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Joint Planning and Public Administration Degree Program

(A digital copy of the Joint Planning/PA Foldout Brochure)

The professions of planning and public administration are intertwined in numerous ways. Many positions in government can best be filled by persons who possess the knowledge and skills of both administrators and planners. Planners in local governments often aspire to become administrators of governments and planning organizations. Conversely, administrators, especially in rapidly growing governments, may be hampered if they cannot exercise the skills to frame plans.

Very few persons achieve professional competence in both fields. Those who do possess substantial career flexibility and attractiveness to prospective employers. The joint degree program at Florida State is one of only a handful in the nation. It permits the mastery of core knowledge and skills in both areas in three years or less, instead of the four years or more that would otherwise be required. It does so by eliminating duplicative coursework in analytical methods and general electives.

Applicants to the M.S.P./ M.P.A. joint degree program should make formal application through the admissions office of either the Department of Urban and Regional Planning or the School of Public Administration and Policy. A full photocopy of all application materials should be sent to the second unit's admissions office simultaneously. To be admitted to the joint degree program, each of the two units must separately admit the applicant to its respective degree program. Those currently enrolled in either degree program, and who have not completed 24 hours of study, may apply to the second department. Admission to that department shall constitute admission to the joint degree program. A unique major code (327777) exists for the Planning/Public Administration joint degree program and should be used on application forms.

Total minimum credit hours required for the joint degree is sixty-six (66). The student completes the core course requirements of each degree with these exceptions:

the student completes the Research Methods sequence of courses in one program (URP5201 and URP5211 for Planning or PAD5700 and PAD5701 for Public Administration)
the student must also complete the Decision Methods course in each program (URP5222 and PAD5035).

A single Internship meeting the requirements of both degrees is completed under either PAD5946 or the Planning Department's guideline. A single Capstone/Action paper meeting the requirements of both degree programs is completed under either URP5910 or PAD6908 under the direction of a committee consisting of faculty from each of the units.

Important Note: Students are expected to complete the research sequence in one department and both the internship and professional paper in the other department.

The student also selects and completes both an Urban and Regional Planning specialization and a Public Administration concentration.

Each of the two units will award a degree only if the cumulative grade point average for courses with that unit's prefix is 3.0 or higher. This requirement is in addition to, and does not replace, any other university or departmental academic standing requirements.

It is expected that the student will spend two semesters of full-time study in each department, and then divide remaining coursework between the two departments. Departmental advisors will guide the proper sequence of courses for each program. Students who attend one semester of summer school and complete the internship requirement the second summer should be able to complete all degree requirements in two and one-half calendar years.