Majors and Programs

Recent Sul Ross political science and public administration graduates have moved on to careers in local, state, and federal government, higher education, and administration of private non-profit organizations.
Students will graduate with the ability to:

• Organize and execute presentations relevant to public administration;
• Understand and execute a program evaluation;
• Conduct statistical analyses that are useful to the work of public administrators; and
• Read and interpret an organization’s budget.

With the low student-faculty ratio, public administration students are provided with more opportunities for one-on-one collaboration with faculty members.

All students have the opportunity to present research at the annual research symposium, as well as regional and national conferences.

Eligible students will be encouraged to develop connections with fellow students and scholars through involvement in the Omicron Phi chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honors Society, as well as through membership in the American Political Science Association (APSA) and/or the American Society of Public Administration.

Recent Sul Ross political science and public administration graduates have moved on to careers in local, state, and federal government, higher education, and administration of private non-profit organizations. The current and 13th President of Sul Ross State University, Pete Gallego, was a graduate of the political science program at SRSU. After graduating from SRSU, he graduated from law school, practiced law, and also served in both the Texas State Legislature, as well as the United States Congress.

“I decided to enroll in the MPA/Homeland Security programs because SRSU has affordable tuition rates, flexible schedules, and excellent overall reviews. The aforementioned elements essentially allow for any student, regardless of background, to register and fulfill their lifelong dream of furthering their education. In addition, SRSU professors possess over-qualifying credentials and are extremely knowledgeable in their respective fields. Overall, SRSU is an excellent University that provides me with a vast amount of knowledge, meets all of my needs, and does not take a toll on my finances.”
–Angel Gomez

“I moved to Alpine in 1983 to attend Sul Ross State University. After graduating in 1988 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science with a Psychology minor, I completed my Master’s Degree in Public Administration in 1994. I then became employed full time at the City of Alpine as the Records Management Clerk. I was quickly promoted through the administrative ranks and held the positions of Administrative Assistant to the City Manager, Grant Administrator, and Assistant City Manager. I also briefly served as Interim City Manager as well. I left the city in January of 2004 to begin employment with Sul Ross.” –Karlin DeVoll

Comprehensive Exam Procedures for
Master of Public Administration and Master of Arts in Political Science

As part of the degree requirements for the Master of Public Administration or Master of Arts in Political Science, each graduate student must pass a comprehensive examination of their coursework.  The exam consists of a take-home written component and an oral component.

Scheduling the Exam

After mid-term of the last semester of the student’s coursework in either program, the student should consult with their Public Administration/Political Science advisor to form an exam committee. The committee will be comprised of three Sul Ross State University faculty members. At least two committee members must be from the Public Administration/Political Science faculty.  One member of the committee may be from a related discipline, but it is not required to choose someone from an outside discipline.  The chair of the committee will be the student’s Public Administration/Political Science advisor.  The committee will evaluate the written exam and administer the oral exam.

When the student is ready is to schedule the comprehensive exam, the student should contact his/her advisor to work out scheduling details. This should occur no later than 30 days prior to your preferred date for the written exam.

Structure of the Exam

The take-home written exam will consist of three to four essay questions about the student’s coursework. Members of the committee may submit individual questions, or committee members may collaborate to create questions. During the written exam, students can consult course readings, and assignments, as long as all resources are properly cited. The questions for the written exam will be emailed to the student on the day of the exam.

The oral exam will be conducted after committee members have had an opportunity to review the written exam, usually within two weeks of exam submission. During the oral exam, committee members will ask the student to explain or elaborate upon their answers from the written exam.  Additional questions that were not on the written exam may be included in the oral exam. Students can take the oral exam in person or by phone. The oral exam will last approximately one hour.

Preparing for the Exam

Past students have prepared for the comprehensive exam by reviewing assignments, readings, final exams, and research projects from their Public Administration/Political Science coursework.

NOTE:  There are proposed changes to this program, including a reduction in required program hours (from 36 to 30).  Updates will be posted upon approval.

Year 2

Total Credit Hours Required for Master of Public Administration:  36