Social and Economic Development Policy (B.S.)/Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
This accelerated master’s degree program will hone your knowledge of globalization while also teaching you the practical skills necessary to be a leader in government, nonprofits, or international organizations.
The Bachelor of Science in Social and Economic Development Policy will equip you with the knowledge you need to work on the front lines of public policy development, opening doors to careers that are actively engaged with the social, economic, and environmental policy issues that are as fundamental today as they will be decades into the future. You will also focus on the role technology plays in alleviating poverty, as well as how technology shapes economic competitiveness.
Moving into your coursework in the Master of Public Administration program, you’ll build the skills and knowledge needed to be an effective public or nonprofit manager. This program combines academic rigor with a practical orientation toward management and policy analysis. The M.P.A. program prepares students to be leaders in public, private, or nonprofit sector careers and cultivates professional growth opportunities in a variety of fields.
Program Overview
Develop your understanding of globalization while also gaining the tools to succeed in government, nonprofits, international organizations, and more. You’ll explore social, economic, and environmental policy issues and hone skills tied to management, finance, human resources, and policy analysis.
Career Opportunities
Students completing the Bachelor of Science in Social and Economic Development Policy/Master of Public Administration accelerated master’s program will be strong candidates for a variety of occupations, including jobs in the following fields:
- Local, state, or federal government
- Nonprofits
- International organizations
- Higher education administration
- Consulting
Social and economic development policy majors can complete this combined B.S. and M.P.A. program in five years. Any time after the fourth semester, students may request admission to the Master of Public Administration program offered by Illinois Tech’s Stuart School of Business. Students who are granted provisional admission may then take one M.P.A. course per semester that is counted toward both their B.S. and M.P.A. programs. Final admission to the M.P.A. program is made during the eighth semester. The B.S. degree is awarded at the end of the eighth semester, and the M.P.A. degree is completed during the fifth year.
Students applying to the Accelerated Master’s Program co-terminal option must have completed at least 60 credit hours with at least one full semester (12 credit hours) of applicable undergraduate study at the university.
Students must be at least one full-time semester (12 credit hours) away from undergraduate degree completion in order to apply.
Applicants are required to have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; however, please consult individual departments for specific minimum grade-point average requirements.
Learn more about Illinois Tech’s Accelerated Master’s Program.
Featured Faculty
Matthew A. Shapiro
Jonathan Rosenberg
Daniel Bliss
Roland Calia
Joanne E. Howard
"Being able to attend Illinois Tech was definitely a huge blessing to me. I was exposed to more caring professors, smaller classes that allow the student/professor interaction to increase, as well as just being able to network with people who view the same urgency and [have the same] passion that I have about civic engagement. I hope to continue working with civic engagement, community development, nonprofits, or the public sector to improve the city I love and the people that live in it."
