City/County Management MPA Fellowship Curriculum

The MPA Fellows curriculum requires 40 credit hours, and is regimented to accommodate part-time and full-time internships while the program's course of study is being completed.

The First Year

The Fellowship begins in the summer semester. Students complete 33 of the 40 credit hours of course work during their first full year on campus (summer, fall, and spring semesters) while also:

Participating in paid, part-time internships
Attending professionalization seminars to build soft skills
Networking with alumni through mock interviews and informational interviews
Regularly checking in for guidance and reflection with the MPA Fellows Professor of Practice and KU MPA Alumni Practitioners in Residence

The Second Year

The full-time internship during the second year of the Fellowship is a distinctive feature of the experience.
Each Fellow obtains a full-time, paid internship which may lead to a permanent job.
The program supports Fellows to find internships suited for their career goals.
This has resulted in a 100% placement rate over the past five years with students placed around the nation.

Admissions Deadlines

Summer Admission: February 1

Learn More

Required Courses

Students admitted to the City/County Management Fellowship Program complete the following course work to fulfill degree requirements:

MPA Fellows Semester-by-Semester Enrollment Detail
Year 1 Summer	Year 1 Fall	Year 1 Spring	Year 2 Fall	Year 2 Spring
PUAD 841	PUAD 824	PUAD 825	PUAD 894	PUAD 895
PUAD 845	PUAD 835	PUAD 834		PUAD 899
	PUAD 836	PUAD 837
	PUAD 851	PUAD 892
	PUAD 892	Elective

MPA Core Courses - 5 Courses (15 credit hours)

The MPA core provides students with knowledge and skills foundational to advanced educational and professional engagement in public affairs and administration fields. They provide an important underpinning for the MPA certificates and are transferable across a range of public service professions. The MPA core course work includes the following courses:

City/County Management Graduate Certificate - 4 Courses (12 credit hours)

The City/County Management graduate certificate is designed for those who are interested in a career in local government organizations (cities and counties) or in non-profit or private sector organizations that collaborate or serve local governments. In the MPA Fellows curriculum, students will complete the following required courses and an elective course (PUAD 851 Infrastructure Management is strongly recommended and scheduled to accommodate other fellowship courses) to complete the certificate requirements.

Fellows-specific First-year Class - 1 Course (3 credit hours)

This course is designed to discuss the pathway and work of the city/county management profession and explore what leadership and collaboration look like throughout different structures and units within the sector of local government.

Elective Credit - 1 Course (3 credit hours)

This Elective Credit allows MPA Fellows to explore further in the City/County Management sector or broaden their perspective in other public administration sectors in the Spring semester of Year 1.

Second Year Enrollment - 3 Courses (7 credit hours)

During the second year, Fellows meet for three in-person professional development seminars designed to help link theory and practice. During these seminars, Fellows review, compare, interpret, and scrutinize their own work experiences while alumni and other practicing administrators assist them in the transition from academic life to a professional career:

The first professional development seminar is held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in the fall.
The second professional development seminar is a week-long program held on the Edwards campus in January.
The third is in May, in Lawrence, immediately preceding graduation.