Earning your MPA degree at UIU

Earning your MPA degree at UIU 2017

From the Program Chair Thank you for considering our MPA program. Earning your MPA degree represents a major investment of time and money, so it is important that the program you attend meets your needs and helps you achieve your career goals. We offer a multidisciplinary public administration education framed by the values of diversity, democracy, and due process. We believe that public administrators should respect the humanity of all people, create processes that encourage inclusive, effective, and constructive participation, and uphold the rule of law. Consistent with those values, our program provides an opportunity for a diverse population of students to develop the analytical, leadership, and managerial skills in a collaborative environment needed to promote the public interest and strengthen core democratic values through public service in government and non-profit organizations. The 36 credit program is open to all students regardless of their undergraduate major. We offer courses online and at our Wisconsin centers in Madison and Milwaukee. Our emphasis areas in emergency management and homeland security, government administration, health and human services, nonprofit organizational management, and public management are available online. Students at the Milwaukee center can earn the health and human services emphasis. At the Madison center, we offer the public management emphasis. Now is the time to begin earning your MPA degree at Upper Iowa University. Once admitted, you can begin taking courses the next term, which start every eight weeks. For more information, contact our graduate admission advisor, Colene Sassman, at 1.563.425.5931 or sassmannc@uiu.edu. Sincerely, Jerry Poppe, PhD MPA Program Chair 1.441.475.3382 or poppeg@uiu.edu

Thinking About Graduate School? For many college graduates graduate school is the next logical step on the educational ladder. Is taking that step the right move for you? Is now the right time? Your personal goals and commitments are an important consideration in deciding whether to pursue a graduate education. Reviewing your short and long term career and professional goals will help you answer those questions. Knowing your career goals will help you identify the educational requirements, skills, and knowledge you need to effectively compete for those positions. If a graduate program can help you acquire the competencies necessary to be more competitive in your occupational field then pursuing a graduate degree may be a good investment for you. What Are Your Career Goals? Earning a graduate degree has the potential to increase your earning power, advance your career, or help you transition to a new career. If you have not established a career path or are not sure how a graduate degree will help you achieve your career goals, you may want to talk with the MPA Program Chair (or other UIU advisor). They can help you decide whether this is the right time for you to begin graduate school and whether the UIU MPA program is the right one for you. NOTE: A good place to research careers or occupations is the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Department of Labor (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/). Accelerated Online or Traditional Format? The UIU MPA is an accelerated program offering eight week terms. Traditional MPA programs follow the sixteen week semester. The practical significance of the difference is in the workload. Because both programs offer three credit courses, we have to cover more material in a shorter amount of time. Students can expect a heavy reading and writing requirement on a regular basis making it more difficult to make up missed assignments. The non-traditional nature of our programs means prospective students should carefully evaluate how the UIU MPA program will fit into other personal and professional commitments. Graduate Education Our MPA degree is focused on developing the skills and knowledge necessary to manage and lead in the field of public administration. The course of study allows students to apply academic theories to the real challenges facing administrators in the public and nonprofit sectors. Study centers on using the program s core values of diversity, democracy, and due process in the development of the analytical and evaluative skills necessary to effectively address complex issues while promoting and protecting the public interest.

The small matter of ambiguity What is not readily apparent from our description of a graduate education is the ambiguity that permeates the graduate learning paradigm. Public administrators are often challenged to address wicked problems for which there is no single solution. Wicked problems are by definition (1) difficult to accurately define, (2) exhibit an interdependence and multi-causality, (3) are often a symptom of other problems, (4) defy simple, clear solutions, and (5) when addressed, may yield unforeseen and unintended consequences. There is no right answer for how to solve a wicked problem. Students in the MPA program learn to struggle with that vexing problem; how to answer questions that have no one right answer. Deciding which research methodology to employ, theory to apply, or normative value to promote is part of the learning experience. Equally important, being able to justify an answer using empirical evidence and reasoned argument is an important skill that is developed in our courses. This approach moves away from text-book-based solutions by placing a premium on the ability to collect, synthesize, and interpret data in order to create and implement creative solutions to current problems. We use a program evaluation framework to help you acquire and develop the methodological skills (including quantitative techniques like statistical analysis) necessary to transform data into knowledge. Distinguishing Characteristics of Graduate Education Many students have the mistaken assumption that graduate course work is more difficult than their undergraduate course work. The assumption is generally not true. The subject matter in a graduate public administration course is generally no more difficult than what is found in an undergraduate course. The real difference comes is in the type of knowledge acquired and the expectations instructors have of students. Foundation Expectations: A graduate education in public administration will offer the student an opportunity to develop depth in the subject. Because of its interdisciplinary nature, public administration relies heavily on theories and practices from different disciplines. It is expected that incoming students will have a working knowledge of the key ideas, concepts, and theories in economics, finance, management, political science, and statistics. Students that lack the working knowledge can acquire it by taking undergraduate courses before beginning the graduate degree program. Synthesis and not description: Synthesis is a key difference between an undergraduate and graduate education. A synthesis goes beyond a summary or description of a body of information. Students identify key ideas, concepts, facts, and theories and make connections between them in a way that allows for the creation of new knowledge. From the new knowledge, a graduate student is able to reach conclusions and offer useful recommendations. Other differences in knowledge areas: The skills and knowledge that are developed in the graduate program are summarized in Table 1. In this table we also highlight the differences between undergraduate and graduate education in key knowledge areas. Instructors expect graduate students to have more applied knowledge, effective writing skills, and strong research skills.

Table 1: Undergraduate/Graduate comparison by Knowledge Area Knowledge Bachelor s Student Master s Student Specialized Knowledge: History, boundaries, theory, methodology, and terminology of public administration 1. Explains the foundations, history, and major areas of study within public administration. 2. Defines the key concepts, terms, and theories used in public administration. 3. Conducts research that demonstrates mastery of the major s learning objectives for an undergraduate degree 1. Critically assesses the major contributions, theories, and research methodologies to ascertain the scope and breadth of public administration. 2. Independently and creatively integrates public administration theories and tools into a research project that offers potential new solutions to current problems/issues. 3. Critically evaluates, using an interdisciplinary frame, the viability, implications, and limits of current research. Broad Integrative Knowledge: The ability to form critical judgments that support democratic values and the public interest. Intellectual Skills Applied Learning: Prepared to assume managerial positions and exercise leadership in an increasingly diverse society. Civic Learning 1. Explains how economic, political, and social forces that affect our understanding of the public good. 2. Defines democratic values using evidence from other academic disciplines. 1. Interprets and applies basic statistical concepts used in regression analysis. 2. Effectively uses oral and written communication to convey basic academic research to a diverse audience. 3. Identifies strengths and weaknesses in a public policy proposal. 1. Demonstrates the ability to use theory to explain a practical problem/issue in a public organization. 2. Conducts theory-based research that informs how public administration meets the needs of a diverse population. Exhibits awareness, knowledge, and sensitivity to diverse perspectives and opinions. 1. Exhibits independence and critical thinking in evaluating how to promote and protect the public interest in an interconnected and interdependent world. 2. Understands and articulates a reasoned and logical explanation for how the incorporation of democratic values in managerial decision making improves the practice of public administration. 1. Critically analyzes research findings to determine the generalizability of the results to different situations. 2. Effectively uses oral and written communication to convey technical, complex, and potentially controversial academic research to diverse audiences. 3. Integrates an interdisciplinary analytical strategy into the analysis of policy problems and program evaluations. Independently produces a body of work that demonstrates critical thinking, effective communication, and appreciation for the role of public management in the policy process, a respect for diversity, and recognition of the importance of upholding democratic values. Capable of critically examining competing claims in order to develop and defend a policy position that promotes democratic values and respects the needs of a diverse population.

Class Format: Graduate courses tend to follow the seminar format. In a seminar, the lecture or topic presentation is relatively short. Traditional teaching is the exception with more responsibility on the student to acquire knowledge as the rule. Extensive discussions among students and with the faculty are the norm. Class discussions are centered on the major themes for the assigned topic. Students are expected to incorporate the assigned readings and other evidence or experiences into the discussion. The purpose of the seminar is to critically analyze and evaluate the topic in more detail. Maximizing the learning opportunities afforded by the seminar format is enhanced if students are prepared for class. That usually entails completing assigned readings, independent research, and some time spent thinking about the concepts and questions it raises. The responsibility is on the student to engage the material and not for the professor to teach it. Time: A key difference between undergraduate and graduate education is the amount of time students must spend on their studies. As a general rule undergraduate students are expected to spend two hours per week studying for every academic credit. Following this rule means an undergraduate student will spend approximately six hours per week studying for a three credit course. In graduate school, the ratio is appreciably more. Upper Iowa University expects its graduate students to spend between 17-20 hours per week studying for a three credit course. The course work hours provided above are meant as a guide only; some students need much more time than others. Graduate Reading Expectations: One of the defining characteristics of a graduate education is the heavy reading load. The reading in many undergraduate courses comes primarily from secondary sources such as textbooks, popular media publications such as newspaper and magazines, commentaries, encyclopedias, websites, etc. A secondary source is one that analyzes or interprets what somebody else has already produced. In graduate school, the reading will focus mainly on primary sources. These include academic books or journal articles reporting new research or findings and original documents. It is not uncommon to be expected to read approximately 150 pages of primary source literature each week. Learning how to read and understand academic literature is an important skill to be developed in graduate school.

Graduate Writing Expectations: Graduate level writing requires the student to be able to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize the assigned materials. Literature reviews, journal article reviews, book reviews, and research papers are just some of the different types of writing expected of graduate students. It is not uncommon to be expected to produce numerous written assignments (often with a final paper between 15-20 pages in length) during any given term. Library based research: Knowing how to effectively use the library as an educational tool is a basic skill all UIU graduate students are expected to master. At first blush, the idea that graduate students will be using a library might seem dated. The information superhighway has made searching for information second nature for many. Smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices give us access to information 24/7 regardless of location. How can a library even be relevant in this environment? 1. Requirement to complete assignments: Many of your assignments will require you to use the library. Some required course readings can only be found in academic sources housed in library databases. 2. Completeness and accuracy: Not everything is on the Internet. The information that is on the web can be hard to locate and its accuracy sometimes in doubt. 3. Critical thinking: Searching a library database can help us evolve our thinking about a topic including its scope and focus. A search will give us instant access to related articles. This makes it easier for us to evaluate whether our current search is efficient or needs to be modified. Did you Know? A grade of B is the minimum grade to be in good standing. A grade of B- is considered below average. A grade of C is unsatisfactory, essentially failing. Quantitative Analysis and the UIU MPA Program Many of our MPA students feel some trepidation when it comes to statistics and research methods that include quantitative techniques like regression analysis. Courses that include statistical analysis give some students a high degree of angst. Why should you have to learn how to use quantitative analytical techniques? We recognize that many of you may never have to use a statistical software program like SPSS or write a research report. However, we do believe that many of you will be asked to interpret research reports and/or discuss report findings with colleagues and/or clients. While we do not expect you to be statisticians or mathematicians, we do want you to understand the fundamentals of quantitative analysis. Learning how to leverage the use of each stage of the research process takes time. However, knowing how to effectively use systematic inquiry in any decision making process is an incredibly important management tool. We encourage you not to view the research methods courses as one-and-done courses. Use them instead as a way to improve your management and leadership skills.

We believe that knowing how to conduct academic research is another skill that will set you apart from MPA graduates from other programs. There is another equally important reason for our research methods sequence. Research methods are based on the scientific method of inquiry. This type of inquiry can improve critical thinking and management decision making skills. In abbreviated form, the scientific method of inquiry follows certain logical steps: 1. Sense a problem 2. Review the nature of the problem 3. Define the question 4. Collect and analyze data 5. Evaluate the results These are the same steps, basically, we follow when thinking critically and when making management decisions: Steps in Critical Thinking: Steps in Management Decision Making: 1. Identify the problem 1. Define the problem 2. Determine the type of information needed. 2. Identify the options 3. Critique assumptions and review context. 3. Gather information 4. State your position 4. Make the decision 5. Explain implications and consequences. 5. Evaluate the decision The common link between each of the three is the idea that systematic inquiry leads to better answers to our challenges as public administrators and citizens. Thanks for considering our UIU MPA program. If you think that the UIU MPA online program would be a good match for you but you have not yet applied for admission, why not do it now? Applying online is easy and convenient.