UMaine Offers Open Houses for Prospective Central Maine MPA Students
Contact: Cindy D’Angelo, 581-1872; George Manlove, 581-3756
AUGUSTA — The University of Maine is offering three open houses this month to introduce prospective students to its popular master’s in public administration degree program taught each year in Augusta.
The university offers at least two graduate-level public administration courses in Augusta each semester. The spring 2007 courses — Information Technology & Policy and Public Financial Management — are both being taught by faculty members from the University of Maine’s Orono campus.
“This program is set up for working people in many different professions,” says Carolyn Ball, director of graduate programs for the Department of Public Policy and Administration at UMaine.
Many people already working in or planning to enter business, government, non-profit, healthcare, public policy or administration fields will find the program an invaluable step up the career ladder and also toward broadening their understanding of public administration issues and practices.
Both the public administration courses and the MPA program, which the university has offered in the Augusta community since 1968, can help working professionals and recent college graduates add to their post-graduate education or work toward a master’s degree in public administration (MPA).
“The advantage of this program is that students can continue working and attend classes without commuting to Orono,” Ball says. “Students can earn an MPA degree right in Augusta and still have the advantage of a University of Maine degree.”
The MPA course is “Augusta’s best-kept secret, even though many alums have important positions in state government and other fields,” she adds. “Students can earn a master’s degree in as little as two calendar years or take up to six years to complete the degree.”
People with degrees from accredited undergraduate colleges or universities may take a class as a non-degree student and credit can be applied toward an MPA degree, should the student decide to apply later. While registration deadlines are flexible, prospective MPA candidates should call the UMaine Department of Public Policy & Administration at 207-581-1872 or email: umpubadm@umit.maine.edu by Dec.1 for application, scheduling or other class information.
The open houses are:
Oct. 26, 3-3:45 p.m., Conference Room 4, MaineGeneral Medical Center, 6 East Chestnut St. in Augusta;
Oct. 27, 9-9:45 a.m., Maine Municipal Association, located behind the Augusta Civic Center on Civic Center Drive;
And Oct. 27, 10-11 a.m., Champlain A Room, Maine Department of Public Safety in the Central Maine Commerce Center at 45 Commerce Drive (off Exit 112B, 1.2 miles north on Route 27).
Those who cannot attend one of the three open houses can get more information by contacting Cindy D’Angelo in the University of Maine Department of Public Policy & Administration at the telephone number or email address listed above.