Election Administration

Degree Program:

• Public Administration – MPA
• Public Administration and Public Policy – PhD

Graduate Certificates:

• Election Administration
• NonProfit Organizations and Community Governance
   

The Department of Political Science offers the Master of Public Administration (MPA), and the PhD in Public Administration and Public Policy is offered jointly by the Auburn University Department of Political Science and the Auburn University at Montgomery Department of Political Science and Public Administration. Graduates from the MPA program are employed as managers, planners, and directors in city, state, and local government agencies and federal government programs; they also serve as program officers, development directors, executive directors, and senior administrators in local and national nonprofit organizations. The Department of Political Science also offers two graduate certificates: Graduate Certificate in NonProfit Organizations and Community Governance and Graduate Certificate in Elections Administration.

For more information about the MPA program, see http://www.cla.auburn.edu/polisci/graduate-programs/mpa/.

For more information about the PhD program, see http://www.cla.auburn.edu/polisci/graduate-programs/phd-in-public-administration-and-public-policy/.

Master of Public Administration

The Department of Political Science offers the MPA. It is a professional degree program for leadership in public service at all levels of government as well as in nonprofit organizations. The program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). Highly qualified students may pursue concurrently the Master of Community Planning.

Application Process

Applicants for the MPA must have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. The admissions committee will evaluate the undergraduate transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and any public sector experience in government agencies or nonprofit organizations. The program is not limited to political science majors, but successful applicants who have little background in public sector institutions and processes may be required to take additional courses.

Applicants should ensure these materials are sent to the Graduate School web application:

• Official transcripts from every institution attended
• Personal statement of purpose in pursuing the MPA degree
• Three letters of professional or academic recommendation
• Writing sample
• Statement of merit or need (If applying for a graduate assistantship)
• Other information listed in the application

Web applications are located at: http://graduate.auburn.edu/prospective-students/application-instructions/

Degree Requirements

Once they are admitted, the program requires 42 semester hours and an ePortfolio. Eight core courses for a total of 24 hours credit are required of all students. The required 24 hours include 3 credit hours of an administrative internship in a governmental agency or nonprofit organization and 3 credit hours participation in a research project pertaining to the public sector. Students take an additional 18 hours of electives in either public administration, broadly conceived, or an approved concentration in a related administrative field or policy area. 

Details about the requirements are provided below.

Core Curriculum (24 Hours)

Practical Experience through Internship and Applied Research Project (6 hours)

The program requires a total of 3 credit hours of internship (POLI 7920 Internship) and 3 credit hours of applied research (POLI 7930 MPA Research Project). Students with extensive direct experience with government agencies or nonprofit organizations have the option to complete an approved research project for 6 hours.

Electives (18 hours)

The MPA requires 18 credits of electives. This requirement may be fulfilled in any one of the three following ways:

• By taking 18 credits of classes approved by the MPA director that support the generalist public administration curriculum
• By completing the Dual MPA-MCP Degree with Community Planning
• By completing one of the following two formal specializations:Graduate Certificate in Elections Administration or Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Organizations and Community Governance

ePortfolio

Successful completion of the degree includes the preparation of the MPA ePortfolio. The MPA ePortfolio demonstrates mastery of the competencies established by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).

The MPA Portfolio reviews are scheduled in the final semester of course work. Students who do not pass the MPA Portfolio review have one additional opportunity to present their material to MPA faculty in the following fall or spring semester.

PhD in Public Administration and Public Policy

The PhD in Public Administration and Public Policy is offered jointly by Auburn University's Department of Political Science and Auburn University at Montgomery's Department of Political Science and Public Administration. Only students with master's degrees from accredited universities or colleges will be considered for the AU/AUM joint PhD program. Applicants having an insufficient background in public administration and public policy may be required to take additional prerequisite courses as determined by the admissions committee.

A minimum of 1/3 of the total course credits taken on both campuses toward the degree for the Joint AU/AUM Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy must be from each campus (a minimum of 1/3 from Auburn University and a minimum of 1/3 from Auburn University at Montgomery).

Application Process

Applicants must submit transcripts, a CV or resume, a statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and GRE scores. Normally, scores of approximately 150 on the verbal, 150 on the quantitative, and 4.5 on the writing sections of the GRE are expected for admission.

Applicants should ensure these materials are sent to the Graduate School web application:

• Official scores from the General Test of the GRE
• Official transcripts from every institution attended

Applicants should ensure these materials are sent to the PhD administrators in the Department of Political Science:

• CV or resume
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose

For more information, see the website for the PhD in Public Administration.

Requirements

The PhD curriculum includes core courses, a research methodology sequence, the student's choice of either the Public Administration or Public Policy track, and a series of electives where students develop expertise in chosen area of specialization. Details about the requirements for both tracks are given below.

Core Courses

All students in the program take the core courses in Public Administration and Public Policy.

Research Methodology Courses

Students will take a three-course methodology sequence covering a broad scope of political inquiry, research design, qualitative methods, and quantitative analysis. Students must earn a grade of A or B in each of the methodology courses before they can progress to the general comprehensive exams.

Tracks

The PhD program has two tracks, Public Administration and Public Policy. Students are required to take at least three courses within the track they choose. For the Public Administration track, required courses are as follows: public finance, human resource management, and organizational theory. For the Policy track, students should choose three of the following five courses: American politics and public policy, comparative politics and public policy, international relations and public policy, political theory and public policy, and public law and public policy.

Electives

The other five courses are chosen in consultation with the student's advisory committee. These electives should help the student develop expertise in a particular area of specialization.

Minimum Credit Requirements

Comprehensive Exams, Oral Exams, and Dissertation Defense

During the spring or fall semester after the course work is completed, students take comprehensive exams administered by the department. The exams will consist of sections testing core and track knowledge as well as one section focusing on students' areas of specialization. Students will have two opportunities to pass the comprehensive exams and must pass each written examination before scheduling the oral examination. Upon successful completion of the comprehensive exams, students should prepare a prospectus to present to their dissertation committee during their oral examinations. Admission to doctoral candidacy is contingent upon successful completion of all elements of the written and oral doctoral exams. After completion of the dissertation, the students must pass a final oral examination defending their dissertation work before their committee and a University Reader approved by the Graduate School.

Graduate Certificates

Two graduate certificates are offered in public administration and public policy: Graduate Certificate in Elections Administration and Graduate Certificate in NonProfit Organizations and Community Governance.

Application Process

Applications for graduate certificates include the same items as applications for the MPA degree with the exception that GRE scores are not required.

Applicants should ensure these materials are sent to the Graduate School web application:

• Official transcripts from every institution attended
• Other information listed in the application

Graduate Certificate in Elections Administration

Required Classes

These courses are required for the Graduate Certificate in Elections Administration. Corresponding 5000-level classes taken as an undergraduate fulfill the graduate certificate requirement but do not count toward the 42 graduate credits needed for the MPA. Substitutions require permission of MPA Director.

Graduate Certificate in NonProfit Organizations and Community Governance

Required Classes

These courses are required for the Graduate Certificate in NonProfit Organizations and Community Governance. Corresponding 5000-level classes taken as an undergraduate fulfill the graduate certificate requirement but do not count toward the 42 graduate credits needed for the MPA. Substitutions require permission of MPA Director.

• Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university.
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General Test if required by the department. Auburn University’s ETS institution code is 1005.
• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for Management, Finance, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Accountancy programs. Auburn’s GMAT institution codes are:
• Successful international applicants must score at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper version (pBT), 213 on the computer version (cBT), and 79 on the internet version (iBT). Additionally, successful applicants must score minimums of 16 on the listening, reading, speaking, and writing components of the iBT. Auburn University’s ETS institution code is 1005. Auburn will also accept a 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.

  International applicants required to submit a language test score have several options of certifying their English proficiency.

  The TOEFL or IELTS will be the only accepted language proficiency tests for admission to Auburn University Graduate School. We do not accept the Duolingo English Test.

  ETS has also created the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition to meet the needs of students who are unable to take the test in a test center due to COVID-19. The test is taken on your own computer at home and is identical in content, format and on-screen experience to the TOEFL iBT test taken at a test center. Visit The TOEFL Tests (ets.org) for more information.

• Up to three (3) letters of recommendation may be required by the department. Applicants should contact the department to find out, first, if letters are required. If so, how many? And how should these letters be submitted?
• International applicants must demonstrate full financial sponsorship if accepted into a graduate program, proof of a comprehensive medical insurance plan and submit an Official Statement Of Finance for International Students Form for 2023-2024. For more information, review our International Instructions.
• One official transcript of all undergraduate and any graduate credits from each school previously attended. If an Auburn University transcript, the Graduate School will acquire the transcript for you. Official electronic transcripts from domestic institutions may be sent to [email protected].
• International applicants should provide an official original language transcript and final diploma/certificate(s) accompanied by a certified English translation of each document.
• Application fee payment: $60 for domestic students; $70 for international students. The following applicants are eligible for a fee waiver:
  • Current Auburn University graduate students enrolled in graduate courses
  • Full-time Auburn University employees
  • Alabama HBCU applicants from the following schools (first 300 received per year): Alabama A&M and Alabama State Universities, Concordia, Miles, Stillman and Talladega Colleges, Oakwood & Tuskegee Universities – submit copy of school ID
  • Ronald McNair Scholars – must submit a memo from sponsoring institution
  • Florida A&M Feeders Program – must submit a memo from Faculty sponsor
  • GEM applicants – must submit a copy of their GEM application
  • Active Duty Military – with a letter confirming duty
  • Applying for an approved dual program – the second application fee is waived

  To qualify for one of the application fee exemptions, you must submit the required documentation to the Graduate School.