Master of Public Affairs Regular Program
Full-Time Option
Most students in the LBJ School are enrolled full time in the regular program, which includes two years of intensive training in public policy analysis and management.
Program Structure
The program is organized so that formal coursework in theory and skills is reinforced by opportunities for practical application. For students who enter without substantial public service or administrative work experience, a required internship between the first and second years provides direct contact with the operating realities of government, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations. Students may follow a general program of study or may specialize in one of seven policy areas. The regular program requires a total of 48 semester hours of credit.
Part-Time Option
Individuals who for employment or other reasons are not able to enroll in the LBJ School full time may select the part-time option. Part-time students are not eligible for financial aid from the LBJ School.
Program Structure
Part-time students complete the same course requirements (48 credit hours) as their colleagues in the full-time regular program. To accommodate the scheduling needs of part-timers, the School tries to offer at least one core course in the evening each semester and one or two courses during summer sessions. In accordance with University policy, all LBJ School coursework and degree requirements must be completed within a six-year period from the time of first enrollment in the School. A typical part-time student who takes two courses per semester can complete the master's degree program in four years.
Specializations
In both the full-time and part-time regular program options, students may choose to specialize in any of seven policy areas:
Each specialization requires 18 credit hours of approved coursework, including a 3-hour Professional Report in the second year.
Degree Requirements
All students enrolled either full- or part-time in the regular program must complete the following requirements:
27 hours of common and flexible core courses:
- 3 hours Public Financial Management
- 3 hours Applied Microeconomics for Policy Analysis
- 3 hours Introduction to Quantitative Analysis
- 3 hours Advanced Empirical Methods
- 3 hours Politics and Process
- 3 hours Advanced Management
- 3 hours Advanced Policy Economics
- 6 hours Policy Research Project
21 hours of electives, selected from among the following:
- Advanced Topics in Public Policy (multiple sections)
- Advanced Topics in Management (multiple sections)
- Approved elective courses in other UT Austin departments
- Professional Report *
Internship requirement:
*Students pursuing a general program of study may take the 3-hour Professional Report course as an elective; students pursuing specializations or dual degrees are required to take the course.
**The internship requirement can be waived if a student can provide documentation of comparable professional experience. The internship can be taken either on a noncredit basis or for 3 hours credit as an elective.
