4+1 Dual Degrees

The accelerated 4+1 program in Public Affairs is available for students currently admitted in the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Public Affairs program. Students entering the 4+1 accelerated program will be admitted to the Master of Public Administration program or the Executive Master of Public Administration program.

The five-year MPA program includes 138 (MPA) academic hours of coursework with an embedded undergraduate degree in Public Administration.

The 4+ 1 academic program is open to students in the Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs seeking a B.S. degree in Public Affairs. Admission to this graduate programs is not automatic. The principal eligibility factors are the student’s cumulative GPA and the Public Affairs courses GPA. The five-year program includes 138 academic hours of coursework. Students entering the Master’s program through the 4+1 are not required to complete the GRE.

Designed for the dedicated and driven TSU student, the accelerated 4+1 program combines graduate course work with advanced undergraduate course work, enabling students to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree within five years. It provides top undergraduate students the flexibility to begin taking classes toward their master’s degree during their senior year of undergraduate studies.

Students interested in this program must meet the following eligibility requirements to be considered for admission:

1. Have completed at least 90 credits hours of coursework from an approved Public Affairs degree plan.
2. Have a cumulative TSU GPA of 2.5.
3. Have grades posted for all 300 level required courses.
4. Have at least three semesters left in undergraduate program at time of admission to the master’s program (senior year course work).

Students in the 4+1 accelerated program must follow all course requirements pertaining to both programs. Satisfactory progress in the program is achieved if the student maintains a 3.00 GPA in overall graduate course work in the student’s master’s program. The student may drop out of the 4+1 accelerated program and return to a regular B.S. program at any point of time.

Continuous enrollment in the 4+1 program is required to matriculate through the program. If at any point the student stops enrollment in the 4+1 program, the student will be required to return to a regular bachelor’s program.

Students who are dismissed, or voluntarily withdraw, from the 4+1 accelerated program and return to undergraduate status, are eligible to apply for admission to the stand-alone master’s program in Public Affairs.

Competencies in the five-year MPA are achieved through an interdisciplinary approach that provides students with:

1. An analytical approach to decision-making in the managerial sciences;
2. Problem solving skills and analytical competencies relevant to management positions;
3. Knowledge of workings of governmental and non-governmental organizations; and
4. Structured and varied work experiences with a foundation in computer and information technology.