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)

Master of Public Affairs–Doctor of Jurisprudence (M.P.A.–J.D.)
Master of Public Affairs–Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies (M.P.A.–M.A.)
Master of Public Affairs–Master of Science in Nursing (M.P.A.–M.S.N.)

Master of Public Affairs Joint Degree Programs

Application and Admission
Program Requirements
Master of Public Affairs Requirements
Doctor of Jurisprudence Requirements

Master of Public Affairs–Doctor of Jurisprudence (M.P.A.–J.D.)

The combined M.P.A.–J.D. program enables the student to take a sequence of courses leading to the attainment of both degrees.

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Application and Admission

The student must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education and must apply to both the School of Law—Indianapolis and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. If the applicant is admitted to only one school, the applicant is permitted to attend that school and is required to meet the graduation requirements of that school. It is preferred that the student apply to both schools simultaneously for the combined M.P.A.–J.D. program. It is possible, however, for a person already enrolled in the School of Law to apply for admission to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs up to the time he or she completes the second year of law study. It is also possible for a student enrolled in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs to seek admission to the School of Law up to the end of the first year of the M.P.A. course of study.

Academic Standing
Grade point averages in the School of Law—Indianapolis and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs are computed separately. To continue in the program, the student must meet the academic standards in each school. A student failing in one school but meeting academic standards in the other may complete work for the degree in the school in which the student is able to meet the academic standards. Such completion must be according to the same conditions (credit hours, residency, etc.) required of regular (noncombination) degree candidates. Students are eligible for honors in each school based on the criteria of each school.

School Residency
Students in the joint M.P.A.–J.D. program should enroll in courses through the School of Law—Indianapolis in the first year of the program and through the School of Public and Environmental Affairs in the second year of the program. In the third and fourth years, or until the program is completed, students should enroll through the school in which the majority of their credit hours reside in each enrollment period.

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Program Requirements

(115 credit hours)

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Master of Public Affairs Requirements

(31 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 31 credit hours of SPEA courses distributed among the M.P.A. core and a specialization.

Required Courses (15 credit hours)
SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA V517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.)

Specialization (14 credit hours)
The student chooses a field of specialization and develops a program of specialization courses in consultation with the SPEA program advisor.

Research Paper (2 credit hours)
SPEA V590 Research in Public Affairs, a required research paper, is written during the final year of the program.

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Doctor of Jurisprudence Requirements

(84 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 84 credit hours of law courses and satisfy all requirements for the degree Doctor of Jurisprudence.

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Master of Public Affairs–Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies (M.P.A.–M.A.)

The combined Master of Public Affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management and Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies enables a student to take a sequence of courses leading to the receipt of both degrees. This joint degree program focuses on the history, culture, and values of philanthropy as well as the managerial frameworks of public service and quasi-governmental institutions.

Application and Admission
Program Requirements
Master of Public Affairs Requirements
Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies Requirements

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Application and Admission

To participate in the joint degree program, students must apply and be accepted into both the Master of Public Affairs program and the Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies program. Most students will apply for admission to both programs simultaneously. However, if admitted to one program first, the student should submit an application for admission to the other program before completing 24 credit hours toward the first program.

Academic Standing
Grade point averages for the programs are computed separately. To continue in the program, the student must meet the academic standards in each school. A student failing in one school but meeting academic standards in the other school may complete work for the degree in the school in which he or she is able to meet the standards. Such completion must be upon the same conditions as required of regular (noncombination) degree candidates. Students are eligible for honors in each school based on the criteria of each school.

Program Advisors
Students enrolled in the combined programs are assigned co-advisors; one from each school. The co-advisors are responsible for reviewing each semester's progress to assure attainment of educational objectives. The co-advisors also help students resolve scheduling problems that might develop as a result of the combined program.

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(M.P.A.–M.A.)

Program Requirements

(60 credit hours)

The following degree requirements are required of all students admitted to the program.

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(M.P.A.–M.A.)

Master of Public Affairs Requirements

(36 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 36 credit hours of SPEA courses and to satisfy all requirements for the joint degree.

M.P.A. Core Requirements (18 credit hours)
SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA V517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA V540 Law and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.)

Experiential Component (3 credit hours)
Each M.P.A. student must obtain relevant experience. This can be accomplished through an approved internship, through SPEA V590 Research in Public Affairs, through the SPEA mid-career credit option, or through Philanthropic Studies PHST P590 Internship in Philanthropic Studies. Students wishing to complete the dual degree program in the minimum credit hours should take PHST P590.

Degree Elective (3 credit hours) One of the courses from the M.A. in Philanthropic Studies will fulfill this requirement.

Nonprofit Concentration (18 credit hours)
Each of the following:
SPEA V521 The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr.)
SPEA V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (3 cr.)

Nonprofit Theoretical Courses
One of the following:
ECON E514 The Nonprofit Economy and Public Policy (3 cr.)
HIST H509 History of Philanthropy in the West (3 cr.)
PHIL P542 Ethics and Values of Philanthropy (3 cr.)

Nonprofit Application Courses
Two of the following:
SPEA V522 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V526 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V550 Topics in Public Affairs: Leadership and Board Development (3 cr.)
SPEA V557 Proposal Development and Grant Administration (3 cr.)
SPEA V558 Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V602 Strategic Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
PHST P535 Law of Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)

General Management Courses
One of the following:
SPHA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA V516 Public Management Information Systems (3 cr.)
SPEA V539 Management Science for Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluations (3 cr.)
SPEA V566 Executive Leadership (3 cr.)

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(M.P.A.–M.A.)

Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies Requirements

(24 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 24 credit hours in philanthropic degree courses and satisfy all requirements for the Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies degree.

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(M.P.A.–M.A.)

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Master of Public Affairs–Master of Science in Nursing (M.P.A.–M.S.N.)

The combined Master of Public Affairs–Master of Science in Nursing program enables a student to take a sequence of courses leading to the receipt of both degrees.

Application and Admission
Program Requirements
Master of Public Affairs Requirements
Master of Science in Nursing Requirements

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Application and Admission

The student must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education and must apply to both the School of Nursing (Indianapolis) and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. If the applicant is admitted to only one school, the applicant is permitted to attend that school and is required to meet the graduation requirements of that school. It is preferred that the student apply to both schools simultaneously for the combined M.P.A.– M.S.N. program. It is possible, however, for a person already enrolled in the School of Nursing to apply for admission to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs up to the time he or she completes the second year of nursing study. It is also possible for a student enrolled in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs to seek admission to the School of Nursing up to the end of the first year of the M.P.A. course of study.

Academic Standing
Grade point averages in the School of Nursing and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs are computed separately. To continue in the program, the student must meet the academic standards in each school. A student failing in one school but meeting academic standards in the other may complete work for the degree in the school in which the student is able to meet the academic standards. Such completion must be on the same conditions (credit hours, residency, etc.) as required of regular (noncombination) degree candidates (i.e., 36 credit hours for nursing and 48 credit hours for SPEA). Students are eligible for honors in each school based on the criteria of each school.

Program Advisors
Students enrolled in the combined program are assigned co-advisors-one each from the faculty of the School of Nursing and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. The co-advisors are responsible for reviewing the student's progress each semester to assure attainment of educational objectives. The co-advisors also help students resolve scheduling problems that might occur as a result of the combined degree program.

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(M.P.A.–M.S.N.)

Program Requirements

(61 credit hours)

The combined M.P.A.–M.S.N. program requires a minimum of 61 credit hours distributed between the Master of Public Affairs and the Master of Science in Nursing components, including a joint research paper.

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(M.P.A.–M.S.N.)

Master of Public Affairs Requirements

(29 credit hours)

M.P.A. Core (18 credit hours)
SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA V517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA V540 Law and Public Affairs (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs (3 cr.)

Concentration (11 credit hours)
SPEA V504 Public Organizations (3 cr.)

The remaining 8 credit hours consist of courses in a concentration chosen by the student in consultation with a SPEA advisor.

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(M.P.A.–M.S.N.)

Master of Science in Nursing Requirements

(27 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 27 credit hours of nursing courses and to satisfy all requirements for the Master of Science in Nursing degree. For specific guidelines, see the School of Nursing Graduate Programs Bulletin.

Joint Research Paper (5 credit hours)
Credit for this supervised research is arranged and counts toward degree requirements in both schools. A minimum of 5 credit hours must be taken with at least 3 credit hours of research counting toward the M.S.N. degree and 2 credit hours of SPEA V590 Research in Public Affairs counting toward the M.P.A. degree. The topic must be selected no later than the end of the third year of the combined program, include elements of both disciplines, and be approved by the student's co-advisors. This paper must be completed in the last year of the combined program and jointly supervised by advisors from both schools.

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(M.P.A.–M.S.N.)

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General Information
Admission
Mid-Career Credit Option
Degree Requirements
Course Waivers, Substitutions, and Challenge Examinations

Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.)

General Information

The graduate program in health administration is offered by the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Recognized for its outstanding faculty, professional integration, and strong business ethics, the Indianapolis program reflects the exciting frontiers of the contemporary health care industry.

This advanced program attracts professionals and students interested in a variety of leadership opportunities in hospitals, managed care, ambulatory care, and voluntary health agencies. Opportunities also exist in consulting firms, corporate health programs, insurance, government, and other regulatory agencies. The program is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration and is a member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.

Approximately one-third of the students in the program have professional backgrounds; the remaining two-thirds come directly from undergraduate programs. In the classroom, this mix creates a dynamic environment of fresh perspectives and practical experience. The versatile faculty teaches a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum interwoven with current research and events. The MHA program consists of 51 graduate semester credit hours.

A summer internship between the first and second year of study is an excellent opportunity to learn from a health industry employer. The internship offers students valuable experience in the health care field and is an excellent opportunity to blend academic preparation with hands-on experience. Positions at leading organizations are available throughout the United States.

As an option, students may choose an Administrative Residency, a 10-12 month, paid residency that can assist in the transition from classroom to workplace through intensive exposure to a selected management career. It blends academic preparation with administrative practice. Students with little health administration experience may find the residencies beneficial. Residents are selected through competitive application processes.

A mentorship program utilizing local M.H.A. alumni and friends of the school gives students the opportunity to meet a variety of practicing health care professionals. Mentors are available in all segments of the health care field, and range from recent graduates to corporate officers and senior public officials.

Increasingly, our students compete successfully for national administrative fellowships after graduation. Recent fellowships awarded to M.H.A. program graduates include: Good Samaritan Health System in Nebraska, Winston Fellowship and Washington Hospital Group in Washington, D.C., the American College of Healthcare Executives in Chicago, the Cleveland Clinics in Cleveland, Ohio, and Baylor Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Most fellowships provide a one-year, paid administrative experience and lead to permanent employment.

Admission

In addition to the general requirements for admission to graduate study in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, the following requirements must be met for admission to the Graduate Program in Health Administration:

Applicants must possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution and have a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with a minimum GPA of 3.0 during the last half of their undergraduate education are shown preference.
Applicants must complete at least 3 credit hours each of undergraduate courses in introductory accounting, microeconomics, and statistics at an accredited institution with a minimum grade of C in each course. Students who have not completed these courses but who meet all other requirements may be accepted with deficiencies. These students are not usually permitted to enroll in the classes that require these courses as prerequisites until the deficiencies are removed.
Applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and achieve a composite score of at least 1,000 total in the quantitative and verbal sections. An applicant with a GRE score lower than 500 in any section may be required to receive special academic counseling and evaluation prior to any admission decision. Additional course work may be required, and admission as a provisional student may be stipulated. Applicants who have been awarded an advanced degree may petition the admissions committee for waiver of the GRE requirement.

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Mid-Career Credit Option

The admissions committee of the Graduate Programs in Health Administration may grant up to 9 credit hours toward the M.H.A. degree for students who have had significant health administration work experience. Credit will be granted for work experience gained until the end of the semester in which the student completes 24 credit hours according to the following guidelines:

To receive 3 hours of credit, a student must have a minimum of one year of substantive work experience in health administration.
To receive 6 hours of credit, a student must have a minimum of two years of substantive work experience in health administration.
Those with four or more years of substantive work experience in health administration may be awarded 9 hours of credit.

Application Process and Policies
Students are eligible to apply for mid-career credit at the time of application to the M.H.A. Program or during the first semester of M.H.A. graduate study in order to take full advantage of all available credit. The supervisor of the position held at the time the applicant first took a SPEA graduate course or the student's current supervisor must submit a supervisory evaluation form. Applicants may appeal the initial mid-career credit decision by submitting a request, in writing, for reconsideration and providing additional information to the Indianapolis M.H.A. director.

Determination of mid-career credit is made separately from decisions about transfer of credit. Under no circumstances will the mid-career credit and transfer credit total more than 24 of the 51 credit hours required for the M.H.A. degree. Students receiving mid-career credit should carefully plan the balance of their program with an advisor.

Note: Students may receive more mid-career option credit than they are eligible to use.

Send completed forms to:
Graduate Program in Health Administration
Office of Student Services
School of Public and Environmental Affairs
801 W. Michigan Street, BS 3027
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5152

Degree Requirements

(51 credit hours)

A minimum of 51 credit hours, divided between required and elective courses, is required in the Master of Health Administration degree program. The M.H.A. curriculum begins with a foundation of theory and skill-building courses and makes a transition to course work that requires practical application of those skills in a variety of health care settings.

Part-time students must complete at least 6 credit hours each semester to remain in good standing. All students must complete the program's academic requirements within five calendar years of matriculation.

Required Courses (42 credit hours)
SPEA H501 U.S. Health Care: Systems, Policies, and Ethical Challenges (3 cr.)
SPEA H502 Developing Strategic Capability (3 cr.)
SPEA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA H508 Managing Health Care Accounting Information for Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA H509 Financial Management Principles of Health Care (3 cr.)
SPEA H510 Health Services Financial Management (3 cr.) (prerequisite: SPEA H509)
SPEA H514 Health Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA H516 Health Services Delivery and the Law (3 cr.)
SPEA H518 Statistical Methods for Health Services (3 cr.)
SPEA H521 Management Science for Health Services Administration (3 cr.)
SPEA H612 Marketing for Health Services Delivery (3 cr.)
SPEA H623 Health Care Applications of Strategic Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H628 Health Care Information Systems (3 cr.)

One of the following courses:
SPEA H700 Residency (6 cr.) or
SPEA H702 Internship in Health Services Management (3 cr.) or
SPEA H735 Research in Health Administration (3-6 cr.)

Electives (9 credit hours)
Three of the following courses:
SPEA H515 Seminar in Health Policy: Special Topics (3 cr.)
SPEA H517 Managerial Epidemiology (3 cr.)
SPEA H606 Health Services Quality Improvement and Risk Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H615 Health Care Outcomes and Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA H626 Health Services Human Resources Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H627 Seminar in Advanced Health Finance (3 cr.)
SPEA H630 Readings in Health Services Administration (3 cr.)
SPEA H650 Strategies for Career Preparation (1.5 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)

Course Waivers, Substitutions, and Challenge Examinations

Students may petition the program director to waive or substitute for required courses based on completion of satisfactory equivalent course work or by examination (if available). The following guidelines govern the consideration of these types of petitions.

Waivers of Required Courses
The requirement for a particular course may be waived if the student furnishes evidence of equivalent graduate course work completed within a reasonable period of time from an accredited institution. It should be noted that credit is not given with a waiver—only an exemption from a particular course; another course is always substituted.

Substitutions
As a general rule, the substitution of a course for one that is required in the M.H.A. curriculum is prohibited. On rare occasions, petitions for substitutions may be considered, and students who believe they would benefit from such a procedure should discuss the matter with their advisors.

Challenge Examination
Students who believe they possess mastery of the subject matter stipulated in a given required course may request a challenge examination. If, in the opinion of the faculty, the student has demonstrated the requisite knowledge, academic credit for the course is authorized. The university fee structure for the cost of such an examination applies.

Master of Health Administration–Doctor of Jurisprudence (M.H.A.–J.D.)
Master of Health Administration–Master of Business Administration
(M.H.A.–M.B.A.)
Master of Health Administration–Master of Science in Nursing (M.H.A.–M.S.N.)

Master of Health Administration Joint Degree Programs

General Information
Application and Admission
Program Requirements
Master of Health Administration Requirements
Doctor of Jurisprudence Requirements

Master of Health Administration–Doctor of Jurisprudence (M.H.A.–J.D.)

Return to Master of Health Administration Joint Degree Programs

General Information

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the School of Law—Indianapolis have established a four-year, full-time program for the combined study of law and health administration. This course of study addresses the needs of health services for professionals who understand the legal and administrative frameworks necessary to function successfully as a health lawyer or a health services administrator.

The Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) and the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) are awarded when the student meets the degree requirements of each school. All courses are offered on the Indianapolis campus. Successful completion of this rigorous 127-credit-hour program provides the graduate sufficient depth and breadth in each discipline to be able to function effectively in the swiftly changing health field.

The delivery of health care and health services is the second largest industry in the United States, accounting for almost 14 percent of the gross national product. The importance of health care to our citizens has long been obvious.

What has become more apparent fairly recently, however, is the growing impact of case law, statutes, and regulations on access to and availability of care; on the delivery of health care services; and increasingly, on decisions relating to the appropriateness of individual treatment. For this reason, the Schools of Law and Public and Environmental Affairs have sought jointly to develop a strong academic curriculum to address the educational needs of health lawyers and health service administration executives as they seek to serve the public's needs.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Doctor of Jurisprudence
(M.H.A.–J.D.)

Application and Admission

Applicants must apply for admission to each school and must meet the admission criteria published in each school's bulletin. Normally, applicants should apply to both the School of Law—Indianapolis and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at the same time. However, a person enrolled in the School of Law may apply for admission to the Graduate Program in Health Administration up to the end of the second year of law study (approximately 57 credit hours). A student formally enrolled in the study of health administration may seek admission to the School of Law—Indianapolis up to the end of the first year of full-time study leading to the award of the Master of Health Administration (approximately 30 graduate credit hours).

Academic Standing
Grade point averages in the School of Law—Indianapolis and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs are computed separately. To continue in the program, the student must meet the academic standards in each school. A student failing in one school but meeting academic standards in the other may complete course work for the degree in the school in which the student is able to meet the academic standards. Such completion must be according to the same conditions (credit hours, residency, etc.) required of regular (noncombination) degree candidates. Students are eligible for honors in each school based on the criteria of each school.

Residency
The student customarily completes the first 34 credit hours in the School of Law—Indianapolis. Thereafter, the student divides the remaining course work between the two schools, taking health administration courses and law courses concurrently. Thus, the student has a continuing educational experience in both schools.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Doctor of Jurisprudence
(M.H.A.–J.D.)

Program Requirements

(127 credit hours)

Return to Master of Health Administration–Doctor of Jurisprudence
(M.H.A.–J.D.)

Master of Health Administration Requirements

(45 credit hours)

Students must complete 45 credit hours distributed among the M.H.A. required core, electives, and a joint research paper.

Required Courses (39 credit hours)
SPHA H501 U.S. Health Care: Systems, Policies, and Ethical Challenges (3 cr.)
SPHA H502 Developing Strategic Capability (3 cr.)
SPHA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA H508 Managing Health Care Accounting Information for Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA H509 Financial Management Principles of Health Care (3 cr.)
SPEA H510 Health Services Financial Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H514 Health Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA H521 Management Science for Health Services Administration (3 cr.)
SPEA H612 Marketing for Health Services Delivery (3 cr.)
SPEA H623 Health Care Applications of Strategic Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H628 Health Care Information Systems (3 cr.)

Elective Courses (9 credit hours)
Nine credit hours of elective courses, chosen from the following:
SPEA H517 Managerial Epidemiology (3 cr.)
SPEA H518 Statistical Methods for Health Services (3 cr.)
SPEA H626 Health Services Human Resources Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H627 Seminar in Advanced Health Finance (3 cr.)
SPEA H630 Readings in Health Services Administration (1-3 cr.)
SPEA V541 Benefit-Cost Analysis of Public and Environmental Policies (3 cr.)

Joint Research Paper (6 credit hours)
SPEA H735 Research in Health Administration is to be completed in the last year of the combined program.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Doctor of Jurisprudence
(M.H.A.–J.D.)

Doctor of Jurisprudence Requirements

(82 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 82 credit hours of law courses and to satisfy all requirements for the Doctor of Jurisprudence degree.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Doctor of Jurisprudence
(M.H.A.–J.D.)

Return to Master of Health Administration Joint Degree Programs

Master of Health Administration–Master of Business Administration (M.H.A.–M.B.A.)

The combined M.H.A.–M.B.A. program enables the student to take a sequence of courses leading to the attainment of both degrees. Successful completion of this 78 credit hour program provides the graduate student with sufficient depth and breadth in each discipline to function more effectively in a health care delivery system that is driven by business principles.

Application and Admission
Program Requirements
Master of Health Administration Requirements
Master of Business Administration Requirements

Return to Master of Health Administration Joint Degree Programs

Application and Admission

To participate in the joint program, students must apply and be accepted into both the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Master of Health Administration program and the Indianapolis Kelley School of Business Master of Business Administration program. To streamline the admission process, SPEA will accept the results of the GMAT exam in place of the GRE from applicants to the joint program.

Academic Standing
Grade point averages for the two schools are computed separately. To continue in the program, the student must meet the academic standards in each school. A student failing in one school but meeting academic standards in the other school may complete work for the degree in the school in which he or she is able to meet the standards. Such completion must be upon the same conditions as required of regular (noncombination) degree candidates. Students are eligible for honors in each school based on the criteria of each school.

Program Advisors
Once students have been accepted into this joint degree program, they should meet with the academic advisors to plan the course sequencing. All M.B.A. core courses must be taken as intact modules. Full-time students would typically take two M.H.A. and two M.B.A. courses each semester. Part-time students would take either two M.H.A. or two M.B.A. courses each semester. Since M.B.A. courses must be taken with a cohort, part-time students will need to sequence all the M.B.A. courses in a block.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Business Administration
(M.H.A.–M.B.A.)

Program Requirements

(78 credit hours)

The following degree requirements are required of all students admitted to the program.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Business Administration
(M.H.A.–M.B.A.)

Master of Health Administration Requirements

(39 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 34.5 credit hours of SPEA courses and to satisfy all requirements for the joint degree.
SPEA H501 U.S. Health Care: Systems, Policies, and Ethical Challenges (3 cr.)
SPEA H502 Developing Strategic Capability (3 cr.)
SPEA H507 Management of Individual and Group Behavior (3 cr.)
SPEA H508 Managing Health Care Accounting Information for Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA H509 Financial Management Principles of Health Care (3 cr.)
SPEA H510 Health Services Financial Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H514 Health Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA H516 Health Services Delivery and the Law (3 cr.)
SPEA H518 Statistical Methods for Health Services (3 cr.)
SPEA H612 Marketing for Health Services Delivery (3 cr.)
SPEA H623 Health Care Applications of Strategic Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H627 Seminar in Advanced Health Finance (3 cr.)
SPEA H702 Internship in Health Services Management (3 cr.) or
SPEA H735 Research in Health Administration (3 cr.)

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Business Administration
(M.H.A.–M.B.A.)

Master of Business Administration Requirements

(39 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 39 credit hours and to satisfy all requirements for the joint degree. For specific guidelines, see the Indianapolis Kelley School of Business Graduate Bulletin.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Business Administration
(M.H.A.–M.B.A.)

Return to Master of Health Administration Joint Degree Programs

Master of Health Administration–Master of Science in Nursing (M.H.A.–M.S.N.)

The combined M.H.A.–M.S.N. program enables the student to take a sequence of courses leading to the attainment of both degrees. Successful completion of this rigorous 70.5 credit hour program provides the graduate nurse sufficient depth and breadth in each discipline to be able to function more effectively in the rapidly changing health field.

Application and Admission
Program Requirements
Master of Health Administration Requirements
Master of Science in Nursing Requirements

Return to Master of Health Administration Joint Degree Programs

Application and Admission

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a National League for Nursing- accredited school, meet the admission criteria of each school, and apply to both the School of Nursing (Indianapolis) and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. If applicants are admitted to only one of the schools, they are permitted to attend that school and are required to meet graduation requirements of that school.

Applicants must complete at least 3 credit hours each of undergraduate course work in accounting, microeconomics, and statistics with a grade of C or higher from an accredited institution.

It is preferred that the student apply to both schools simultaneously for the combined program. It is possible, however, for students already enrolled in the School of Nursing to apply for admission to the School of Public and Environmental Affairs up to the time they complete the second year of nursing study. It is also possible for a student enrolled in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs to seek admission to the School of Nursing up to the end of the first year of the M.H.A. course of study.

Academic Standing
Grade point averages for the two schools are computed separately. To continue in the program, the student must meet the academic standards in each school. A student failing in one school but meeting academic standards in the other school may complete work for the degree in the school in which the student is able to meet the standards. Such completion must be upon the same conditions as required of regular (noncombination) degree candidates (i.e., 42 credit hours for School of Nursing and 60 credit hours for SPEA). Students are eligible for honors in each school based on the criteria of each school.

Program Advisors
Students enrolled in the combined program are assigned co-advisors; one from each school. The co-advisors are responsible for reviewing each semester's progress to assure attainment of educational objectives. The co-advisors also help students resolve scheduling problems that might develop as a result of the combined program.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Science in Nursing
(M.H.A.–M.S.N.)

Program Requirements

(67.5-70.5 credit hours)

The following degree requirements are required of all students admitted to the program.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Science in Nursing
(M.H.A.–M.S.N.)

Master of Health Administration Requirements

(37.5 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 37.5 credit hours of SPEA courses and to satisfy all requirements for the joint degree.

Required Courses (34.5 credit hours)
SPEA H501 U.S. Health Care: Systems, Policies, and Ethical Challenges (3 cr.)
SPEA H502 Developing Strategic Capability (3 cr.)
SPEA H508 Managing Health Care Accounting Information for Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA H510 Health Services Financial Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H514 Health Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA H516 Health Services Delivery and the Law (3 cr.)
SPEA H521 Management Science for Health Services Administration (3 cr.)
SPEA H615 Health Care Outcomes and Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA H621 Management Application Skills I (3 cr.)
SPEA H628 Health Care Information Systems (3 cr.)
BUS M540 Service Marketing (1.5 cr.)
SPEA H702 Internship in Health Services Management (3 cr.)

Elective (3 credit hours)
An additional course approved by the program advisor.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Science in Nursing
(M.H.A.–M.S.N.)

Master of Science in Nursing Requirements

(30-33 credit hours)

Students are required to complete 21-30 credit hours of nursing courses and to satisfy all requirements for the joint degree. For specific guidelines, see the School of Nursing Graduate Bulletin.

Return to Master of Health Administration–Master of Science in Nursing
(M.H.A.–M.S.N.)

Return to Master of Health Administration Joint Degree Programs

General Information
Admission
Mid-Career Credit Option
Degree Requirements
Core Requirements
Experiential Requirement
General Elective Courses

Master of Planning (M.Pl.)

General Information

The Master of Planning (M.Pl.) is a professional degree program that prepares students for professional careers in planning and related fields. The program emphasizes the development of professional skills to enable graduates to develop successful careers in planning. The emphasis is always on gaining the knowledge and tools to provide the foundation for professional practice. The program is hands-on, applied, and professional. Students in the planning workshop focus on real planning problems for outside clients, developing their ability to function as effective professionals.

Indianapolis is nationally recognized for its achievements in urban development. Students in the Master of Planning program have the opportunity to use this major metropolitan area as a laboratory to learn planning. The planning faculty bring their experience working in Indianapolis and central Indiana to the classrooms, integrating this practical knowledge into the learning experience.

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the faculty of the Master of Planning program are associated with the Center for Urban Policy and the Environment. The center consults with public, nonprofit, and private clients and is engaged in a major effort to understand the central Indiana region and enhance policy discussions in the region. The wide-ranging studies of the region include a focus on understanding and improving the planning process and the development of a large-scale computer simulation model of urban development in the region. Students in the Master of Planning program have the opportunity to participate in and learn from the innovative research under way at the Center for Urban Policy and the Environment.

Because SPEA is the largest school of public affairs in the United States, students in the program have the opportunity to draw upon the school's strengths in public management and policy, environmental science and policy, and health administration.

Admission

In addition to the general requirements for admission to graduate study in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, students entering the Graduate Program in Planning are expected to have completed introductory undergraduate courses in statistics and microeconomics at an accredited institution with a minimum grade of B in each course. Students lacking this preparation may be admitted with deficiencies. These students are expected to remedy any deficiencies before taking courses in which this background is required.

Mid-Career Credit Option

The Graduate Admissions Committee of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs may grant up to 12 credit hours towards the M.Pl. degree to students who have had significant professional-level work experience in planning. Credit will be granted for work experience gained until the end of the semester in which the student completes 24 credit hours according to the following guidelines:

To receive 3 credit hours, a student must have a minimum of one year of work experience in planning or a related field, such as policy analysis or public management.
6 credit hours will be awarded for two to four years of work experience in planning or a related field that includes primary responsibility for the preparation of plans, or similar levels of responsibility in related fields.
9 credit hours will be awarded for four or more years of work experience in planning or a related field that includes responsibility for the organization of the planning process and supervision of other planners in the preparation of plans, or similar levels of responsibility in related fields.
12 credit hours will be awarded to applicants with eight or more years of work experience in planning or a related field that includes overall responsibility for the planning function in a major organization, or similar levels of responsibility in related fields.

Application Process and Policies
Students are eligible to apply for mid-career credit at the time of application to the M.Pl. or during the first semester of M.Pl. graduate study in order to take full advantage of all available credit. The supervisor of the position held at the time the applicant first took a SPEA graduate course or the student's current supervisor must submit a supervisory evaluation form. Applicants may appeal the initial mid-career credit decision by submitting a request, in writing, for reconsideration and providing additional information to the Indianapolis M.Pl. program director.

Determination of mid-career credit is made separately from decisions about transfer of credit. Under no circumstances will the mid-career credit and transfer credit total more than 24 of the 48 credit hours required for the M.Pl. degree. Students receiving mid-career credit should carefully plan the balance of their program with an advisor.

Note: Students may receive more mid-career option than they are eligible to use.

Send completed application to:
Graduate Programs—Office of Student Services
School of Public and Environmental Affairs
801 W. Michigan Street, BS 3027
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5152

Degree Requirements

(48 credit hours)

The Graduate Program in Planning requires a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours and the completion of (1) the core requirement, (2) general electives, and (3) the experiential requirement. The core requirement consists of 40 credit hours of work in fifteen courses and is required of all students pursuing the M.Pl. degree. The experiential requirement ensures that each graduate of the M.Pl. program has gained relevant professional planning practice outside the classroom. This experience may involve the accumulation of credit hours toward the degree. The remaining 8 credit hours necessary for graduation are general electives that can be used to add breadth to a student's program, to further explore a field of concentration, or to enhance skills in quantitative tools or other techniques.

Core Requirements

(40 credit hours)

The core requirement in the Graduate Program in Planning ensures that each student acquires an understanding of the field of planning and its practice, of the environment in which planning takes place, and of the analytical methods necessary for the practice of planning. The core requirement also provides for the integration of learning and professional practice in workshop and seminar settings.

Required Courses (15 courses)
SPEA E549 Environmental Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA P500 Foundations of Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA P510 Social and Economic Aspects of Human Settlement (2 cr.)
SPEA P515 Physical Systems Development and Infrastructure (3 cr.)
SPEA P520 Methods for Planning and Policy Analysis (2 cr.)
SPEA P525 Geographic Information Systems for Planning (2 cr.)
SPEA P530 Land Use Law (3 cr.)
SPEA P540 Community and Neighborhood Development Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA P630 Strategic Planning (3 cr.)
SPEA P600 Portfolio Assessment (1 cr.)
SPEA P610 Planning Workshop (3 cr.)
SPEA V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making (3 cr.)
SPEA V517 Public Management Economics (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V597 Land Use Planning (3 cr.)

All students are required to assemble a portfolio of work completed in various courses taken as a part of the degree program. Students will evaluate this work and present their evaluations to the faculty in P600 Portfolio Assessment.

Especially well-prepared applicants may petition the director of the Graduate Program in Planning to waive one or more of the core requirements on the basis of advanced course work done elsewhere. Students may be exempted on the basis of satisfactory course work or by examination. Credit hours waived from the core increase the number of electives a student may take. Students requesting course waivers should contact the program director for requirements and guidelines.

Experiential Requirement

In addition to the course requirements listed above, students must demonstrate professionally relevant experience through approved internships, approved independent study projects, or other field experience (e.g., internships) approved by the director of the Graduate Program in Planning.

General Elective Courses

(8 credit hours) General elective courses are used to complete the overall degree requirement of 48 graduate credit hours.

General Information
Admission
Program Restrictions
Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management
Certificate in Health Systems Management
Certificate in Nonprofit Management
Certificate in Planning Information Systems
Certificate in Public Management

Doctoral Minor in SPEA

Nonprofit Management Minor

(12 credit hours)

Students in a Ph.D. program at Indiana University may select nonprofit management as an outside minor.

Requirements

The doctoral student must secure an advisor from the faculty of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. The faculty advisor will serve as the representative of SPEA in all examinations and other requirements of the student's Ph.D. program that pertain to the minor.
The minor in nonprofit management requires 12 credit hours of courses approved by the advisor. Three of the four courses must be SPEA courses. The additional course may come from SPEA or from any of a variety of disciplines relevant to nonprofit management. Some examples of courses appropriate for the SPEA minor in nonprofit management are:
SPEA V521 The Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (3 cr.)
SPEA V522 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V523 Civil Society and Public Policy (3 cr.)
SPEA V524 Civil Society in Comparative Perspective (3 cr.)
SPEA V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (3 cr.)
SPEA V526 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V558 Fund Development for Nonprofits (3 cr.)
SPEA V562 Public Program Evaluation (3 cr.)
SPEA V602 Strategic Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V672 Public Organization and Management II (3 cr.)
SPEA V685 Research Seminar in Management (approved topics) (3 cr.)
A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) must be attained in all courses used for the minor.
Special requirement for 500-level courses. Students taking a 500-level course (and SPEA V602) are required to show that they have completed doctoral-level work in conjunction with the course in order to count the course for the minor. Students must alert the instructor to their doctoral status and request additional/alternative assignments. If the instructor is unwilling to do this, the student should select a different course in conjunction with the candidate's advisor.

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Certificate Programs

General Information

Five graduate certificates are offered on the Indianapolis campus:

Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management
Certificate in Health Systems Management
Certificate in Nonprofit Management
Certificate in Planning Information Systems
Certificate in Public Management

Certificate programs are flexible and adaptable to the needs of either precareer or in-service students.

Admission

Admission Eligibility
The student must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university to apply. For the Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management, applicants must have completed one year of general chemistry.

Application
An online application and information may be obtained from the Web site; materials are also available from the Graduate Program Office.

Students should apply to the SPEA admissions office on the IUPUI campus.

Application Deadlines
Application deadlines for the certificate programs are July 15 for the fall semester, November 15 for the spring semester, and April 1 for summer sessions.

Application Fee
Students must pay a nonrefundable application fee.

Program Restrictions

Students enrolled in a certificate program must complete it within 15 credit hours of approved SPEA course work with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B). Failure to do so results in automatic dismissal from the certificate program.
Students who have completed more than three SPEA courses are not eligible for admission to a certificate program.
Transfer credit, course substitutions, or course waivers are not accepted for meeting the Public Management, Nonprofit Management, or Health Systems Management certificate requirements. Students in the Hazardous Materials Management Certificate Program and Planning Information Systems Certificate Program may utilize these options; however, they must first have the approval of their campus graduate program advisors.
Students admitted to a SPEA graduate degree program are not eligible for admission to the certificate program or eligible for the awarding of a certificate.
Admission to or successful completion of a certificate program does not guarantee subsequent admission to a SPEA graduate degree program.
Students enrolled in the certificate program who apply to SPEA's graduate degree programs must meet all existing admission requirements.
Students planning to request admission to a SPEA graduate degree program after successfully completing a certificate program should refer to the application procedure presented earlier in this bulletin.

Return to Certificate Programs

Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management

The Certificate in Hazardous Materials Management is a 15-credit-hour program of study. The program provides managers and technicians in concerned organizations and agencies, public and private, with training in the management of hazardous materials. The certificate program provides an information base that these managers and technicians can use to develop, implement, manage, and assess hazardous waste programs for local, state, and federal regulatory agencies. Graduate students in other disciplines can use the program to supplement their primary fields with course work in hazardous materials management, possibly using the certificate courses as part of a doctoral or master's minor.

Note: This certificate requires an undergraduate course in chemistry.

Certificate Requirements

(15 credit hours)

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA E510 Hazardous Materials Regulation (3 cr.)
SPEA E520 Environmental Toxicology (3 cr.)
SPEA E542 Hazardous Materials (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two of the following courses:
SPEA E515 Fundamentals of Air Pollution (3 cr.)
SPEA E526 Applied Mathematics for Environmental Science (3 cr.)
SPEA E536 Environmental Chemistry (3 cr.)
SPEA E552 Environmental Engineering (3 cr.)
SPEA E553 Creation and Solution of Environmental Models (3 cr.)
SPEA E554 Groundwater Flow Modeling (3 cr.)
SPEA E555 Topics in Environmental Science: Limnology (2-3 cr.)
SPEA E560 Environmental Risk Analysis (3 cr.)
SPEA E562 Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (3 cr.)
SPEA H433 Industrial Hygiene and Radiological Health (3 cr.)
GEOL G430 Principles of Hydrology (3 cr.)
GEOL G451 Principles of Hydrogeology (3 cr.)
GEOL G551 Advanced Hydrogeology (3 cr.)
GEOL G585 Environmental Geochemistry (3 cr.)
Or other specialty courses with the approval of the graduate program advisor.

Certificate in Health Systems Management

The Certificate in Health Systems Management is a 15-credit-hour program of study. The certificate program is designed to serve administrators and physicians who are actively engaged in managerial duties, physicians and health care workers who may want to pursue managerial duties in the future, or those who want to gain greater understanding of the structure, processes, and goals of their health care organizations and the environment in which they operate.

Note: This certificate requires an undergraduate course in accounting.

Certificate Requirements

(15 credit hours)

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA H501 U.S. Health Care: Systems, Policies, and Ethical Challenges (3 cr.) or SPEA V545 The U.S. Health Care System (3 cr.)
SPEA H502 Developing Strategic Capability (3 cr.)
SPEA H509 Financial Management Principles of Health Care (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two additional SPEA graduate courses are selected with the approval of the student's advisor with 3 credit hours devoted to managed care.

Certificate in Nonprofit Management

The Certificate in Nonprofit Management is a 15-credit-hour program of study. The certificate is designed to serve the needs of individuals who would like exposure to the nonprofit sector and nonprofit management issues but who do not wish or need to pursue a degree in nonprofit management. The certificate complements other courses of study or career experience in such areas as social work, library science, and parks and recreation. Students pursuing a nonprofit management certificate gain an understanding of how to work in and with nonprofit organizations.

Certificate Requirements

(15 credit hours)

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA V522 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)
SPEA V525 Management in the Nonprofit Sector (3 cr.)
SPEA V526 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two additional SPEA graduate courses are selected with the approval of the student's advisor. A sampling of current course titles includes: Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector, Ethics and Values of Philanthropy, Fund Development for Nonprofit Organizations, Public Relations in Nonprofits, and History of Philanthropy in the West.

Students interested in continuing for the Master of Public Affairs (M.P.A.) should consider selecting the electives from the nonprofit management concentration.

Certificate in Planning Information Systems

The Certificate in Planning Information Systems is a 15-credit-hour program of graduate study. Students will have the opportunity to pursue in-depth study of the use of computers and analytical methods in planning, with an emphasis on the use of geographic information systems. Professionals currently working in planning who wish to develop their skills will find the certificate an appropriate vehicle. Students beginning their careers in planning will also find the certificate useful for developing skills for professional practice and gaining an understanding of planning.

Certificate Requirements

(15 credit hours)

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA P520 Methods for Planning and Policy Analysis (2 cr.)
SPEA P525 Geographic Information Systems for Planning (2 cr.)
SPEA P527 Planning Applications of Geographic Information Systems (2 cr.)
SPEA V516 Public Management Information Systems (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two additional courses (6 credit hours) in planning or a related field selected with the approval of the graduate program advisor.

Certificate in Public Management

The Certificate in Public Management program is a 15-credit-hour program of study in public management. The certificate program is flexible enough to be adapted to the needs of precareer and inservice individuals. Graduate students in other disciplines can use the program to supplement their primary fields with course work in public management, possibly using the certificate courses as part or all of a doctoral or master's degree minor. Career employees of public and private sector agencies seeking courses in public management, and especially those changing from professional or technical roles to managerial roles, find the certificate program beneficial.

Certificate Requirements

(15 credit hours)

Required Courses (9 credit hours)
SPEA V502 Public Management (3 cr.)
SPEA V560 Public Finance and Budgeting (3 cr.)
SPEA V561 Public Human Resources Management (3 cr.)

Electives (6 credit hours)
Two additional SPEA graduate public affairs courses approved by the program director.

Note: Students interested in continuing on for the Master of Public Affairs degree should consider selecting the two elective courses from the M.P.A. core; one of the courses recommended is V506 Statistical Analysis for Effective Decision Making. These courses may also be applied to the Master of Planning upon admission to the M.Pl. program.