Graduate Education — Doctoral

The mission of the doctor of public administration program is to educate students for careers in high levels of public service in state government and management or for careers in academia. The program emphasizes the theory, analysis, evaluation, and practice of public administration and public policy. Graduates of the DPA program will be equipped to contribute and use significant new knowledge about state government and agencies. While the DPA is primarily a practitioner-oriented program, it is also appropriate for those who are interested in research and teaching.

Minimum Admission Requirements

Note: The Doctor of Public Administration Program is being revised. Please check with the College of Public Affairs and Administration office for the latest information.

• A master's degree with a minimum grade-point average of 3.25 in graduate course work.
• Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), taken within the past five years.
• Appropriate fit between the goals and objectives of the student and the mission and capacity of the DPA program.
• An interview, if requested, by the committee.

Applications for admission must include all of the following:

• Completed UIS application.
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended, showing undergraduate and graduate completion.
• Official GRE scores.
• Three letters of recommendation; at least one must be an academic reference attesting to the applicant's likelihood of success in a doctoral program.
• A current resume.
• Three- to five-page statement of academic and career goals.
• A current writing sample, such as a research paper or report.
• International students: Submit an official TOEFL score of at least 575 (paper based), 232 (computer based), or 88 (Internet based).

Prospective students are encouraged to apply by March 15 for fall admission or October 30 for spring admission; however late applications may be considered.

General Requirements

To earn a doctor of public administration degree from UIS, students must fulfill the following requirements:

• Meet program matriculation requirements.
• Earn at least 54 doctoral-level hours with a grade-point average of at least 3.00, and a grade no lower than B in any core, research, or concentration course.
• Complete at least 12 semester hours of dissertation credit. During work on the dissertation, students are required to be enrolled in dissertation credit each fall and spring semester.
• Successfully pass a comprehensive examination in the core courses, research courses, and area of concentration.
• Develop, present, and have approved a dissertation proposal.
• Research, write, and present a dissertation to the Dissertation Committee and satisfactorily complete an oral defense.
• Complete a graduation contract and pay graduation fees.

Grades Acceptable toward Doctoral Degrees

Doctoral students are expected to do scholarly work of high caliber. The DPA requires at least 54 doctoral level hours of course credit with a grade-point average of at least 3.00 and a grade no lower than B in any core, research, or concentration doctoral course. Students must earn a grade of B or better in any course considered for transfer.

Prerequisite courses do not count toward the 54 required doctoral hours. Credit/no credit will be allowed for prerequisite courses only. All DPA core, research, or specialization courses must be taken for letter grades.

Closure Requirement

Progress toward the Doctoral Degree  A student who has completed the core public administration and research courses with a B or better then completes a concentration plan of study for a minimum of 20 credit hours in a specialized area. This plan must be approved by the Plan of Study Committee and the chair of the Department of Public Administration. Once these courses are successfully completed, the student will be required to pass a comprehensive examination.

Doctoral Closure Requirements On passing the comprehensive examination, students will be allowed to enroll in DPA 687 Dissertation Proposal Preparation Seminar. Preparation and defense of the dissertation proposal constitutes the beginning of the closure requirement, which includes preparation and successful defense of the dissertation.

Time Limitation

All pre-dissertation credit earned at UIS that is to be applied toward the completion of the doctorate must be taken within eight consecutive years from the first doctoral course taken at UIS. This does not include prerequisites or closure requirements. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Transfer Credit

No more than 12 hours of approved credit may be transferred to UIS for doctoral credit. To be considered, all transfer credit must have been earned with a grade of B or better, and must have been earned within five years of the first graduate course taken at UIS in pursuit of the doctorate. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Financial Assistance for Doctoral Students

The UIS Office of Financial Assistance coordinates federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs for all students. Assistance is available in the form of grants, tuition waivers, assistantships, scholarships, loans, part-time employment, and veterans' benefits. For detailed information and for assistance programs specifically available for doctoral students, see the "Financial Aid" section of this catalog.