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Priority Deadline Oct. 15 for WT’s Public Administration Graduate Program’s Spring Semester

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Chip Chandler Oct 06, 2022
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Priority Deadline Oct. 15 for WT’s Public Administration Graduate Program’s Spring Semester

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

 

CANYON, Texas — Government and nonprofit professional can take advantage of a flexible way to expand their career options through West Texas A&M University.

WT’s master of public administration degree, offered through the Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences and WT’s Graduate School, is a 100 percent online program designed to suit the needs of both traditional graduate students and working professionals.

Priority deadline to apply for the spring 2023 semester is Oct. 15.

The program, launched in fall 2022, offers three concentrations —one focusing on criminal justice administration, one focusing on rural/local government and one focusing on general public administration.

“We know, through speaking with city managers and officials in our area, that the field of public administration is expanding, and there are critical needs for people who have expertise in areas that go beyond budgeting and management,” said Dr. Darrell Lovell, assistant professor of political science and MPA program director. “In addition to knowing their public and how policy works, qualified candidates need to know how to engage the public with technology, conduct data analysis and make evidence and data-driven decisions. These are skills we have built our program around.” 

The 36-hour program provides course work and flexibility designed for working professionals in government, nonprofit administration, law enforcement and education as well as continuing students who want to enter the workforce with a graduate degree in hand.

“I transitioned from working in education to working for the City of Amarillo in 2021, so this degree program is offering me an opportunity to learn more about municipal government and how it functions,” said Stefanie Rodarte-Suto, assistant director of community development. “I am already applying what I’ve learned.”

The ability for students to focus on concentrations offers them a unique flexibility and the option to craft their academic experience, Lovell said.

Those who would benefit from the degree include those working in or targeting careers as social and community service managers, urban and regional planners, administrative services managers, emergency management directors, budget analysts, human resources managers, postsecondary education administrators, medical and health services managers, and management analysts.

As a 100 percent online program, the program also offers maximum flexibility for students.

“Online is the only way I could do it,” said Raul Rodarte-Suto, community initiatives manager for United Way of Amarillo and Canyon. “It allows us to do life and school, and what I’m learning can apply to my current job or any other job in this kind of field—nonprofits, for-profits, cities, education. There are just so many applications of ‘public administration.’”

Meeting regional needs is a key tenet of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly in September 2021 — has raised more than $110 million.

 

Photo: Stefanie and Raul Rodarte-Suto both find the flexibility of the online master of public administration program ideal for their busy schedules.

 

 

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

 

 

—WT—