The Graduate Admissions Committee of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs may grant up to a maximum of 12 credit hours toward the M.P.A. degree for students who have had significant professional policy-level work experience in management and policy development. Professional level work is that requiring extensive education or specialized training (e.g., at least an undergraduate degree) and gives substantial control over the manner in which it is done to the person performing it.

Credit will be granted for work experience gained before the student completes 36 credit hours of course work in the M.P.A. program.

The following guidelines will be used by the Admissions Committee to award these credits:

• To receive 3 credit hours, a student must have had one to three year’s professional experience in policy development or management with a public, private, or nonprofit organization in any of the following areas:
  • directing programs
  • preparing budgets
  • making decisions on organizational or staff development
  • analyzing, developing, and evaluating policies
  • conducting public or legislative relations programs
  • program planning
• To receive 6 credit hours, a student must have had three to five years of professional experience in policy development or management in a public, private, or nonprofit organization that includes significant responsibility for at least two of the following:
  • directing programs
  • preparing budgets
  • making decisions on organizational or staff development
  • analyzing, developing, and evaluating policies
  • conducting public or legislative relations programs
  • program planning
• To receive 9 credit hours, a student must have had at least five years of executive responsibility in a public, private, or nonprofit organization for at least four of the following:
  • directing programs
  • preparing budgets
  • making decisions on organizational or staff development
  • analyzing, developing, and evaluating policies
  • conducting public or legislative relations programs
  • program planning This experience must include supervising a significant number of staff, including other supervisors, managers, or contract employees.
• 12 credit hours may be awarded by the Admissions Committee in exceptional circumstances to students who have had at least 10 years of executive responsibility for all areas of policy development or management in a major public, private, or nonprofit organization.

Application Process and Policies

Students are eligible to apply for mid-career credit at the time of application for graduate study or until they have competed 36 hours of course work in the M.P.A. program. Professional experience acquired after the completion of 36 hours of course work in the M.P.A. degree program will not be considered in awarding mid-career credit. Students may be awarded more mid-career credit than they can use to fulfill their degree requirements.

Tuition Charge for Mid-Career Credit

For every three credit hours of mid-career credit awarded, students will be charged for 1 credit hour at the tuition rate applicable to them.