Graduate Certificates

Public Management

DESCRIPTION

The Graduate Certificate in Public Management (GCPM) benefits those who currently hold positions in governmental management, as well as professionals who administer public contracts and programs. The course of study helps students develop the competencies required for effective public management.

*Current MPA students are not eligible to apply for or receive the Graduate Certificate in Public Management (GCPM) given that the curriculum for this program is exactly the same as the curriculum for the MPA degree.

PROGRAM LOCATION

Courses for this graduate certificate program are only offered on the Tampa campus. We offer a mixture of in person, hybrid blend, and online courses.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

For full consideration, your completed application should be received by the following deadlines:

  • Fall semester: June 1
  • Spring semester: October 15
  • Summer semester: February 15

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited university and should have a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of a 4.0 scale average in their undergraduate study.

APPLICATION PROCESS

For new non-degree seeking students: In addition to your online application and non-refundable $30 application fee, you will also need to submit the following documents:

  • Undergraduate transcripts;
  • Letter of intent (aka statement of purpose);
  • Resume (aka curriculum vitae); and
  • Two letters of recommendation.

Current graduate students at USF: DO NOT submit an online application. Instead, you will download and fill out the Graduate Certificate Approval Form. Send the completed paperwork and supplemental materials (statement of purpose and up-to-date resume only) via email to gradstudies@usf.edu as one PDF file (do not send via DocuSign).

CURRICULUM

View Graduate Studies Catalog  |  View Sample Grad Check

Core Requirements

18 total credit hours; 9 credit hours of required core courses.

  • PAD 6060 Public Organizational Theory and Leadership (3)

Please select the remaining 6 credit hours of core courses from the following list:

  • PAD 5700 Research Methods in Public Administration (3)
  • PAD 6227 Public Budgeting (3)
  • PAD 6275 Political Economy for Public Managers (3)
  • PAD 6307 Policy Design and Implementation (3)
  • PAD 6417 Human Resources Management (3)
  • PAD 6703 Quantitative Analysis in Public Administration (3)
  • PAD 6710 Government Technology for Decision-Making (3)

Elective Requirements

9 credit hours of required elective courses. 3 elective courses to be taken from the Department of Public Administration which are relevant to the study of public management, or a course from another graduate program with prior approval from the Program Director. Suggested electives include, but are not limited to:

  • Any course(s) from the list above not used towards the core requirements

  • PAD 6134 Project Management (3)
  • PAD 6427 Public Sector Labor Relations (3)

TIME LIMIT

The graduate certificate time limit is 5 years. However, students can complete this program within 1-3 years.

CREDIT TOWARD GRADUATE DEGREE

All 18 credit hours/6 courses from this certificate program may be eligible for transfer into the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, as long as a grade of "B" or higher is received in each certificate course taken.

STANDARDIZED TESTS

No standardized tests are required for admission to the certificate program. International applicants from non-English speaking countries must provide a minimum score of 79 on TOEFL iBT, 6.5 on IELTS, or 110 on Duolingo taken within 2 years of the desired term of entry. Click here for more information on USF's English Proficiency Requirement.

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

  • International students who do not hold the required degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution must submit translated transcripts from an NACES affiliated evaluation agency certifying equivalency to a U.S. degree.
  • Certificate students are ineligible for a student visa based on the certificate program alone (non-degree seeking), but concurrently enrolling in a master's program (graduate degree seeking) would make you eligible for a student visa.

If you have questions about the application process or the status of your application, please contact the Academic Program Specialist, Annie Valdez, at annievaldez@usf.edu.