Dear Prospective Student:

Thank you for your interest in Florida Gulf Coast University’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. We hope that the information on our web site will answer your questions and help you make choices that will best fulfill your career objectives. For additional important information on graduate applications and admissions, please consult FGCU’s Graduate Studies web site at: http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/admissions/grad.htm.

For complete MPA program application materials, click the buttons below and print all of the instructions and forms that appear on your screen. (In order to open these materials, you must have Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader program in your computer.)

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(1) FGCU Graduate Application Form CLICK HERE
(2) MPA Supplemental Application Form CLICK HERE
(3) MPA Reference Rating Forms CLICK HERE

If you would like to begin taking courses before you receive formal admission into the MPA program, you may enroll in courses as a non-degree student. A maximum of 12 credits of public administration courses taken on a non-degree basis may be applied toward your MPA degree. However, the fact that courses are taken on this basis does not alter the admission requirements set forth in the enclosed material.

Whether you decide to pursue an MPA degree or merely to take a few courses, we are ready to help you with your career planning. If you have questions or would like to arrange a meeting to discuss the program, please contact Jeffrie Jinian, Academic Advisor for the College of Professional Studies, at 239-590-7760 or e-mail jjinian@fgcu.edu.

Again, we appreciate your interest in the MPA program.

Sincerely,

Terry Busson, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Division of Public Affairs

Applicants for admission to the Master of Public Administration program are expected to meet or exceed the following requirements:

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning;
• Completion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) within the last five years;
• (Combined score of GRE quantitative and verbal sections) + (GPA for the last 60 semester hours attempted a the upper-division undergraduate level X 200) must equal or exceed 1600; OR (MAT score X 22.5) + (GPA for the last 60 semester hours attempted at upper-division undergraduate level X 200) must equal or exceed 1600;
• Completion of 15 hours of undergraduate coursework in the social sciences or business, including 3 hours in quantitative skills;
• International applicants for whom English is a second language are required to submit a score of 550 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

The application packet must contain the following information and must be submitted by the deadline date specified by the FGCU University Admissions Office.

1. A complete FGCU Graduate Application;

2. One official transcript from each baccalaureate and/or graduate institution attended;

3. One official copy of test scores from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) taken within the last five years;

4. A completed Division of Public Affairs Supplemental Application Form (see above);

5. Three completed reference rating forms/letters of recommendation from persons qualified to judge the applicant’s academic and professional potential;

6. An Immunization History Form (except for Distance Students who will not be on campus either for classes or for research during their period of study);

7. A Letter of Application/Statement of Career Goals, no more than two pages in length, that briefly discusses any or all of the following: the influences leading to the selection of FGCU’s MPA Program, career goals, relevant work and/or academic experience, and volunteer activity in the community.

Applicants may also include additional information for consideration in the application decision, such as volunteer activity, and academic and professional achievements. Although applicants may submit this information, this type of information is optional and not required for evaluation of application packet. If the applicant wishes to submit additional information regarding volunteer activity and achievements, this information should include the following:

Volunteer Activity

¨ Agency name

¨ Description of agency

¨ Position/responsibilities

¨ Length of time

¨ Personal contributions to agency

Academic and Professional Achievements

¨ Awards/honors/recognition

¨ Published material

¨ Leadership positions

¨ Involvement in professional and/or student organizations, committees, or Honor societies

All application materials must be sent to:

Office of Graduate Admission
Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Boulevard South
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565

Effective Fall Semester 2001, students who have less than 1 year of full-time professional work experience in the public or not-for-profit sectors will be required to complete the MPA program’s core courses (with the exception of PAD 6961, Capstone Project) in sections conducted either wholly or substantially on the FGCU campus. These students also must complete a 3-credit MPA internship (PAD 6940). The MPA Admissions Committee will determine whether or not an applicant’s work experience satisfies this requirement.

Students enrolled in the MPA program through a distance learning partnership with another institution will be exempt from this requirement, provided that the partner institution maintains an effective internship and job placement service for students enrolled through its partnership with FGCU.