Public Administration, MPA and Management Information Systems, MS (MPA/MIS)
Vision Statement
In government and non-profit organizations, there is a significant need and a long-term demand for persons with advanced skills in information management technology. The primary purpose of this dual degree option is to prepare students to manage and lead organizations in the future. To meet this need, the School of Public Administration and the College of Information Science & Technology offer the option to complete both the MPA and the MS in MIS degree jointly by completing 54-57 hours of course work beyond foundation requirements. This joint degree program is designed for dedicated students who are able to successfully complete graduate intensive study from two perspectives—public administration and management information systems—while achieving a synergy between the two fields. As such, the program involves graduate coursework in both public administration and information systems, with integrative experiences that will attain the desired synergy. Students interested in this option will work closely with a faculty mentor to develop an integrated plan of study at an early stage.
Program Contact Information
Public Administration
James Harrold, PhD, Advisor
402.554.6702
jharrold@unomaha.edu
Management Information Systems
Emily Wiemers, Graduate Advisor
402.554.3819
ewiemers@unomaha.edu
Program Website
Admissions
General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria
Program-Specific Requirements
Application Deadlines (Spring 2025, and Fall 2025)
- Fall: June 1
- Spring: October 1
Other Requirements
- The general prerequisite for admission to the program is a four year bachelors' degree with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA of the junior-senior year (last 50-60 credit hours).
- Entrance Exam: Submitting GMAT or GRE scores may strengthen your application.
-
English Language Proficiency: Applicants are required to have a command of oral and written English. Those who do not hold a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from the United States, OR a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from a predetermined country on the waiver list, must meet the minimum language proficiency score requirement in order to be considered for admission.
- Internet-based TOEFL: 80, IELTS: 6.5, PTE: 53, Duolingo: 110
- Statement of Purpose
- Writing Sample: From work or previous academic experiences. Alternatively, if you do not have a writing sample, please submit a two page double-spaced word processed essay that addresses the following two topics:
- Your unique personal qualities and life experiences that distinguish you from other applicants to our graduate program
- Two accomplishments that demonstrate your potential for success in the graduate program
- Resume: Indicate your work experience and background
- Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation are required
Degree Requirements
MPA/MIS Foundation Courses
A student must have completed some basic courses either as an undergraduate student or prior to enrolling in the first MS in MIS course. Students may start MPA courses while completing the MIS foundation courses. All must be completed prior to or concurrent with the first six hours of MS in MIS graduate course work.
Foundation courses ensure that all students in the program have a strong foundation on which to build the rest of the program. These courses not only provide essential prerequisite knowledge and skills for other courses in the program, but they also contain a distinct body of knowledge that is an important part of the MIS professional’s education. All foundation courses are required for all students. Students who have obtained an undergraduate MIS degree will typically have this foundation. Other students, including computer science or engineering majors, will usually have to take one or more foundation courses. Occasionally, a student’s work experience may be sufficient to waive one or more foundation courses.
Waivers for foundation courses are granted by the chair of the graduate program committee upon the recommendation of the faculty member who is responsible for an individual foundation course. Students requesting a waiver for a particular course should be prepared to meet with a faculty member and answer questions in the area of the course. They should bring to the meeting any relevant transcripts, course syllabi, course material, or evidence of practical experience. Some foundation courses may have an option for testing out. Results of a test out are not appealable or repeatable.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Six hours of programming coursework or equivalent experience: | 6 | |
| CIST 1600 | INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING USING PRACTICAL SCRIPTING | 3 |
| ISQA 3900 | WEB APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| One semester of undergraduate information systems, or: | 3 | |
| INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND ETHICS | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3-6 | |
| AN OVERVIEW OF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT | ||
| INFORMATION SYSTEMS ANALYSIS and SYSTEM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION and MANAGING THE DATABASE ENVIRONMENT | ||
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MPA Core Courses | ||
| PA 8050 | FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC ADMINSTRATION | 3 |
| PA 8090 | ORGANIZATION THEORY AND BEHAVIOR | 3 |
| PA 8100 | ADVANCED MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP FOR PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT PROFESSIONALS | 3 |
| PA 8400 | PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT BUDGETING | 3 |
| PA 8300 | POLICY DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION | 3 |
| PA 8530 | PLANNING AND EVALUATION | 3 |
| MS in MIS Core Courses | ||
| ISQA 8210 | MANAGEMENT OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| ISQA 8220 | ADVANCED SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN | 3 |
| ISQA 8310 | IT INFRASTRUCTURE & CLOUD COMPUTING | 3 |
| ISQA 8380 | ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE AND SYSTEMS INTEGRATION | 3 |
| ISQA 8410 | DATA MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| ISQA 8420 | MANAGING THE I.S. FUNCTION | 3 |
| Methods Course | ||
| PA 8120 | ANALYSIS AND DECISION MAKING | 3 |
| or ISQA 8060 | RESEARCH IN MIS | |
| MPA/MIS Electives | ||
| Select one of the following: | 12 | |
Take a minimum of six hours each of ISQA elective courses and PA elective courses | ||
Or select a MPA/MIS Specialty Area (see below) | ||
| Select one of the following (see below): | 6 | |
Capstone Option | ||
Thesis Option | ||
| Total Credits | 57 | |
MPA/MIS Specialty Areas
Students may choose to specialize in the following areas (see details below), or in another area with the approval of their faculty advisor (all courses must be at the 8000-level):
Program Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PA 8450 | SEMINAR IN ADVANCED MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS IN PUBLIC AGENCIES | 3 |
| ISQA 8810 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECT FUNDAMENTALS | 3 |
| ISQA 8820 | PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| PA/AVN 8480 | SEMINAR IN PUBLIC FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION | 3 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Financial Management Information Systems
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PA/AVN 8480 | SEMINAR IN PUBLIC FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION | 3 |
| ISQA/CYBR 8570 | INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY AND ETHICS | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Health Care Information Systems
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISQA/CYBR 8570 | INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY AND ETHICS | 3 |
| Advisor approved course | 3 | |
| Integrative Experience (Required) | 3-6 | |
| Total Credits | 9-12 | |
MPA/MIS Exit Requirements
Capstone Option
MPA Capstone Course:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PA 8990 | CAPSTONE PROJECT IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION | 3 |
The MPA Capstone Course is taken at the end of the program, with no more than nine credit hours remaining. All Public Administration core classes must be completed prior to taking the Capstone Course.
MIS Capstone Course:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISQA 8950 | CAPSTONE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS | 3 |
Six credit hours or fewer may be left in the program. All MIS core courses must have been completed.
Thesis Option
To take this option, a student will be required to enroll in six hours of thesis credit.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISQA 8990 | THESIS | 6 |
The thesis must be in an area that relates to both the public administration and information systems domains.
Total Credit Hours: 57