Graduate Certificate in Public Management

Purpose

The Public Administration Program at the University of West Georgia offers a 12 hour course of study leading to a Graduate Certificate in Public Management (GCPM). The GCPM is designed to meet the needs of practicing and future public administrators who already have a bachelor’s degree and who desire to:

broaden their understanding of the concepts and techniques of public management; or
pursue the certificate with the goal of career advancement but do not find it necessary or feasible to complete the MPA degree; or
continue their education with the goal of earning a graduate degree in public administration (MPA).

Learning Outcomes

Certificate students will demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of:

Public service values including ethics, democracy, and constitutional principles
Generalist management techniques and skills
The linkage between theory and practice

Admission

The GCPM is open to all prospective students who have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning with a GPA of 2.5 or above. Any bachelor’s degree meets the requirements for admission. Prospective students must complete the Graduate School online application form and submit it along with official college transcripts prior to being accepted into the GCPM. Students seeking admission to the GCPM register in a non-degree/post-baccalaureate status. Courses taken by GCPM students are the same as those taken by MPA students. Students must complete their program of study within four years from the date of admission and earn no less than a 3.0 GPA.

All courses for the GCPM are offered regularly and can be taken in any order. Courses may be offered online or face-to-face. Courses taught in-person are mostly on the Carrolton campus, primarily at night, and sometimes on weekends.

Students deciding to apply for admission to the Masters in Public Administration (MPA) Program after completing the GCPM must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), scoring at least 286 and meet all other MPA admission requirements. Students who have completed the GCPM may apply up to 9 credit hours toward the MPA degree within six years of completion and award of the certificate.

Program Requirements

Students earn the Graduate Certificate in Public Management after successfully completing 12 credit hours as specified below:

Core: 3-6 credit hours

Skills: 3-6 credit hours

Specialization: 0-3 credit hours

In consultation with the MPA Director, you may choose one of the following graduate level courses in an area of specialization.

Capstone Experience: 3 credit hours

POLS 6290 - Practicum and Assessment 3

Note:

Practicum/ Assessment: Inherent in the GCPM is both an underlying theme and a concerted effort to prepare students to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in the certificate program to “real world” issues and problems faced in public sector management. The achievement of this goal is finalized through successful completion of the Practicum (application)/ Assessment (evaluation).

The Practicum and Assessment process ensures that the student gains practical knowledge and skill in program and policy administration by applying the latest and most effective theory and practice to their operations. This is achieved by the writing of an analysis paper of the student’s public organization or a topic in public management.