Accelerated MPA/MPP

The Accelerated Masters Program in Public Administration (MPA) and Public Policy (MPP) will enable academically talented University of Arizona SGPP undergraduates to complete their both their Bachelor's degree and the MPA or MPP in as little as five years of study beginning with their freshman year as an undergraduate.

This program is intended for students interested in enhancing their qualifications for future employment and/or admission to other graduate programs (such as Ph.D. programs or J.D. programs at law schools), and for students interested in an accelerated masters program (AMP) who will have at least 1 year of undergraduate study remaining.

General Eligibility Criteria

  • Be an SGPP major: CJS, LAW, POL, or PMPC
  • Have a minimum of 75 units completed at the time of application
  • Have a minimum of 90 units completed upon entry into the program
  • Have a minimum cumulative 3.4 GPA
  • Completion, or near completion, of Gen Eds
  • An expectation to complete a bachelor's degree in 4 years.
    • All undergraduate degree requirements must be completed before a student is deemed eligible for admission by the Graduate College.
  • Demonstration of maturity necessary for success in an accelerated and highly competitive program.
  • Successful submission of the graduate application and admission to the program.

Unique Eligibility Criteria for Public Policy Applicants: Successful completion of an undergraduate course in statistics, economics, calculus, or a related higher-level math that reflects the study of quantitative analysis with a minimum final grade of B.

If accepted, students must complete 12 graduate units their senior year.  Once the Bachelor's degree is completed, students then become full-time graduate students (the fifth year) to complete the remaining 30 graduate units, including an internship (MPA only) and capstone project.

Note: Prospective AMP students should not extend their graduation term just to pursue the AMP.

Getting Started

Please review each master's program to determine which is best suited for your overall academic and professional goals. 

Master of Public Administration

Master of Public Policy

Unsure which program is right for you?  Visit https://sgpp.arizona.edu/mpa-vs-mpp for more information.

 

SGPP majors must discuss AMP eligibility with their Academic Advisor. 

Students interested in the AMP should schedule an appointment with their academic advisor in the Spring semester of their Junior year to potentially start the program in the Fall semester as a Senior.

  • The AMP application for MPA and MPP is only available for fall admission.  Therefore, eligible students should be in their senior year upon admission to the program, and must complete two semesters (Fall and Spring) of graduate coursework. 

If eligible for the AMP, your Academic Advisor must submit a recommendation to the Graduate Programs Manager for review, who will then reach out for further confirmation of interest.

It is strongly recommended to meet with a representative at the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid to make sure the AMP works with your financial plans.

  • Sample questions to ask about graduate student financial aid:
    • What types of financial aid are offered?
    • Can I apply my current tuition scholarship to help cover graduate tuition? (for those graduating early)
    • What does the estimated cost of attendance look like?
    • Will the AMP effect my current financial aid?

After completing the first 3 steps above, and you have been contacted by the Graduate Programs Manager, you are eligible to apply for the AMP.

The Graduate Programs Manager will provide further instructions on the application process when the application is available (typically mid-March).  The application deadline for AMP admission is June 15th.  Please note that a formal recommendation to the Graduate College regarding conditional admission to the program may not take place until after final spring grades are posted in UAccess.

For general information regarding the required application materials for each program, please visit the following pages:

After You Are Admitted

Upon admission to the Accelerated Master's Program, undergraduate seniors will be required to:

  • Complete 6 units of graduate-level Public Administration & Policy (PA) coursework during the fall and spring semesters of their senior year, for a total of 12 graduate units that will be applied towards both the bachelor's and master's degrees.
  • Complete and submit the the "Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses" form each semester for proper enrollment in the PA courses.
    • The Graduate Programs Manager will assist in completing this form to ensure all necessary information and signatures are obtained.
    • Once the form is completed, the student is responsible for submitting it to the Registrar's Office to finalize enrollment.

AMP curriculum sample plans:

Important academic requirements to be aware of:

As academic and professional expectations are high for graduate students, one key aspect for an AMP student is to have a level of maturity in order to be successful in completing graduate level coursework.  As such, AMP students:

  1. Must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.4 GPA in the first semester of AMP study to remain eligible in the accelerated program.
  2. Must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA in all graduate level coursework to remain eligible in the accelerated program.