Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)

Joint J.D./M.P.A. Degree

The J.D./M.P.A. dual degree program offers graduate students the opportunity to earn two graduate degrees evidencing the completion of the curriculum for the Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the College of Law and the curriculum for the Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from the College of Arts and Letters Department of Political Science and Public Administration (PSPA). The program is administered jointly by the PSPA department and the College of Law. The program is designed for students who wish to be effective in administrative and regulatory positions in public and in private, nonprofit organizations.

Admission Standards and Requirements

To be admitted to the J.D./M.P.A. program, a student must first be admitted to both the College of Law and the M.P.A. program in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration. The student must qualify for admission to each degree program, make separate application for admission to each program, and be admitted to each program in order to be eligible for the J.D./M.P.A. program. After admission to the College of Law and the M.P.A. program in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, the student must be admitted to the J.D./M.P.A. program by the coordinating committee.

Note: The University of Toledo College of Law now permits applicants to submit either the GRE or LSAT score for admission to law school.

Requirements for Degrees and Continued Participation in the Program

Juris Doctor

In order to qualify for the juris doctor from the College of Law, a student must comply with all the academic and nonacademic rules of the college, with respect to the admission process and during the period after initial enrollment in the college until the granting of the degree. The College of Law will grant credit toward the J.D. for certain courses taken in the department of political science and public administration under the J.D./M.P.A. program, as detailed below.

Master of Public Administration Degree

In order to be eligible for the M.P.A. degree from the department of political science and public administration in the College of Arts and Letters, a student must complete at least 12 graduate-level courses (36 credit hours), with an overall minimum G.P.A. of 3.0. A student must complete any prerequisite courses and all required courses (except PSC 5560 Law and Administration from which College of Law students are exempt).

The Department of Political Science and Public Administration will grant credit toward the M.P.A. degree for certain courses taken in the College of Law, as detailed below.

Course Requirements

College of Law Credit for Certain Political Science Courses in the J.D./M.P.A. Program

Under the J.D./M.P.A. program, up to 12 semester credit hours of approved graduate M.P.A. courses may be applied toward the completion of the total credit hours required for the J.D. The student must earn a grade of B (3.0) or better in an M.P.A. course for the course to be credited toward the J.D.

The 12 hours of approved M.P.A. courses are as follows:

• PSC 5430 Human Resources Management in Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 hours)
• PSC 5440 Budgeting and Financial Administration (3 hours)
• PSC 6110 Public Policy Methods and Analysis (3 hours)
• PSC 6430 Public Policy Analysis Process (3 hours)

On written application by the student, and for good cause shown, the associate dean of the College of Law may substitute another graduate PSC course for one on the approved list

Political Science Credit for Certain College of Law Courses in the J.D./M.P.A. Program

Under the J.D./M.P.A. program, up to 12 semester credit hours of approved upper-level courses in the College of Law may be applied toward the completion of the 36 credit hours required for the M.P.A. degree. In College of Law graded courses, the student must earn a grade of C (2.0) or better; and in College of Law ungraded courses, the student must earn a Pass or better for the course to be granted credit toward the M.P.A. degree. Courses eligible for transfer are: 

• Constitutional Law – Structure
• Constitutional Law – Rights
• Property – Transactions and Land Use
• Administrative Law

 Scheduling

A full-time student entering the College of Law must enroll full time exclusively in the College of Law beginning in the fall, for the first academic year. A part-time student entering the College of Law must enroll exclusively in the College of Law beginning in the fall of the first year, for two academic years.

For further information, contact Dan Boden, M.P.A. director, or Geoffrey Rapp, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of law.