Master of Public Policy - Fact Sheet

2023-2024 Fact Sheet

The mission of the University of Northern Iowa's Master of Public Policy program is to enhance the public service values of emerging and mid-career public service professionals and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to analyze, develop, and evaluate public policy and affairs at all levels of government. We expect our graduates to: value accountability and transparency as integral to responsible stewardship of the public trust; be able to assess the ethical implications of policy decisions and incorporate those considerations into their professional work; be able to differentiate between efficiency and effectiveness in evaluating policy alternatives; and demonstrate respect, equity and fairness in their dealings with fellow public servants and diverse communities.

Degree title: Master of Public Policy

Organization

The MPP program is an academic program within the Department of Political Science in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA.

Method of Instruction

All courses are delivered online, with courses meeting synchronously via Zoom on Tuesday evenings.

Number of Credit Hours

The total units of credit to complete the program is 37 hours

Structure of Program and Length of Degree

The program follows a cohort model, with new cohorts admitted in odd-year fall semesters. The program is designed for full-time students to finish in two years. Students take two, 8-week long classes each fall and spring semester, two asynchronous courses during their first summer, and complete an independent research project in their second summer.

Number of Students

As of Fall 2023, the program had 15 students enrolled. Nearly all of these (12) were part of the Fall 2023 cohort, which began with 12 students. At any given time, students from previous cohorts may still be enrolled as they complete their research project or other unfinished work.

Number of Faculty

The Program is overseen by Dr. Chris Larimer, Program Coordinator, and Dr. Scott Peters, Head, Department of Political Science. Seven faculty teach courses within the MPP sequence. During the final summer of the program, students complete a research project under the supervision of a UNI faculty member. Thus, the total number of faculty in the program depends upon cohort size. In the 2021 cohort, counting all independent research sections, 11 faculty members taught within the program.

Graduate Completion Rate

For cohort beginning in:	First semester enrollment	Graduated within 2 years	Graduated within 3 years	Graduated within 4 years	Total students graduated and persisting to graduation
2021	15	10 67%			11 73%
2019	22	15 68%	15 68%		17 77%
2017	16	7 44%	11 69%	11 69%	12 75%

For cohort beginning in:

First semester enrollment

Graduated within 2 years

Graduated within 3 years

Graduated within 4 years

Total students graduated and persisting to graduation

2021

67%

73%

2019

68%

77%

2017

44%

69%

75%

Tuition & Financial Aid

All students pay the same tuition rate, regardless of location, making it an affordable option for all students.

Tuition for the 2023-24 academic year is $558 per unit of graduate credit or $350 per unit of undergraduate credit. An additional $42 technology fee per course may apply. Tuition and fees are expected to rise each May, typically announced by the Iowa Board of Regents in March.
Qualified students are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship for an academic year, with $500 applied to the Fall term and $500 to the Spring term. No scholarships are applied to the summer term. May be renewed for a second year. See distance.uni.edu/ode-scholarship for details.

Admissions criteria

To be admitted, students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, with an undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher. We also offer provisional admission for those whose undergraduate GPA is less than 2.75, but who demonstrate through their work experience the ability to complete graduate-level work. Toward that end, we rely heavily on letters of recommendation and personal statements to gauge how prepared students are for the work and how the program will help them pursue their career goals. Students must submit:

Undergraduate transcript(s)
a personal statement that reflects on the program's mission and how an MPP degree will enhance their personal and career development
resume
two letters of recommendation

Careers & Placement rates

MPP employment data for summer 2023 graduates:

11 graduates: 9 reporting as of fall 2023 (82%)
Working in the public sector (federal or state government): 3 (33%)
Working with nonprofit sector: 3 (33%)
Working in the private sector: 2 (22%)
Continuing further education: 1 (11%)

Recent graduates of the MPP program at the University of Northern Iowa have been employed in numerous areas relating to city management, mental health, lobbying, transportation, public finance, nonprofit management, and environmental policy, among others. Recent examples include:

Stormwater Coordinator, City of Marion, IA
President and CEO, Iowa Women's Foundation
Legal Aid Society of Story County
Registered lobbyist, state of Iowa
Director, Cedar Falls School Board, Cedar Falls, IA
Paratransit Coordinator, Des Moines Area Regional Transit
Mental Health and Disabilities Services, Bremer County, IA
Quality Improvement Officer, Student Health Center, Iowa State University
Sergeant, Cedar Rapids Police Department
Iowa Counterdrug Task Force, Iowa National Guard
Senior Program Officer, Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
City Planner, City of Ottumwa, IA
Sexual Assault Advocate, Riverview Center
Development Director, REM Iowa
Patient Financial Coordinator, UnityPoint Health, Allen Hospital
State Consultant, Iowa Department of Public Health
Data Manager and Program Assistant, Rhode Island Department of Health
Policy & Advocacy Manager, DMARC, Des Moines, IA

Due to the cohort nature of our program, most students complete their degree in odd-numbered years. In a December 2022 alumni survey of recent program graduates, 91% percent of respondents reported being employed full-time. Consistent with our mission to serve current and emerging public service professionals, 10 of the 12 students admitted to the program for the 2023-2025 cohort were employed in the fall of 2023. For the 2021-2023 cohort, 7 of the 11 students graduating in 2023 were employed when they began the program in 2021.

Internships

Students are required to complete 3 hours of internship credit in a designated organization. Such organizations include, but are not limited to, federal, state, or local public organizations, or non-profit organizations. The student and Graduate Coordinator will jointly identify a public or non-profit agency suitable for placement where the student will be expected to complete 90 hours of work. The student, in consultation with the agency and Graduate Coordinator, will then identify a project for which the student has the primary responsibility. The project must involve policy analysis (quantitative or qualitative), not just routine agency work. For students already working in the public or non-profit sector, the internship may be completed at their current place of employment. Performance at the internship is assessed through four work products:

Preliminary analysis of the policy issue
A report produced for the agency
A reflection paper on the experience
An evaluation by the agency supervisor

In recent years, student have completed internships at:

Iowa Department of Veteran Affairs, Johnston, IA
American Network of Community Options and Resources
Shelter House of Iowa City, IA (Nonprofit)
National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism Advanced Research Intern (University of Maryland)
City Clerk’s Office, Hudson, IA
Greater Des Moines Partnership/Capital Crossroads (Nonprofit)
Black Hawk County Elections Office, Waterloo, IA
Goodwill of Central Iowa, Johnston, IA (Nonprofit)
College Hill Partnership, Cedar Falls, IA (Nonprofit)