Interim Dean and professor in the Rockerfeller College of Public Affairs and Policy R. Karl Rethemeyer (pictured right) and Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions at Rockefeller College Jaclyn Napoleon presented about a partnership their college formed with Geneseo’s Department of Political Science and International Relations. The agreement would allow Geneseo students to begin taking courses for the Master of Public Administration while in their senior year at Geneseo (Malachy Dempsey/News Editor).
The Department of Political Science and International Relations has entered into a partnership with the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University of Albany to provide a shortened track for a master’s degree in public administration.
The partnership will likely continue with similar programs for master’s degrees in international affairs and political science, according to acting Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations and lecturer in political science and international relations Jeremy Grace.
Interim Dean and professor in the Rockefeller College R. Karl Rethemeyer and Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions at Rockefeller College Jaclyn Napoleon presented about the expedited M.P.A. program to a group of political science and international majors on Wednesday April 18 during an informational session in Fraser Hall.
The new partnership would enable Geneseo students to take multiple classes at Geneseo during their senior year that would count for their M.P.A. program, according to Rethemeyer. Doing so would allow the students to finish their master’s in three semesters, rather than four, according to Napoleon. Students could theoretically finish the program in two semesters, but that that time frame would be more difficult to manage, given the requirement that M.P.A. students complete an internship, Napoleon said.
Geneseo’s Department of Political Science and International Relations and Rockefeller College have not yet determined which classes will count for both the major and the master’s program, according to Grace. Grace and assistant professor of political science and Coordinator for the public administration minor Eunju Kang plan to look at the offerings at both Geneseo and Rockefeller to assess the overlapping courses, Grace said. Grace spoke positively of the partnership.
“This is one of the premier programs in the country,” Grace said at the presentation. “Even if this specific program doesn’t work for you, there may be a lot for you there . . . This is something we’re going to roll-out into some other master’s-level programs there.”
The new program will additionally waive the requirement that Geneseo applicants take the Graduate Record Examinations, provided they have previously completed at least two quantitative courses, according to Napoleon.
Political science major sophomore Alexander Findeis said the program could provide a valuable opportunity for some students in the department who may be interested in the field of public administration.
“I was really intrigued by the program,” Findeis said. “The thought of starting graduate school while still completing undergraduate programs is an exciting prospect.”
Findeis expressed that he wished the program came to his attention before planning coursework for next semester.
“I wish I had known about it earlier though so I could have started planning for next year with that in mind,” Findeis said. “But it’s good to know about it in case I might be able to squeeze it into my schedule.”