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The College of Public Service at Tennessee State University |
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| Department of Public Administration
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Dear students - This is a long email with a variety of useful information - please review the entire message and retain for reference. We hope you and yours are staying well in these challenging times and as always, we are glad you are pursuing your graduate studies in public service. Remember, October 15 is the last day to apply in Banner to finish a degree or certificate this fall - details below. Below find other important dates, particularly for those finishing up or looking for an internship for spring. Thank you!
Contents:
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Important dates
- Friday, October 9 - Last day to Withdraw from a Course or Withdraw from the University this semester (email info on the linked form to Registrar at records@tnstate.edu)
- Tuesday, October 13 - IPS internship application window opens for paid spring 2021 local gov't placements (due by 10/23); contact Dr. Stanley ASAP if you are an MPA student interested in this opportunity; if you don't know if the MPA internship is required for you, contact your advisor
- Thursday, October 15 - Last day to file the Application to Graduate for Fall 2020 (for either certificates or degrees) [myTSU>Banner>Student>Student Records>Apply to Graduate; if you don't see the correct curriculum contact Dr. Streams or Dr. Stanley immediately]
- Friday, October 23 - 9am - 12pm - MPA Comprehensive Exam (virtual) - contact Dr. Stanley for details
- Friday, October 23 - IPS internship applications DUE for spring placements
- Wednesday, October 28 - Spring registration begins (students using state fee waivers must wait until January 1 to register). Don't forget to confirm your registration after finishing it!
- Friday, November 6 - writing portfolios (all MPA completers) and internship exemption papers (if applicable) due to Dr. Streams or Dr. Stanley
- Monday, November 23 - Wednesday, November 25 - Final Exams, semester ends
- Friday, November 28 - Commencement
- Friday, December 11 - Grades released in myTSU
- Wednesday, October 28 - Spring registration opens in myTSU (if not on state fee waiver)
- Thursday, January 1, 2021 - Registration available for students on state fee waivers. Don't forget to confirm your registration after finishing it
- Monday, January 25, 2021 - Spring Classes begin!
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Upcoming Special Events
- Friday, October 16, 12pm - 1pm - College of Public Service Virtual Research "Brown Bag" - Dr. Ken Chilton (TSU Public Admin.) - "Nashville in flux: population and socioeconomic trends in the Nashville region: 2010-2018" - email Dr. Streams for the Zoom link!
- Friday, October 23, 10:30am - TSU Founders Day Program - watch for University announcements
- Friday October 23 - Sunday, October 25 - TSU Virtual Homecoming Celebration - watch for University announcements
- Friday, October 30, 12pm - 1pm - College of Public Service Virtual Research "Brown Bag" - Dr. Desiree Stepteau-Watson (Social Work, University of Mississippi) - "Anti-racist Social Work Education: tips and tools" - email Dr. Streams for the Zoom link!
- Tuesday, November 3 - Election Day - GoVoteTN (voter information from TN Secretary of State including early voting locations and election day polling places) - Polling Place Locator for any state
- Wednesday, November 11 - Veteran's Day - Veterans' resources at TSU
- Friday, November 13, 12pm - 1pm - College of Public Service Virtual Research "Brown Bag" - Dr. Ali Winters (TSU Social Work) "Trauma-informed care with justice-involved populations" - email Dr. Streams for the Zoom link!
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PROGRAM OF STUDY FORMS
All students must have a program of study on file for each program to which they have been accepted. If you have not completed one and have completed at least one semester of coursework, fill it out with your completed AND planned coursework and submit to your advisor by email, or make an advising appointment for January to do so together. A photo or scan of the signed form is acceptable.
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FINISHING IN SPRING SEMESTER?
If you are planning to complete your program(s) this coming semester, you should schedule advising in January to go over completion requirements and ensure that you are on track with paperwork and final steps. Contact your advisor via email to request an appointment.
All students must apply to graduate for the Spring semester within myTSU by the March 15 University deadline (this is mandatory whether you are walking in Commencement or not), but individual programs have other requirements as well which your advisor can go over with you.
MPA students planning to finish need to file their request to take the comprehensive exam form early in the semester to let us know you are taking the comps; the Spring 2021 MPA comprehensive exam is scheduled for 9am on Friday, March 26, 2021. If you are a certificate student hoping to transition to the MPA degree upon completion of your certificate coursework this coming semester: it is imperative that you notify Dr. Streams to get instructions on how that process works. You need to complete your certificate coursework with a 3.0 GPA or better if your undergraduate GPA is 2.7 or above (3.33 GPA or better needed if your undergraduate GPA is between 2.5 and 2.69) and you also need to formally apply for the MPA degree during the semester.
APPLYING TO GRADUATE: Here are instructions on how to apply for graduation provided by Ms. Whitworth in the Graduate School (for a degree OR certificate; if finishing more than one program, you need to create an application to graduate for each program separately). Note that commencement details pertain to degree completers only. Students who applied to graduate in a previous semester, but did not graduate, must reapply.
Graduation Application Instructions - applications are due by October 15, 2020 for Fall 2020, March 15, 2021 for Spring 2021. You can't apply a semester in advance, wait until your last semester begins to apply.
- Log into MyTSU
- Click Banner Services Tab
- Click the “Student” link
- Click the “Student Records” link
- Click “Apply to Graduate” link
- Select the proper term from the list and click Submit
- Your most recent curriculum should be listed. If this is the correct curriculum, select it and click continue. If it is not, please notify Dr. Stanley or Dr. Streams about the problem. It is extremely important that it is correct.
- Indicate if you are planning to attend the Commencement Ceremony if this is asked. [Those who complete a certificate only do not walk at Commencement, but normally certificate receipt information will be listed in the program]
- Your name, as it is listed in Banner, is what will appear on your diploma.
- Indicate the address where you would like your diploma mailed.
- CAREFULLY REVIEW the summary page, then if everything is correct, print the page AND submit it. **Submitting the Graduation Application with the incorrect information may delay the accurate awarding of your degree.**
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Other completion requirements
If you are a certificate student hoping to transition to the MPA degree upon completion of your certificate coursework this coming semester, it is imperative that you notify Dr. Streams to get instructions on how that process works. You need to complete your certificate coursework with a 3.0 GPA or better if your undergraduate GPA is 2.7 or above (3.33 GPA or better needed if your undergraduate GPA is between 2.5 and 2.69) and you also need to formally apply for the MPA degree during the semester
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Reminder: MPA students who do not have one or more years of professional-level experience in the public or nonprofit sectors, or in a public affairs/governmental affairs capacity, are considered "pre-service" and must fulfill the 6-credit, 300-hour internship requirement. Determination of the suitability of past experience is made by your advisor; if you are not sure if you are considered pre-service or in-service, contact your advisor to find out. If you plan to complete an internship this coming summer, you must contact Dr. Streams or Dr. Stanley ASAP. Approval for an internship to be eligible for credit must be given in advance, not after internship completion. Students should have successfully completed at least 15 credits of MPA coursework before seeking an internship for credit. Read more about the internship requirement or the process to apply for exemption from the internship requirement in section VIII of the MPA handbook.
- The Institute for Public Service has a competitive internship program by which graduate students may be placed into PAID internships with local governments across Tennessee (you can express a location preference). A number of past MPA students have completed this valuable internship. There is a short window to apply for Spring 2021 IPS internships: application window opens October 13 and applications are DUE by October 23, 2020. If you are interested in this possibility, contact Dr. Stanley immediately; he is the TSU liaison with IPS. The internships involve a 20-hour per week commitment for 10-12 weeks from January to June 2021 and pay $12 per hour. In the current challenging environment, paid internships are even harder to find than usual in public and nonprofit settings, so take that into account!
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BE PROACTIVE!When should I seek advising?All students should request a meeting with their advisor AT A MINIMUM in the 1st semester of course-taking to complete a DRAFT program of study; a 2nd time after completing after 3-6 credits (for certificates) or 9 credits (for degrees) to do FINAL program of study form, and a 3rd time before your last semester, to prepare for graduation. Program of study forms are online
PROGRAM OF STUDY FORMS See links above. All students should check in with advisor at least via email before registering for classes EVERY SEMESTER to ensure timely progress, particularly if deviating from the plan for completion discussed with the advisor. Please note that the same set of courses are NOT offered every semester - so timing of course taking does matter. Who's my advisor?
Using our Graduate Certificates as a bridge to the MPA DegreeThe MPA program does not require the GRE exam to apply; however, an undergraduate GPA of 2.7 or higher is required. Students with an undergraduate GPA of 2.7 or above may apply directly to the MPA program. Students who have an undergraduate GPA is between 2.5 to 2.69 AND who successfully complete all 6 certificate courses from a graduate certificate in the TSU Department of Administration with a 3.33 GPA or better can then be considered for admission to the MPA program. The grades from all six courses must appear on the unofficial transcript before admission is possible. Contact your advisor at the beginning of the last semester of your certificate coursework to discuss the process. You will be able to count your certificate courses towards the MPA program requirements if accepted. You may not take courses in a program to which you have not been officially admitted without permission of the department chair. Bear in mind that any graduate program (degree or certificate) at TSU requires a cumulative TSU graduate GPA of 3.0 or better to graduate.
Certificate students interested in the online MPS (Professional Studies) programStudents interesting in transitioning from a certificate to the fully online MPS (Professional Studies) program should contact Dr. Stanley for more information. The PA Executive Leadership certificate is designed to integrate well with the MPS program (or the MPA). The other certificates (public policy, healthcare, nonprofit, local government) are geared more towards smooth integration with the MPA.
Internships
If you hope to pursue an MPA internship for credit in Spring 2021 or Summer 2021, contact Dr. Stanley or Dr. Streams ASAP if you have not done so already. You may not agree to an internship you plan to take for credit without prior approval. Learn more in handbook section VIII. The MPA internship requirement and exemption. The Career Development Center at TSU also offers resources for internship and job-seekers - sign up for TigerTrack (uses the Handshake system) to be notified of opportunities. Just be sure to check with Dr. Stanley or Dr. Streams prior to committing to an internship you learn about, to ensure it will meet the necessary criteria, and make sure you understand the requirements for receiving MPA internship credit. Also bear in mind there are forms you must complete and submit to us BEFORE you begin your internship with an organization if you hope to receive credit for it. The internship requirement is six credits (300 hours) and they are the same price as course credits. Staying on track
A 3.0 cumulative TSU graduate GPA is required to complete any TSU graduate certificate or graduate degree
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RESOURCES AND POLICIES
Below are resources for the MPA and the certificate programs you should be familiar with. These resources are all available on our website on the relevant degree program page. Note in particular that all graduate students taking classes in the College of Public Service should be aware of the Graduate School policies detailed at the beginning of the Graduate Catalog, which pertain to all TSU graduate students, as well as the relevant parts of the College section of the Catalog. All students are expected to be familiar with and to adhere to both Graduate School policies and specific departmental requirements for their degree and/or graduate certificate. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in all graduate courses taken at Tennessee State University is required for successful completion of graduate certificates or graduate degree programs; individual programs may also have more restrictive policies as detailed in their Catalog section. We abide by Graduate School policies including those regarding retention, probation, suspension, and time limitations for degrees (see the front matter of the relevant Catalog). Per Graduate School policy, a given course in our programs may be repeated one time only, and the second grade will replace the first. A student may repeat a maximum of two (2) courses used towards meeting completion requirements in a given program for the purpose of improving grades.
ADVISORS
Seek advising as you proceed through your studies.
MPA with Public Policy Certificate, Healthcare Certificate or Nonprofit Certificate, or those certificates on their own
- Dr. Meg Streams | email (Fall and Spring semesters)
- Dr. Rodney Stanley | email (Summer)
PhD in Public Policy and Administration
- Dr. Alex Sekwat | email (Fall and Spring semesters)
- Dr. Rodney Stanley | email (Summer)
MPS (all); MPA with Public Admin Executive Leadership Certificate or Local Government Certificate, or those certificates on their own
- Dr. Rodney Stanley | email | 615-963-7241 | year-round
HELPFUL DOCUMENTS- Graduate Catalog (in addition to the program-specific catalog sections, there are important policies which apply to all TSU graduate program and certificate students included in the general sections of the Catalog)
- TSU Academic Calendar
- MPA Handbook
- 3-semester course plan: an overview, not a substitute for advising - planning is still underway - will be updated before Spring registration opens
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