13 Dual MPA-MSES Program Requirements (60 credit hours)
Program Description
All dual MPA-MSES students must take core requirements from both the MPA and MSES degree program. In some instances, students may be eligible to waive one or more MPA and/or MSES core courses based on previous coursework. All waivers for core courses must be approved by the designated gatekeepers for these requirements; gatekeepers are identified at the front of the handbook. Dual students may pursue one of five options to complete their concentration(s). Dual MPA-MSES students are also required to complete a capstone course and may select that course from either the MPA or MSES program options.
Students Transitioning into Dual MPA-MSES Degree Program
Students already accepted into either the MPA or MSES program may pursue admission into the dual MPA-MSES degree program, provided they meet the admission requirements of the other program. An application should be submitted via the Forms section of the Current Student Portal (https://students.
oneill.indiana.edu/masters/index.html). The Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid will notify the appropriate Faculty Program Director and request a review and subsequent decision regarding admission. The candidate’s original application file may be supplemented prior to review to demonstrate preparedness for the dual degree program. Students who enter the dual degree program at the end of their first year or later may require one or two additional semesters to complete the dual MPA-MSES degree.
MPA-MSES Requirement I: Public Affairs Core Courses (18 credit hours)
Students may not use MPA core courses to fulfill concentration requirements. The following courses are required:
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P=Prerequisite, C=Corequisite, & R=Recommendations |
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SPEA-E 538 Statistics for Environmental Science |
Should be taken first semester. For MPA students who add the dual degree after the first semester, only, V506 will be accepted in place of E538. Also part of the MSES core. |
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SPEA-E 543 Environmental Management |
Fulfills V535 requirement of the MPA core for MPA-MSES students only. MPA students who add the dual degree after the first semester must take E543. |
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SPEA-V 512 Public Policy Process OR SPEA-V 538 Comparative and International Policy Process |
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SPEA-V 517 Public Management Economics |
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SPEA-V 532 Social Equity and Justice |
1.5 credits |
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SPEA-V 536 Rights and Responsibilities: How Law Shapes Public Affairs |
1.5 credits |
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SPEA-V 537 Designing and Managing Complex Projects |
1.5 credits |
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SPEA-V 548 Evidence-Based Decision-Making |
1.5 credits |
MPA-MSES Requirement II: Environmental Science Core Courses (12 credit hours)
Each student should demonstrate a competency in the following areas of environmental science: mathematics, statistics, chemistry, engineering principles, and ecology.
Students may seek waivers via gatekeepers based on their background or former academic training. Students may not use MSES core courses to fulfill concentration requirements.
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P=Prerequisite, C=Corequisite, & R=Recommendations |
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SPEA-E 526 Applied Mathematics for Environmental Science |
R: differential and integral calculus |
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SPEA-E 527 Applied Ecology |
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SPEA-E 536 Environmental Chemistry |
P: undergrad chemistry course with lab |
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SPEA-E 552 Environmental Engineering |
R: E526, E536 |
MPA-MSES Requirement III: Concentration (24 credit hours)
Each student may select one of the concentration options listed on the following pages. Topics courses and independent study credits may be included in any concentration with the approval of a concentration advisor. Students also have an option of pursuing a specialized dual-degree concentration.
MPA-MSES Requirement IV: Experiential (Typically 0-6 credit hours)
Each candidate for the MPA-MSES degree must obtain professionally relevant experience through one of the following options:
Internship – Students who are ready to complete an internship should consult with their academic advisor regarding the number of credits the student should register for and to confirm what degree requirements the internship may satisfy. Additionally, students must consult the Career Hub before the internship begins. The Career Hub will provide details concerning eligibility, procedures and required paperwork.
- Registered Internship (0-6 credit hours) –To satisfy the MPA-MSES experiential requirement with an internship during the degree program, students must register for zero to six credits of SPEA-E 589 Practicum in Environmental Science or SPEA-V 585 Practicum in Public Affairs. The amount of credit hours granted is determined by the number of hours worked. A student must work for 120 hours for zero and one credit, while each credit hour thereafter is earned by working an additional 80 hours. To satisfy the requirement, students must complete the proper paperwork with the Career Hub before starting an internship and must complete all progress reports and other required paperwork during the internship. In addition, Indiana University policy states “registration for the internship should be placed in the session during which the external event or experience on which it is based occurs.” Internships that have been completed in the past cannot be registered for a current or future term.
- Research internships are also an option, with a supervising O’Neill faculty member or a researcher, agency, or organization outside O’Neill. Further details are available with the Career Hub.
- Internships for International Students – International students seeking to fulfill the experiential component should consult with Indiana University’s Office of International Student Services (OIS) to make sure they meet all necessary guidelines for participation. Please follow the links offered to read more about qualifications.
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT):
- http://ois.iu.edu/living-working/employment/f1/curricular.html
Academic Training (AT):
International students will generally be approved for one internship and CPT request per degree program (e.g. an MPA student will likely be approved for one internship, and an MPA-MSES student will likely be approved for two internships even though the dual program only requires one internship). CPT requests are approved by OIS and therefore must be proven as integral to the student’s degree program(s). Therefore, any additional CPT requests outside of the one required to complete the experiential component of O’Neill degrees must be well-supported and will need to be approved by MPO staff and the designated Faculty Program Director. Please contact the MPO at agoneill@indiana.edu for any questions or inquiries.
Thesis Project – Students completing the MSES Thesis Concentration automatically complete the experiential requirement for the MPA-MSES dual degree. See the MSES Thesis Concentration pages for additional information.
Prior Experience (PE) – A student’s experiential requirement may be satisfied through Prior Experience (PE). There are three categories of PE (Professional, Military, and Volunteer). If a student is granted credit for PE, the experiential requirement is automatically satisfied. Credit is granted for experience gained prior to taking courses in O’Neill graduate degree programs. No more than 9 credits will be granted for any combination of PE waivers. Applications for the different types of PE can be found online via the Current Student Portal in the Forms section. Completed forms should be returned to the O’Neill Graduate Records Office (SPEA A328 or oneillrc@indiana.edu) so they may be advanced to the appropriate Faculty Program Director for review and potential award of credit. Students are strongly encouraged to submit applications for PE within the first 24 credit. Please see the Director of the Master’s Programs Office for counsel and questions/concerns.
MPA-MSES Requirement V: Capstone Course (3 credit hours)
Dual MPA-MSES degree students should take a course during which they participate in a team to carry out an integrative project that addresses a multi-disciplinary problem. A faculty advisor may be consulted regarding an appropriate selection. This requirement may be met in one of the following ways:
SPEA-V 600 Capstone in Public and Environmental Affairs
An alternative course with a similar structure, such as SPEA-E 546 Stream Ecology (P: SPEA-E 556) or SPEA-E 560 Environmental Risk Analysis (P: SPEA-E 538 or SPEA-V 506) or other approved course.
MSES Thesis – Completion of the MSES Thesis Concentration satisfies the MPA-MSES capstone requirement. Students interested in completing a research thesis will find additional information on the MSES Thesis Concentration page.